PART II.] 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



179 



Massachusetts and New York to Illinois 

 and southward. Flowering in April or 

 May, either before or at the same time 

 as the leaves. In a wild state the more 

 or less fragrant flowers vary from flesh 

 colour to pink and purple. Of this 

 species there are numberless varieties and 

 hybrids, no fewer than forty-three being 

 enumerated in Loddiges' Catalogue in 1836. 



Azalea occidentalis (California A.). 

 One of the most beautiful flowers when 

 the glossy leaves are well developed, and 

 after most other Azaleas are past. The 

 species is a native of the western foot- 

 hills of the Sierra Nevada throughout the 

 length of California, and in the coast 

 ranges along streams. This fine distinct 

 kind is a free grower, even where there 

 is no peat. 



A. Pontica (Pontic A.). An immense 

 number of varieties and hybrids have been 

 raised from this species both in British 

 and Continental gardens. The wild plant 

 has fragrant flowers of a bright yellow 

 colour, blossoming in May and June. 

 This comes from the same country as 

 the Pontic Rhododendron the Caucasus 

 and near regions and is supposed with 

 good reason to be the source of the honey 

 that led to the poisoning of Anophon's 

 soldiers. It is a free and handsome shrub 

 in almost any soil, and in rocky spots 

 in woods or copses quite at home. 



A. rhombica. The near allies of this 

 distinct-looking plant are Chinese or 

 Japanese ; it has bright, rose-coloured, 

 bell-shaped flowers, with a very short 

 tube, l inches to 2 inches across, gener- 

 ally in pairs at the tips of the branches. 

 The dull green hairy leaves are in 

 whorls of three, and of the ten stamens 

 the five upper are much the shortest. 

 In autumn the decaying leaves turn a 

 bronzy-purple colour. This is one of the 

 earliest to flower, and the spring frosts 

 frequently disfigure the blossoms. Moun- 

 tain woods of Japan. 



A. sinensis (Chinese A.). A native of 

 alpine shrublands in Japan, but is largely 

 cultivated both in that country and in 

 China. The flowers vary much in colour ; 

 ranging in a wild state from a dull, almost 

 greenish-yellow to orange-yellow or orange- 

 red, but many hues have arisen in nur- 



series from crossing. Loddiges was the 

 first to publish a figure. Upwards of 

 forty years afterwards Regel gave it the 

 name of A. mollis, and subsequently the 

 late Dr Gray described it under the name 

 of A.japonica. Syn., A. mollis. 



Azalea vaseyi (Vasey's A.). A. pretty 

 shrub from 3 feet to 10 feet high, with leaves 

 3 inches to 6 inches long, a roseate corolla, 

 the upper lobes spotted towards the base. 

 As a rock shrub it is very precious, and 

 its pink or purple flowers are distinct and 

 beautiful. N. America. 



A. viscosa (Swamp Honeysuckle). Is a 

 shrub from 4 feet to 10 feet high, with 

 clammy, fragrant flowers, white or tinged 

 with rose-colour in a wild state. In- 

 numerable varieties of this have originated 

 under cultivation, no less than 107 being 

 given in Loddiges' Catalogue for 1836. 

 Several wild forms have at various times 

 received specific names ; of these glauca 

 has paler leaves, generally white, glaucous 

 beneath ; nitida is a dwarf variety, with 

 oblanceolate leaves, green on both sur- 

 faces ; hispida and scabra do not require 

 detailed description. N.E. America. 



BELLIUM (Rock Daisy). These 

 are nearly allied to the common 

 Daisy. Three kinds are in cultiva- 

 tion : B. bellidioides, crassifolium, and 

 minutum, none of which are so beauti- 

 ful as the common Daisy, nor so hardy, 

 and therefore scarcely worthy of cul- 

 tivation, except in large collections. 

 Where grown without protection in 

 winter, they should be planted in 

 sandy warm soil, and in sunny spots, 

 on which I should certainly not be 

 anxious to give them a place, con- 

 sidering the numbers of brilliant 

 plants we have more fitted for the 

 embellishment of the rock-garden. 



BERBERIS (Barberry). Of these 

 handsome shrubs having much beauty 

 of foliage and fruit, while the greater 

 number would not be in stature 

 suited for the rock-garden, certain 

 kinds might be useful where the 

 idea of the shrub rock-garden is 



