216 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



ciliated hairs on the leaves ; it forms 

 dense tufts, and flowers freely in early 

 spring, producing an almost equally 

 abundant bloom in the autumn ; it also 

 seeds freely. 



D. rupestris, frigida, and Chamcejasme, 

 are three very dwarf plants, closely allied, 

 in fact so much so that they may be con- 

 sidered as varieties. The flowers in each 

 case are small, but are produced abund- 

 antly. Considering the neat habit of the 

 plants, every collection should possess at 

 least one of them. 



D. nivalis, a native of the Swiss Alps, 

 is the most diminutive of the genus. The 

 leaves are of a whitish-green, owing to the 

 presence of minute stellate hairs. The 

 plant, when in flower, is not over 2 inches 

 nigh, of nice compact habit, but rather a 

 shy grower, and is rarely met with. 



Draba glacialis (Glacier Draba). A 

 very dwarf kind, forming dense little 

 cushions 1 to 2 inches high, which in April 

 are covered with bright golden-yellow 

 flowers. Leaves linear, smooth, ciliated, 

 forming small rosettes closely packed in 

 pincushion-like masses. The plant very 

 much resembles a small specimen of D. 

 aizoides, and is considered by Koch to be 

 a variety of that, growing at a higher 

 elevation ; but it differs from it by 

 having a few-flowered stem, pedicels 

 shorter than the pod, and a short style. 

 It is found on the granitic Alps of 

 Switzerland, and is suited for exposed 

 spots in the rock-garden, in moist and 

 very gritty soil, and associated with the 

 dwarfest alpine plants. 



DRACOCEPHALUM (Dragon' a- 



head). Plants of the Sage family, 

 among which are a few choice per- 

 ennials, suitable for the rock-garden, 

 succeeding in light garden soil, and 

 increased by division or seed. 



Draco cephalum Austriacum (Austrian 

 D.). A showy species, with blue flowers 

 more than an inch and a half long, in 

 whorled spikes, the plant of rather a 

 woody texture, spreading into masses about 

 a foot high, the floral leaves velvety, and 

 with long fine spines. A native of nearly 

 all the great mountain chains of Europe, 



thriving in light soil, and increased by 

 seed or division. Quite free to grow in 

 most garden soils, but, like many other 

 mountain plants, only attaining ripeness 

 of texture on well-drained, warm, and 

 sandy soils. 



Dracocephalum grandinonun (Betony- 

 leaved D.). A plant rarely seen in our 

 gardens ; it is distinct, not diffuse or pro- 

 cumbent, in habit more like a dwarf 

 Betony ; the flowers, handsome, blue, in 

 whorled oblong spikes, 2 to 3 inches long ; 

 the plant little more than half a foot high, 

 though it varies from 2 inches to a foot 

 high. Native of Siberia, and thriving in 

 sandy and thoroughly -drained loam, it 

 should be guarded against slugs, which 

 may quickly destroy young and small 

 plants. Flowers in early summer, and in- 

 creased by division. 



D. Ruyschianum (Ruysch's D.). 

 Flowers in rather close spikes at the 

 summit of the stem ; the floral leaves 

 also entire. A pretty perennial, flower- 

 ing rather late in the summer, and 

 thriving on slightly elevated spots, for 

 which it is well fitted by its spreading, 

 somewhat prostrate, habit, forming tufts 

 about a foot high. Division or seed. 



Other kinds (omitting the taller, more 

 herbaceous kinds) are : Botrioides, with 

 purple flowers, Ruyschianum, japonicum, 

 argumense, and Ruprechtii; but though 

 likely to thrive, seldom effective in south- 

 ern gardens. 



DROSERA (Sundew). Interesting 

 little bog-plants, of which all the 

 hardy species but one are natives of 

 Britain and characterised by leaves, 

 their surfaces covered with dense 

 glandular hairs. When the native 

 kinds are grown artificially, the condi- 

 tion of their natural home should be 

 adopted as far as possible. In a bog 

 on a very small scale it is not easy to 

 secure the humid atmosphere they have 

 at home, but they will grow wherever 

 Sphagnum grows. The native kinds 

 are intermedia, longifolia, olovata, and 

 rotundifolia. The North American 

 Thread-leaved Sundew (D. filiformis) 



