Part II. IBERIS. 233 



the commonly cultivated kinds are pure white, this one will be 

 the more valuable from its purplish tone, added to its neat habit. 

 It, however, has not the perfect hardiness and fine constitution 

 of the white kinds, and, so far as my experience goes, is very apt 

 to perish on heavy soils in winter; but on light sandy soils it 

 will prove a gem, and also for well-drained positions on rock- 

 work. Where rockwork does not exist, it should be placed on 

 raised beds or banks. A native of Naples, and easily raised 

 from seed. 



IBEEIS SEMPEKVIRENS. — Evergreen Candytuft. 



This is the common rock or perennial Candytuft of our gardens, 

 as popular as the yellow Alyssum and the white Arabis. 

 Half shrubby, dwarf, spreading, evergreen, and perfectly hardy, 

 it escaped destruction where many herbaceous plants were de- 

 stroyed ; and as in April and May its neat tufts of dark green 

 are transformed into masses of snowy white, its presence has 

 been tolerated longer than many other fine old plants. Occa- 

 sionally, even in gardens entirely devoted to a few "bedding 

 plants," it may be seen on the margin of a shrubbery border or 

 in some neglected spot. No hardy flower is more worthy of 

 being universally grown in gardens, from that of the cottage to 

 the largest in the land. It is one of the very best plants in the 

 country for growing on the margins of the mixed border or 

 properly-finished-off shrubbery, the rockwork, rootwork, and 

 also for naturalisation in bare rocky places. Where a very dwarf 

 evergreen edging is desired for a shrubbery, or for beds of 

 shrubs, it is one of the most suitable plants known, as on any 

 kind of soil it quickly forms a spreading band almost as low as 

 the lawn-grass, finishing off the plantation very neatly at all 

 times, and changing into dense wreaths of snowy-white flowers 

 around the borders in spring and early summer. When in 

 tolerably good soil, and fully exposed, it forms spreading tufts 

 often more than a foot high, and they last for many years. 

 Like all its relatives, it should be exposed to the full sun rather 

 than shaded, if the best result is sought. A native of Greece, 

 Asia Minor, Italy, Southern France, and Dalmatia, and readily 

 increased by seeds, cuttings, or division. 



/. Garrexiana is a variety of the Evergreen Iberis, not suffi- 

 ciently distinct to be worthy of cultivation ; in fact, it and several 



