240 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



quence of having seen it thrive better 

 on soft mud banks than when sub- 

 merged. The deeply-cut leaves formed 

 quite a deep green and dwarf turf 

 over the mud, and from these arose 

 stems, bearing at intervals whorls of 

 handsome pale-lilac or pink flowers, 

 which might perhaps be more justly 

 called the Water Primrose, as it 

 is nearly allied to the Primulas, and 

 it may be grown either in the water 

 or on a bank of soft wet soil at its 

 margin. It grows from 9 inches to 

 2 feet high, flowers in early summer, 

 and may be found in abundance near 

 London on the banks of the Lea 

 river, and in many other places, 

 and is pretty freely distributed over 

 England. 



HOUSTONIA CJERULEA (Bluets). 



A delicate North American mountain 

 plant, with many pale sky-blue flowers, 

 fading to white, and with yellowish 

 eyes, crowding on thread-like stems 

 to a height of 1 inch to 2j inches, 

 from close low cushions of leaves 

 shorter than many mosses, less than 

 half an inch high when fully exposed. 

 It is usually considered somewhat 

 difficult to grow, but this arises chiefly 

 from its minuteness ; in level exposed 

 spots it does very well in moist peaty 

 soil, the chief care required being to 

 keep it quite clear of weeds or coarse- 

 growing neighbours. It is suitable for 

 association with the choicest mountain- 

 plants. I have grown this plant well 

 in the open air in London; it with- 

 stood the evil influences of showers of 

 soot. 



Houstonia purpurea is another good 

 kind ; both inhabit open grassy places 

 and among wet rocks. 



HUTCHINSIA ALPINA (Alpine 

 H.}. A neat little rock-plant, from 



moist and elevated parts of nearly 

 all the great mountain-chains of 

 Central and Southern Europe, with 

 shining leaves, and pure white 

 flowers, in clusters on stems about 

 1 inch high. It is quite free in sandy 

 soil, and easily increased by division 

 or by seeds. Planted in an open 

 spot, it becomes a dense mass of white 

 flowers. 



HYACINTHUS (Hyacinth}. Usu- 

 ally the cultivated Hyacinths are not 

 plants for the rock-garden, but a few 

 species come in gracefully, particularly 

 the Amethyst Hyacinth. 



Hyacinthus azureus (Azure Hyacinth}. 

 A very dwarf and pretty plant, hardy 

 and amenable to ordinary culture, and 

 one of the earliest as well as the most 

 charming of our early spring flowers. It 

 is a jewel for the rock-garden, arising 

 from close carpets of little plants, that 

 save it from the splashings of the winter 

 rains. 



H. amethystinus (Amethyst Hyacinth\ 

 though nearly related to H. azureus, is a 

 charming hardy plant, flowering at a time 

 when there is a dearth of flowers. The 

 mistake with a bulb like this is to have 

 two or three or even a dozen in a clump. 

 Instead of by the dozen it should be groMTi 

 by the hundred, and no prettier sight can 

 well be imagined than a large sheet of this, 

 with its racemes of amethyst flowers. I 

 find it most precious in a group between 

 rock-shrubs, or arising from carpets of 

 Cinquefoil Sandwort, or any creeping rock- 

 plant, and it is as hardy and enduring, 

 good in form, and delicate in colour. 

 3. Europe. 



Hyacinthus Orientalis. This is said 

 to be the parent of all the garden Hyacinths 

 in cultivation. The wild types of the 

 garden and Eoman Hyacinths, or at 

 least as near as possible to their original 

 forms, are in cultivation at the present 

 time, but so inferior to the varieties we 

 now grow, that no one would care to 

 have them. The varieties are albulus and 

 provincialis. 



