26o ALPINE FLOWERS AND ROCK GARDENS. 



is very pretty, but is not quite hardy, and should be 

 planted in a sunny sheltered position. Ewersii is one 

 of the best, for it is small and neat in habit, with silvery 

 leaves and pink or light purple flowers. Glaucum, 

 otherwise hispanicum, another favourite of the carpet- 

 bedders, forms glaucous grey tufts ; it has pink 

 flowers, but they are not striking, and it is only grown 

 for its leaves. Kamtschaticum, a prostrate grower with 

 orange yellow flowers, is grown a good deal. Rupestre 

 forms glaucous tufts and bears yellow flowers. 

 Sieboldii is a Japanese species grown rather for its 

 flowers than its leaves. It is about a foot high, and 

 of graceful habit. The pink flowers are borne in round 

 heads. Spedabile is one of the most familiar of autumn 

 flowering plants with its broad glaucous leaves and 

 large heads of pink flowers ; it will grow almost an}^- 

 where, and may have a place in the rougher parts of 

 the rock garden, but it is not good enough for the best 

 parts of a small rockery. Of the remainder, caeru- 

 leuntj with small blue flowers in July; hyhridum^ 

 yellow, July; and sexangulare^ yellow, July, are 

 perhaps the best. 



SEMPERVIVUM (Houseleek).— These succulents 

 are as useful for dry places as the Stonecrops. They 

 are very desirable plants, for they are neat and pretty 

 in foliage, have charming flowers, and will grow in 

 the most arid places. Flower gardeners use selected 

 species for the sides of ridges in beds, placing them 

 close together. They will grow between the stones of 

 a rough wall, and even on the face of the stones. Poor 

 soil is really better than rich for plants Hke these^ 



