COMMON GARDEN FLOWERS. 



187 



universally-growii plants in our gardens. Even the 

 annual species are very frequently sown in the open 

 in the autumn, pass safely through the winter, and 

 thus treated bloom very early in spring. They are 

 not, however, all alike hardy. Among those of dwarf 

 shrubby evergreen character, perhaps Gibrattarica 

 and semperjlorens, the latter a native of Sicily, are 

 the most tender. Even these, however, do well in 

 the South and West of England. 



But, without doubt, Ilieris sempervireus, or the 

 Common Evergreen Candytuft, is by far the best and 

 most popular of all the species. It is found in almost 

 every garden, and 

 in very many is the 

 only one seen or 

 known. Neither do 

 those who adhere to 

 this species lose 

 much by doing so. 

 It is seldom or 

 never injured or 

 destroyed by the 

 weather, and grows 

 with great rapidity, 

 forming a dense 

 evergreen mass 

 from six to nine 

 inches high, and 

 fi'om twelve to 

 eighteen, or even 

 twenty-four inches 

 across. In farm 

 and cottage gardens 

 even larger patches 

 may be met with, 

 and hardly any 

 plant can be more 

 effective in its 



snowy whiteness from April to June. Single plants 

 on sloping banks, or posted here and there on root- 

 eries, rock- work, or ferneries, are the most effective. 

 This fine Candytuft looks weU by itself, or contrasted 

 with the early Eorget-me-not or Aubrietias. From 

 the density of its habit, and the neat evergreen 

 character of its leaves, this Candytuft is admirably 

 adapted for edgings for small beds, either on gravel 

 or as a secondary edging within a few inches of the 

 turf. It grows with almost equal freedom in any 

 soil, provided it is neither too wet nor too strong. 

 The free, open, airy places suit all the Candytufts 

 best, and the more freely they are exposed to sun- 

 shine the more profusely they bloom. Wherever 

 beauty or purity is needed to light up dulness, coun- 

 teract the sombre effects of excessive verdure, or 

 soften and mellow down quaint or grotesque outlines, 

 the Evergreen Candytuft may be freely planted. 



Cakdttdft (Ibebis sempekvibens). 



Among other species or varieties well worthy o£ 

 cultivation, the following are the best : — 



J. correcefolia, or Correa-leaved Candytuft. This 

 is one of the largest-flowering and most distinct of 

 the whole family, and is often confounded with twO' 

 other species, neither of which is equal to it. 



The first of these is /. corifolia, a much smaller 

 sort, and probably only a smaller variety of the Ever- 

 green Candytuft already described. The other is. 

 /. Gibrattarica, which considerably resembles the 

 Correa-leaved Candytuft, but has smaller flowers, 

 and is less hardy than this species. I. correcefolia 



has large leaves and 

 large corymbs of 

 fine white flowers 

 standing boldly up 

 close to the leaves.. 

 It is also among the 

 later -flowering of 

 all the Candytufts,, 

 seldom blooming 

 imtil most of thsr 

 others are going off, 

 that is, about the 

 first week in June. 

 This forms a fine 

 companion plant to. 

 the Evergreen Can- 

 dytuft. 



I. saxatilis, or 

 Rook Candytuft, is 

 one of the most 

 hardy and useful, 

 and grows to a 

 height of from six; 

 to nine inches. 



I. pubescens is 

 comparatively rare, 

 and differs considerably in habit and foliage, but 

 more in the colour of the flowers, from any of the 

 foregoing. These are of a pale violet colour, a 

 colour more fuUy developed in the next species. 



/. Tenoreana, or Tenore's Candytuft, is a pretty 

 and distinct evergreen herbaceous plant, about six 

 inches high, flowering in June and July, the colour 

 of the flowers being a sort of French white deepen- 

 ing into pink or puce. This species, however, lacks 

 the vigour and robustness of constitution of those 

 already described, and seldom thrives well unless in 

 a light soil, and on a warm site. 



I. linifolia, or Flax-leaved Candytuft, is another 

 puce-coloured herbaceous Candytuft, about eighteen 

 inches high. 



I. Taurica, or Taurean Candytuft, is another dwarf 

 white herbacebus sort worth growing. 



In addition to these shrubby and herbaceous Candy-- 



