Part 11. AJUGA—ALYSSUM. 125 



It is very readily raised from seed, is a native of Mount Lebanon, 

 and will enjoy the sunny side of the rockery, though hardy 

 enough for any position, if in a well-drained and sandy soil. 



jE. saxatile, parviflorum, and membranaceum, are also in 

 cultivation, but I have observed none of them thrive so freely 

 or look so well as this. 



AJUaA GENEVENSIS.— ^r^rf Bugle. 



This has violet-blue flowers, springing thickly from the axil of 

 every leaf and leaf-like bract, the stem being literally a cone of 

 flowers for a length of four or five inches, or sometimes more. 

 As the stems are produced almost as thick as they can stand, 

 it is a very pleasing plant, and placed on the outer margins 

 of shrubbery and mixed borders grows into round spreading 

 tufts eight to ten inches high. It would also be suitable for 

 rockwork, but where there are alpine plants rarer and more 

 difficult of culture, it will hardly be wise to give it a place there, 

 except in the roughest parts. It is probably the best of its family, 

 and is easily increased by division. The true plant, widely 

 distributed on the continent, is not found in Britain, but the 

 variety with the floral leaves large and longer than the flowers, 

 and having a dense leafy spike {A. pyramidalii), is found in 

 Scotland, and is sometimes grown in gardens ; it is not so orna- 

 mental as the typical form. 



The common British' Creeping Bugle {A. reptans) is grown in 

 gardens under various names for the sake of its dark browny- 

 purple leaves, and a variegated variety of it is sometimes grown 

 in the spring garden, and in collections of hardy variegated 

 plants. 



ALTSSUM ALPBSTRE.— ^^z«« A. 



A PRETTY and bright little species, partaking of the brilliant 

 colour and free-flowering properties of the well-known Rock 

 Alyssum, and the neatness of habit and dwarfness of the Spiny 

 or the Mountain A. It forms neat tufts of hoary entire leaves 

 on stems woody at the base, the whole plant being covered 

 with minute, shining, star-like hairs, and, so far as I have 

 ■observed, not growing more than three inches high. It has, 

 however, as yet been cultivated but very little in this country ; 

 and though recorded as in cultivation so long ago as 1777, 



