Silvery Saxifrages 121 



handsome pyramids, or taller, looser inflorescences, 

 vie with each other, blending at the same time into 

 one great magnificent whole. Some of these attain 

 to 3 feet high or even more, their bountiful sprays of 

 white, crimson-spotted flowers against grey weathered 

 limestone rock attractive indeed. Happily they are not 

 prone to fastidiousness, and for simple cultural needs 

 and early reaching the flowering stage are unequalled. 

 At the same time, rock-loving as they are by nature, 

 position means much to them : hence the bolder fis- 

 sures or semi-vertical rock gullies in line with the 

 vision and above suits the more imposing of them 

 well. These raised and drier positions, together with 

 a generous fare of loam, old mortar rubble, or lime 

 siftings, with leaf soil and sand, mean much to them, 

 and assist to the fullest development of their charac- 

 teristic leaf beauty. On level ground — and they are 

 hardy enough for use in such places — because of the 

 prevailing moisture, this winter beauty is not 

 developed; the good effect is lost. 



By no means a numerous company, some half 

 dozen or so of species with their varieties will be 

 ample for present purposes. Foremost among them 

 is S. cotyledon, a species abundant on high mountain 

 ranges from the Pyrenees and Alps to Lapland. 

 Variable in character, the largest rosettes may reach 

 to a foot across. S. c. pyramidalis is an instance of 

 this. S. c. icelandica is one of the tallest, though S. 

 montevoniensis, cited by some as a species, runs it 

 close. Offsets are freely produced, and these, 

 detached, are useful for increasing the stock. The 

 S. aizoon forms produce dense masses of rosettes on 

 the soil. They relish moister soil, in which they 

 spread rapidly. Endowed with white or white-pink 

 spotted flowers, none exceed a foot high, some only 

 half this height. S. a. balcana, S. a. Churchilli, S. a. 

 rosularis, and S. a. rosea, are the best. S. cochlearis 

 is one of the most desirable, and for elegant grace 

 or snowy sprays of flowers is unequalled. In its 



