THE ROCK AND WATER GARDEN 149 



period. Then come Dianthus chinensis, or Indian Pinks ; 

 which are really biennials, but, if sown early and treated as 

 annuals, make lovely pieces of colour. Salmon Queen, The 

 Bride, laciniatus, Queen of Holland, and Eastern Queen 

 are all good varieties of different heights. The Nemesia is 

 quite at home in the rock-garden. It enjoys plenty of sun, 

 and its roots should be kept moist and allowed good soil to 

 grow in. The flowers are of all shades of yellow, red, cream, 

 pink, and white, and seen under strong sunlight are most 

 gorgeous. There are now some new hybrids of a lovely pale 

 blue, and another of pale lemon colour. 



Another beautiful little plant is Phacelia campanularia, of 

 a lovely deep blue. The flower is something like a blue 

 Gentian, both in colour and form, and produces a striking 

 effect, however planted. The foliage also turns a pretty shade 

 with age. The next on the list is the Portulaca, a half-hardy 

 annual especially suited for rockwork gardens, and one that 

 will thrive in a dry, sunny position, where it will be seen at its 

 best. It quickly covers the ground, grows about six inches 

 high, and the colours are various shades of orange and 

 yellow. 



The Silenes are very pretty, and should be sown in the 

 summer and transplanted to bloom in the spring. They are 

 very dwarf, seldom reaching more than 6 inches high, and 

 prefer soil not too rich and an open position. Empress of 

 India has crimson flowers and flower-stalks. Snow King 

 and pendula alba are two good whites, and pendula compacta 

 and Double Pink are two first-rate pinks. The latter is a very 

 showy plant. 



Although Statices, the next on the list, are mostly perennials, 

 there is one exception, Statice Suworowi, a plant of singular 

 appearance. The foliage looks something like a Dandelion 

 leaf, and the flower-spikes are thrown up from the centre. 

 The colour is rosy pink, and the individual blossoms are very 

 minute, packed closely together on stalks about eighteen 

 inches high. It needs a good depth of loamy soil. 



Sowing and Thinning. We will now name some that may 

 be sown where they are to bloom, and with proper attention 

 to sowing, thinning and keeping clean will produce equally 

 as good results as those that are raised under glass and 

 planted out. We first mention the Pimpernel, or Anagallis, 

 to give it its proper name. There are two colours, pale blue 

 with a black blotch in the throat, and a red brick shade with 

 the same markings. They remain in bloom a long time, 

 especially if the faded blooms are kept picked off. They 



