PART II.] 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



237 



Helianthemum Pilosella (Downy Sun- 

 rose). A dwarf kind, with a woody pro- 

 strate stem ; about 6 inches high, flowering 

 in summer ; small, yellow, in clusters. 

 Pyrenees. The rock-garden and margins 

 of dry borders, in ordinary soil. Seed and 

 cuttings. 



H. polifolium is also a native of our 

 country, though rare. It seems to me 

 that there are many plants of this genus 

 not yet in cultivation, worth introducing, 

 especially for sandy and poor hot soils. 



H. rosmarinifolium (Rosemary-leaved 

 H.). A neat, erect little bush, about 1 

 foot high, flowering in summer ; white, 

 on short stalks, bearing each from one to 

 three flowers. North America. Pretty in 

 the rock-garden, in sandy loam. Cuttings 

 and seed. 



H. Tuberaria (Truffle Sunrose). A dis- 

 tinct and beautiful rock-plant, bearing 

 flowers like those of a single yellow rose, 

 2 inches across, and with dark centres, 

 drooping when in bud, and on stems about 

 9 inches high. It is quite distinct from 

 all the other cultivated Sunroses in not 

 having woody stems, but sending up large 

 hairy leaves, somewhat like plantain- 

 leaves, from the root, and scarcely looking 

 like a Sunrose. It flowers in summer, and 

 continuously, if in good health and in good 

 soil. It is said to grow abundantly where 

 truffles abound, and is well worthy of a 

 position in a well-drained spot, or dry 

 fissure on the sunny side of the rock- 

 garden. S. Europe. 



H. Vlllgare (Common Sunrose). A well- 

 known British under-shrub, growing in 

 dry pastures and heaths, with bright 

 yellow flowers, on stems from a few 

 inches to nearly a foot long. In a culti- 

 vated state this plant varies a good deal 

 in colour, and numerous plants passing 

 under different names in our gardens are 

 really forms of this species, and some well 

 worthy of cultivation. While thriving in 

 almost any soil, they attain ripest health, 

 and flower most profusely, on chalky and 

 warm ones, and on soils of this description 

 they may be used with good effect on the 

 margins of shrubberies, especially the 

 copper-coloured and red varieties. They 

 are only suited for the rougher parts of 

 the rock-garden. The best way to obtain 



varieties of different colours is by seed, 

 which is offered in most of the Catalogues ; 

 but some of the named varieties are very 

 bright, and should be secured, such a$ 

 amabilis, sunbeam, venustum, and Ball of 

 Fire. 



HELICHRYSUM ARENARIUM 



(Yellow Everlasting}. This is the 

 beautiful little plant which affords- 

 the " everlasting flowers " so much 

 used for immortelles. The grey 

 leaves are closely covered with long- 

 down, and the flower-stems, ascending 

 from 4 to 10 inches, are clothed all 

 the way up with narrow hoary leaves,, 

 having their edges turned backwards, 

 and support a number of flowers of a 

 bright, glistening yellow. To preserve 

 the flowers, they should be gathered 

 when fresh and newly-blown, as, if 

 allowed to mature, they are apt to- 

 fall away. A native of sandy and 

 sunny places in Central and Southern 

 Europe, and in this country on warm,, 

 sandy, and drained soils. Division. 



HELLEBORUS (Christmas Rose). 

 Though these plants are not usually 

 included among alpine and rock-plants, 

 they are true mountaineers : being 

 often slow to grow in our gardens 

 I think that the advantages of aspect 

 and improved soil and good drainage, 

 which a well-made rock-garden gives, 

 might be well for these noble plants. 

 In any case, where we work with 

 mountain shrubs, these will come in 

 well, and there can be nothing more- 

 attractive in winter, in warm or chalky 

 soils, than the winter kinds, or in 

 spring, when the eastern kind blooms 

 so early. 



Helleborus Niger (Christmas Rose). 

 Although this familiar old plant may be 

 thought too vigorous for association with 

 the often minute gems to which this book 

 is chiefly devoted, yet its fine evergreen 

 foliage and handsome large flowers entitle 



