176 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



hairs thinly but almost quite regularly 

 scattered over their under sides. The 

 flowers are borne on stalks from 6 inches 

 to a foot long, the racemes of bloom being 

 from 2 to 5 inches long, according to the 

 strength of the plant. The closely-set 

 and unopened flowers at the head of the 

 raceme are usually of a deep crimson, but 

 as they open, they become of a pale rosy 

 lilac, with bars of white on the upper 

 petals. The shoots, though vigorous, are 

 prostrate, which causes it to be seen to 

 greater advantage when drooping over 

 rocks, and it grows well in any soil. A 

 native of the South of France, easily raised 

 from seed. There are several varieties. 



Astragalus onoloTychis(Saintfoin Milk- 

 Vetch). A fine hardy kind, in some varie- 

 ties spreading, and in others growing about 

 18 inches high, with pinnate leaves about 

 4 inches long, the leaflets smooth, and 

 handsome racemes of purplish-crimson 

 flowers. As the individual flowers, when 

 fully open, are a shade more than five- 

 eighths of an inch long, and borne in 

 clusters of from six to sixteen on each 

 raceme, it is an attractive plant, and will 

 thrive well in any good loam. There 

 .are several varieties enumerated, three of 

 which, alpinus, moldavicus, and micro- 

 phyllus, are prostrate in habit, and would 

 prove valuable. ^The plant is particu- 

 larly suited for the rougher parts of the 

 rock-garden, and for positions where a 

 rich effect rather than minute beauty is 

 sought. There are white forms of all 

 the varieties. Europe and N. Asia. 



A. pannosus (Shaggy Milk-Vetch). 

 A dwarf kind, with silvery, woolly pin- 

 nate leaves, which, growing in compact 

 tufts about a span high, give the plant 

 somewhat the appearance of a silvery 

 fern. Attracted by this appearance, when 

 I saw the plant in cultivation in Switzer- 

 land, I brought home some seeds, from 

 which plants have been raised by Mr 

 J. Backhouse and Mr W. Bull. I have 

 not yet seen it in flower, but from the 

 beauty of its leaves alone, it is likely to 

 prove an excellent rock-garden plant. It 

 is easily increased by seeds, and comes 

 from Asia Minor. 



ATRAGENE (see CLEMATIS). 



AUBRIETIA (Purple Hock- 

 Cress). If there were but one 

 family of rock-plants known to us. 

 this which gladdens the rocks oi' 

 Greece and all near countries with 

 its soft colours in the dawn of spring, 

 would be almost enough to justify 

 the lovers of rock flowers for any ex- 

 travagance in their behalf. In these 

 plants all difficulties of culture, in- 

 crease, soil, etc., fly away, and though 

 from the hills above the cities of 

 Greece or the sites ennobled in human 

 story, they are as happy in our British 

 land as the grasses of our fields. 



These rock plants will succeed on 

 any soil, and never fail to flower, even 

 should the cutting winds of spring 

 shear all the verdure of the budding 

 Willows. There is hardly a position 

 selected for a rock plant that may 

 not be graced by them. Rocks, ruins, 

 stony places, sloping banks, and walls, 

 suit them perfectly ; and no plant is so 

 easily established in such places, nor 

 will any other alpine plant so quickly 

 clothe them with the desired kind 

 of vegetation. Growing in common 

 soil, in the open border, or on any ex- 

 posed spot, they thrive as well as on 

 the best -made rock-garden, forming 

 round spreading tufts ; and on fine 

 days in spring the flowers come out 

 on these in such crowds as to com- 

 pletely hide the leaves, making hillocks 

 of colour. They are quite easy to 

 naturalise in bare rocky places, and 

 often sow themselves on walls. They 

 are easily propagated by seeds, cuttings, 

 or division. Grown together, their 

 affinity is clearly seen, and few things 

 may be more safely united under one 

 species than the Aubrietia at present 

 in cultivation. 



Among the several varieties, A. del- 

 toidea grandiftora and A. Campbelli 

 are the best. Dr Mules is the richest 



