Part II. HELICHRYSUM—HELLEBORUS. 227 



best raised in pots in spring, and then planted out in May. 

 Once established, it sows itself annually. The hoary Sunrose, 

 H, canum, a native of limestone rocks in Britain, but somewhat 

 rare, is much dwarfer than the common kind, and produces in 

 great abundance very small pale yellow flowers. The whole 

 plant does not grow more than three inches high, and is likely 

 to possess attractions for cultivators of interesting British plants, 



HELICHEYSUM KECESK&IXSM..— Yellow Everlasting. 



This is the beautiful little plant which affords the " everlasting 

 flowers " so much used for Immortelles and ornaments. The 

 grey leaves are closely covered with long down, and the flower- 

 stems, ascending from four to ten inches, are clothed all the way 

 up with narrow hoary leaves, having their edges turned back- 

 wards, and support a number of flowers, of a bright, glistening, 

 golden yellow. To.preserve the flowers, they should be gathered 

 when fresh and newly blown, as, if allowed to become matured, 

 they are apt to fall away. A native of sandy and sunny places 

 in Central and Southern Europe, and only succeeding perfectly 

 in this country on warm, sandy, and thoroughly drained soils. 

 Increased by division, and worthy of a place in every rock- 

 garden. 



HELLEBORUS NIGEE. — Christmas Rase.. 



Although this hardy and famihar old plant is too vigorous for 

 association with the often minute and briUiant gems to which 

 this book is chiefly devoted, yet its fine evergreen foliage and 

 handsome large flowers form ornaments in the rougher parts of 

 rockwork, or banks near it, or in the hardy fernery. Although 

 hardy enough to grow almost anywhere, yet, as it flowers at the 

 dreariest season, when low ground is often saturated with cold 

 rain, it always repays for being planted in slightly elevated 

 positions, and where it may enjoy as often as possible the faint 

 wintry sun, by producing clearer and larger flowers, and finer 

 foliage. H, n. maximus, the very large and noble variety grown 

 about Aberdeen and other places in Scotland, is the best, and 

 flowers a month or so earlier than the common kind ; and H. n. 

 minor, a smaller and much scarcer variety, is well suited for 

 rockwork and bare banks. 



