256 ALPINE FLOWERS AND ROCK GARDENS. 



restarted under glass, kept close, then hardened and 

 planted out in June. 



SAXIFRAGA.—See Chapter XIL 



SCABIOSA (Scabious). — A most useful genus, 

 although the finest members of it are not ideal rockery 

 plants. Atropurpurea, for example, is an annual, 

 and from it have been obtained the beautiful and 

 perfumed flowers often called German or Sweet 

 Scabiouses, and treated as annuals, being sown with 

 Asters, ten-week Stocks, Phlox Drummondii, and 

 other useful things, under glass in spring, hardened, 

 and then planted out in borders. The next most 

 important species, Caucasica, is not suitable for small 

 rockeries, although quite appropriate for large rock 

 gardens. It is a splendid plant, with large pale mauve 

 flowers in June. This is a perennial on suitable soils, 

 and hardy, growing a foot to two feet high. It may 

 bloom from June to October. There is a white variety 

 called alha ; a semi-double called perfeda is also offered 

 by some seedsmen. The beautiful Caucasica likes 

 a warm, friable soil, on cold, stiff soil it is apt to die 

 out, and needs frequent renewal from seeds sown in 

 spring, preferably in a box, with the seedlings pricked 

 off. When established as a hardy perennial in a suit- 

 able soil it may be increased by division in spring. 

 Gramini folia (" Grass-leaved '') is one of the best of 

 the Alpine Scabiouses ; it has light blue flowers in 

 early summer, on stems about a foot long. It likes 

 light, sandy soil. 



SCHIZOCODON SOLDANELLIOIDES.—A charm- 

 ing little Alpine from Japan, and the only species of 



