184 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



Britain, and thriving so well in our 

 climate, it is the one so often seen. Syn., 

 G. pumila. 



Campanula Carpatica (Carpathian Hair- 

 bell). This, while bearing cup -shaped 

 flowers as large as those of the Peach-leaved 

 Hairbell, has the dwarf neat habit of the 

 alpine kinds. It is a native of the Car- 

 pathian Mountains and other parts of the 

 same region, and fortunately easy of 

 culture, growing from 6 inches to over 

 a foot in height, according to the 

 depth, and richness of the soil. It begins 

 to flower in early summer, and 

 often continues in bloom for a long 

 time, especially if the plants are young, 

 and the seed-vessels be picked off. There 

 is a white variety, G. c. alba ; a pale blue 

 one, pallida; and a white and blue kind, 



five lobes. It should have a gritty, stony 

 and moist soil. Alps of Central Europe. 



Campanula excisa. An interesting 

 species, usually found at high altitudes ; 

 the flowers pale blue and deeply cut. 

 At the base between each two lobes this 

 incision takes the shape of a round hole, 

 and it is this which suggested the name. 

 The whole plant is not more than 4 inches 

 or 5 inches in height, and likes a position 

 not fully exposed to the sun, but where 

 the air would be cool and moist. 



C. fragilis (Brittle Hairbell). In hand- 

 ling this the stems break off as if made of 

 ice. It is a pretty Hairbell, the root- 

 leaves on long stalks heart-shaped in 

 outline, and bluntly lobed, those of the 

 stem more lance-shaped, the rather large 

 blue open flowers somewhat bell-shaped, 



Campanula Garganica. (Engraved from a photograph bi 

 Mrs Stafford, Waldeck, JRidgeway, Bnfield.) 



bicolor names for the most noticeable 

 variations raised from seed. 



C. Cenisia (Mont Genis Hairbell). An 

 alpine growing at very high elevations. 

 I have found it abundantly among the 

 fine Saxifraga biflora, at the sides of 

 glaciers on the high Alps, scarcely ever 

 making much show above the ground, 

 but, like the Gooseberry-bush in Australia, 

 very vigorous below, sending a great 

 number of runners under the soil. Here 

 and there they send up a compact rosette 

 of light green leaves. The flowers are 

 solitary blue, somewhat funnel-shaped, 

 but open, and cut nearly to the base into 



borne on half prostrate steins, the plant 

 rarely reaching 6 inches in height, smooth 

 and rather fleshy. A native of the South 

 of Italy. Invaluable for the rock- 

 garden in well-drained chinks into which 

 it can root deeply without being too wet 

 in winter ; on light soils not requiring 

 this care. G. fragilis hirsuta is a form 

 covered with stiff down. 



C. Garganica (Gargano Hairbell). -A. 

 showy kind, with somewhat of the habit 

 of the Carpathian Hairbell, but smaller ; 

 the leaves that spring from the root are 

 kidney-shaped, those from the stem heart- 

 shaped, all toothed and downy. In 



