274 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 





[PART II. 



abundantly. It is the earliest to blossom 

 of all the Pentstemons. 



Pentstemon Scouleri is a small semi- 

 shrubby plant of twiggy growth. Its large 

 flowers are of a slaty bluish-purple, and 

 are arranged in short terminal racemes ; 

 they are not produced in great abundance, 

 but", combined with the dwarf and compact 

 growth of the plant, they have charms 

 sufficiently distinct to render it worthy 

 of cultivation. P. Scouleri may be readily 

 increased in spring by cuttings of the 

 young shoots, since such cuttings strike 

 freely in a little bottom-heat similar to 

 that used for ordinary bedding plants. 

 Syn., Menziesii. 



PERNETTYA MUCRONATA An 



Evergreen shrub of the Heath family. 

 Though from South America, it is 

 hardy enough for every English 

 garden. Apart from the evergreen 

 foliage, the berries which it bears 

 in autumn are very showy. After 

 an abundant crop of small white 

 blossoms, the berries are the size of 

 small Cherries, and there are varieties 

 with white, rose, pink, crimson, 

 purple-black, and every intermediate 

 shade. There are few more charming 

 dwarf shrubs than Pernettyas. They 

 thrive where the soil is peaty, or 

 sandy. Even a heavy soil may be 

 made suitable by a large addition 

 of leaf-mould and sand. For autumn 

 and winter effects they are excellent, 

 and they may often be used among 

 shrubs on the rock-garden. 



PETROCALLIS PYRENAICA 



(Beauty of the Hocks). A "rock 

 beauty ! " as it seems, as one sees 

 its fresh green tufts, not more 

 than an inch high, and cushioned 

 amidst the broken rocks. From these 

 stains of light green spring in April 

 innocent-looking flowers, reminding 

 one of miniature "Ladies' Smocks," 

 on stems that rise little more than 

 half an inch over the leaves. When 



well grown, its faintly-veined pale- 

 lilac flowers seem to form a little 

 cushion, so delicate-looking, that 

 people grow it for years without 

 suspecting it to be fragrant; but 

 it breathes a delicious, faint sweetness. 

 Only suited for careful culture, being 

 of a fragile nature, though hardy, 

 it should be planted in sandy fibry 

 loam, in rather level warm spots on the 

 rock-garden, where it could root freely 

 into the moist soil, and yet be near 

 broken rocks and stones, down the 

 buried sides of which it can send its 

 roots, always in a sunny position. 

 I have seen it grown as a border- 

 plant in a moist part of Ireland, but in 

 the hands of a very careful cultivator, 

 who grew it in very fine soil on a select 

 border, and took up, divided, and 

 carefully replanted the tufts every 

 autumn. It may also be grown in 

 pots plunged in sand in the open 

 air, and in frames in winter; but 

 it becomes drawn and delicate under 

 glass protection. Easily increased 

 by careful division, and also raised 

 from seed. Alps and Pyrenees. 



PHILESIABUXIFOLIA(P^o).- 



An exquisite dwarf shrub, with large 

 carmine-red Lapageria-like blooms 

 (2 inches long), nestling among the 

 sombre evergreen foliage. It is 

 a precious shrub for the rock-garden 

 in the more favourable coast gardens. 

 The best soil is fibrous peat, with 

 a small portion of loam; the plant 

 should have a sunny aspect, but be 

 sheltered from the north. To increase, 

 peg down each shoot to the ground, then 

 cover over with peat and leaf-mould. 

 It will root freely from the stems, 

 and soon form a nice bush. South 

 America. 



PHLOX. Mostly known in our 

 gardens by the tall kinds ; the 



