166 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



plants sent by nurserymen in very 

 small pots, and it will be found that 

 you can never get up a good stock 

 of Aquilegias by purchase. The 

 proper way is to grow your own 

 from seed. Sow in shallow wooden 

 trays, or in pots, and grow the plants 

 on carefully in a cold frame. When 

 the seedlings are sufficiently large, 

 prick them out into the places wherein 

 you wish them to grow some in pots 

 and some in the garden and plant 

 them in various situations, here in 

 the shade and there in the open, so 

 as to have as many chances of success 

 with them as possible. I always plant 

 three plants in a triangle, 4 inches 

 apart, so that any group can readily 

 be taken up and potted if we wish 

 it. Once planted, leave them alone 

 ever afterwards, or, if you move them, 

 take up a large ball of earth with 

 them, so as not to loosen the soil 

 about the roots more than can be 

 helped. When the plants have 

 flowered and the seed has ripened, 

 my practice is to gather some for 

 future sowing, and to scatter the rest 

 around the plant, raking the soil 

 lightly first, and shaking the seed 

 out of the pods every three or four 

 days. From the seed thus scattered 

 young plants come up by hundreds, 

 often as thick as a mat, and may be 

 transplanted, when suitably grown, 

 into proper situations. In this way, 

 I have here abundance of Columbines, 

 and amongst these plenty of A. glan- 

 dulosa self-sown, and as strong and 

 hardy as any." 



The late^ Mr J. C. Niven, of the 

 Hull Botanic Gardens, one who knew 

 alpine and hardy plants so well, sug- 

 gests that all the Columbines, except 

 the common one, should be looked 

 upon as biennials rather than good 

 perennials. The seeds should be 



sown early in spring, and the young 

 plants pricked out into pans or into 

 an old garden-frame as soon as they 

 are fit to handle, removing them 

 early in August to their permanent 

 positions ; select a cloudy day for 

 the work, and give them a little 

 artificial shading for a few days. 

 Carry out the same process year after 

 year, the old plants being discarded 

 after flowering. Any attempt at divid- 

 ing the old roots usually fails. There 

 are, however, instances, especially on 

 light soils and hilly districts, where 

 several of them remain good for years. 



Aquilegia alpina (Alpine Columbine). 

 A pretty alpine plant, widely distri- 

 buted over the higher parts of the Alps 

 of Europe, the stems from 1 foot to 2 feet 

 high, bearing showy blue flowers. There 

 is a lovely variety with a white centre to 

 the flower, which, from its colour, is 

 certain to be preferred, and many will 

 say they have not got the "true" plant 

 if they possess only the variety with 

 blue flowers. It does not require any 

 very particular care in culture, but should 

 have a place among the taller plants of 

 the rock-garden, and be planted in a 

 rather moist but not shady spot in deep 

 loam, with leaf-soil. 



A. calif ornica (Californian Columbine). 

 One of the stoutest of the American 

 kinds ; the spurs are long, bright orange, 

 attenuated. To appreciate the beauty of 

 the flower, it must be turned up from its 

 pendent position ; then the beautiful 

 shell-like arrangement of the petals is 

 seen, the bright yellow marginal line 

 gradually shading off into deep orange. 

 The seeds of this kind should be saved, 

 as having once blossomed, the old plant 

 is apt to perish. I have never been disap- 

 pointed with the seedlings diverging from 

 their parent type in character. This plant 

 thrives best on a deep loam and moist. 

 Syns., A. eximia, A. truncata. 



A. canadensis (Canadian Columbine). 

 The flowers of this are smaller than those 

 of the Californian kinds ; this, however, 

 is compensated for by the brilliancy of 

 the scarlet colour of the sepals and the 



