PART II.] 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



295 



stamens, and K serbica has large, hand- 

 some foliage, and violet-purple flowers. 



RANUNCULUS (Buttercup). 

 These are alpine, northern pasture, 

 water and waterside plants, many of 

 the perennial and mountain kinds, from 

 their boldness, hardiness, and beauty, 

 admirably suited for the rock-garden. 

 Although as interesting as any of the 

 great families of rock plants, they are 

 not nearly so difficult to grow and 

 keep, if care be taken to prevent them 

 being overrun by coarser plants. 



early spring, as they often eat out the 

 crowns before they are fairly above 

 ground, and the flowers are lost for 

 the season. A little rough grit will 

 do much to prevent this occurring ; if 

 placed over the crowns the fine must be 

 taken out, only using the rough grit." 



Ranunculus amplexicaulis(La<fy 



Buttercup). A. beautiful plant, with large 

 white flowers having yellow centres, one 

 to five blooms being borne on a stem, 

 which is clasped by smooth sea-green 

 leaves, which set off its snowy bouquet of 

 flowers. I know no more graceful plant 



Lady Buttercup (Ranunculus amplexicaulis). (Engraved from a photograph.) 



Mr W. A. Clark, in "Alpine 

 Plants," rightly attaches importance 

 to top-dressing some of the higher 

 alpine species, and says "that great 

 care must be taken to top-dress or 

 replant just after flowering, as the 

 plants work out of the ground, 

 and this can be done before the hot 

 weather begins. If left without top- 

 dressing, they will no doubt shrivel 

 up with the sun, as the roots will 

 have been left all exposed. A sharp 

 look-out for snails is essential in the 



for the rock-garden. A native of the 

 Alps, Pyrenees, thriving in light, rich 

 loam, usually growing 7 inches to 10 inches 

 high, flowering in gardens in April or 

 May, and increased by seed or division. 

 It is worthy of the best positions, and is 

 very pretty grouped in a free way. 



R. aconitifolius ( Fair Maids of France). 

 This white-flowered Crowfoot, which 

 grows from 8 inches to a yard high in 

 moist parts of valleys and woods in the 

 Alps and Pyrenees, is too large for 

 cultivation in the rock-garden among the 

 choicer and smaller things ; but its double 

 variety is a beautiful old border flower. 



