330 



ALPINE FLOWERS FOR GARDENS 



[PART II. 



comparative slowness of growth, are 

 entitled to a place in the rock- 

 garden. 



Tufted Pansy. 



Viola biflora (Two - Flowered Yellow 

 Violet). This is a bright little Violet, 

 widely distributed. From its delicate con- 

 dition in gardens, few would suspect what 

 a lovely little ornament it is on the Alps, 

 in many parts of which every chink 

 between the moist rocks is clothed with 

 it. It even crawls far under the great 

 boulders and rocks, and lines shallow 

 caves with its fresh verdure and little 

 yellow stars. In our gardens its home 

 will be on the rock-garden, running about 

 among such plants as the yellow annual 

 Saxifrage, and Sandworts, in moist spots. 

 If obtained in a weakly condition, it may 

 seem difficult to establish, but this is not 

 by any means the case ; and once fairly 

 started in a moist and half-shady spot, it 

 soon begins to creep about, and may then 

 be readily increased by division. 



V. calcarata (Spurred Violet). This is 

 a pretty plant on the Alps, usually in 

 high situations, amidst dwarf flowers, 

 sometimes so plentiful that its large 

 purple flowers form sheets of colour, the 

 leaves being scarcely seen amidst the other 

 dwarf plants that form the turf. There 

 is a yellow variety, flava (V. Zoysii). In 

 some high pastures the flowers vary in 

 colour every step one takes, and yet every 

 variety in colour is delicate and lovely. 

 Try it among a short turf of Sandworts or 

 any dwarf plants. Alps. 



V. cornuta (Horned Pansy). A fine 

 Pyrenean Violet, with pale-blue or mauve- 

 coloured and sweet - scented flowers. 

 Generally speaking, it does poorly on dry 



soils and in warm districts, and exceed- 

 ingly well in wet places. I have rarely 

 seen anything to equal its appearance in 

 the cold wet climate of East Lancashire, 

 while it looks poor indeed in many 

 gardens in the South. It is easily pro- 

 pagated by division, cuttings, or seeds. 



Viola CUCUllata (Large American Violet), 

 bears some resemblance to the common 

 Violet, though without its scent. It 

 flowers more freely, and its foliage is bold 

 and sometimes variegated. It belongs to 

 a section which contains some good 

 varieties, such as V. primulwfolia, semper- 

 florens, blanda, obliqua, sagittata, delphini- 

 folia, canadensis, pubescens, striata, and 

 others. All these varieties are worthy of 

 culture in a botanical collection. N. 

 America. 



V. gracilis is a remarkably pretty 

 dwarf species, never failing to produce in 

 spring an abundance of deep purple 

 blossoms in dense tufts. It is hardy in 

 light soil. Mount Olympus. 



V. lutea (Mountain Violet). This is 

 one of our native Violets classed by 

 Bentham as a variety of V. tricolor, but 

 considered distinct by other botanists, and 

 is distinct for garden purposes. Being 

 called lutea, one is surprised to find the 

 flowers of nearly every wild plant of it a 

 fine purple, with a yellow spot at the base 

 of the lower petal. In cultivation the 

 yellow form is a neat plant, rising from 

 2 to 6 inches high, and flowering from 

 April onwards, the flowers of a rich 

 yellow, the three lower petals striped 

 with thin lines of rich black. 



V. munbyana. One of the prettiest 

 of Violets, abundant in flower, free and 

 robust in growth, and quite hardy. 

 Generally it begins to bloom about the 

 end of February, but it attains its greatest 

 beauty in May. The deep purple-blue 

 flowers resemble those of V. cornuta ; and 

 there is also a yellow variety. Algeria. 



V. Odorata (Sweet Violet). This well- 

 known plant is, in a wild state, widely 

 spread over Europe and Russian Asia, 

 and common in various parts of Britain. 

 Its odour distinguishes it immediately 

 from the numerous other Violas. The 

 Sweet Violet and most of its varieties may 

 be used in many places where few things 



