3i8 ALPINE FLOWERS. Part 11. 



to cultivate in moist soil, and thriving best under conditions as 

 near as possible to those of the places where it is found wild. 

 It is best suited for a moist spot near a streamlet of the rock- 

 garden, or for the artificial bog. 



SAXIFRAGA HYPNOIDES.— iJ/oJjry Saxifrage. 



A VERY variable plant in its stems, leaves, and flowers, but 

 usually forming mossy tufts of the deepest and freshest green, 

 abundant on the mountains of Great Britain and Ireland, and 

 common in gardens. In cultivation it attains greater vigour 

 than in a wild state, and no plant is more useful for forming 

 carpets of the most refreshing green in winter and almost in any 

 soil. For this reason it is peculiarly well suited for planting in 

 the low rocky borders often made in town and villa gardens, and 

 should be largely used by those who desire to rest their eyes on 

 glistening verdure during the winter months. It thrives either 

 on rockwork or the level ground, in half-shady positions or 

 fully exposed to the sun, forming the fullest and healthiest tufts 

 in the latter case, and flowering profusely in early summer. 

 Nothing can be easier to grow or increase by division. It is 

 also suitable for forming dwarf verdant carpets in the flower- 

 garden or on the rockwork with a view of placing one or more 

 plants on the surface. Chiefly distinguished by its narrow 

 and pointed leaves, sometimes entire, but often three- to seven- 

 cleft, and stems, sepals, leaves, and shoots more or less covered 

 with glandular hairs. Under this species may be grouped 

 6". hirta, S. affinis, S. incurvifolia, S.platypetala, and ^. deci- 

 piens, all exhibiting differences which some think sufficient to 

 mark them as species. They present considerable differences 

 in appearance when grown together in a garden, and many 

 amateurs will, no doubt, think them worthy of a place ; they 

 all thrive with the same freedom as the Mossy Saxifrage, ap- 

 pearing to suffer only from drought or very drying winds. If, 

 when first planted, a few largish stones are buried in the earth 

 round 6ach, the plants will soon lap over them, the stones will 

 serve to preserve the moisture in each tuft, and the plants will 

 be much less likely to suffer from drying winds. ^. caspitosa, 

 a British plant, comes near to this, but is known at once by its 

 obtuse lobes and more tufted habit, does not emit slender spread- 

 ing shoots like ^. hypnoides, and is scarcely so ornamental. 



