DESCRIPTIVE AND SELECTIVE. 227 



ERIGERON (Fleabane). — ^There are few more 

 useful border plants than Fleabanes. They have 

 flowers much resembling those of the Michaelmas 

 Daisies, but the majority of the species are dwarf er. 

 This makes them more suitable for the rockery, and 

 a few selected sorts may, indeed, be grown in the 

 Alpine garden with great advantage. They are bright, 

 pretty flowers, and the foHage of the plant is graceful. 

 The Fleabanes are among the most easily cultivated of 

 all plants, as they succeed in most soils and are easily 

 raised from seed in spring and increased by division in 

 spring. The best known species is undoubtedly 

 speciosus, otherwise Stenactis speciosa, and a fine, 

 handsome, desirable plant it is ; but it is better suited 

 to the border than the rockery. Alpinus and its 

 varieties are the best. The species has purple flowers, 

 as also has its larger variety, grandiflorus. Roy lei, 

 long grown as a species, is now classed as a variety of 

 alpinus, under the name of semi-barbatus. It is a 

 beautiful sort, with its purplish-blue, yellow-eyed 

 flowers. The species aurantiacus, orange ; and its 

 fine variety superbus, varying in colour, are also suitable. 

 These Fleabanes all bloom in summer. 



ERINUS ALPINUS.— A charming little Alpine 

 growing but a few inches high and covered with 

 rosy purple flowers in May. It is a pronounced 

 lime-lover, and will grow on old walls, which it 

 covers with a moss-hke growth. A light dry soil 

 suits it better than a heavy damp compost. It can 

 be raised from seed in spring, sown where the plants 

 are to bloom, and left to its own devices. There is a 



