AUBEIETIA 



WALLFLOWER OBDEB 



VESICAEIA 209 



less tufted, downy or hoary perennials, 

 with entire or angularly toothed leaves, 

 and few flowered racemes. 



Aubrietias are charming plants for the 

 rockery, where they make dense carpets 

 of sage-green leaves and purple flowers. 

 They may also be used for edgings to 

 borders, shrubberies &o. 



Culture and Propagation. — Aubrietias 

 thrive in a deep rich loam, and are easily 

 propagated by seeds sown in spring either 

 in gentle heat about March or in the open 

 border about April and May. The seed- 

 lings are pricked out into hght soU, and 

 about the end of September may be trans- 

 ferred to their permanent positions. 



Cuttings may also be rooted during the 

 summer months in light sandy soil in 

 partially shaded borders, and the plants 

 thus obtained may be transplanted as in 

 the case of seedlings. Aubrietias may 

 also be increased by layering the long 

 slender branches after flowering, covering 

 them with sandy leaf soil ; and dividing 

 the plants in autumn is likewise an easy 

 and certain method of increasing the 

 stock. 



A. deltoidea. — A native of the moun- 

 tains of S. Europe, 2-4 in. high, having 

 roughish rhomboidal leaves covered with 

 very short stellate hairs. The lUac- 

 purple flowers are produced in great pro- 

 fusion in early spring, and almost hide 

 the foliage. The petals are twice as long 

 as the sepals, and have long claws. There 

 is a charming variegated form in which 

 the leaves are conspicuously edged with 

 yellowish-white. It is elegant for rock- 

 eries and border edgings, and as it does 

 not seed freely, is best increased by means 

 of cuttings, layers or division as stated 

 above. 



The following are really only botanical 

 varieties of A. deltoidea, but they are 

 more or less distinct, and considered as 

 species by some authorities ; and to them 

 may be added the forms known as 

 Columnce, LeicMUni, and Moorea/na, 

 all with deep shades of purple. 



A. Bougainvillei is very dwarf and 

 compact in habit, having light violet- 

 purple flowers with very even imbricating 

 petals. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. Campbelli {A. Hendersoni). — This 

 is a vigorous-growing form with larger 

 deep violet-blue flowers than A. deltoidea. 

 The variety granddflora with a loose 



habit is very near this, and looks very 

 pretty in masses. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A, Eyrei. — A very fine variety with 

 large rich deep violet-purple flowers, and 

 a free branching habit. A. olympica is 

 closely related, if not actually the same 

 as this. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A, grseca. — A strong-growing variety 

 from Greece, about 4 in. high, and vrith 

 a neat compact habit. The flowers, which 

 are probably larger than those of any 

 other variety, are a beautiful shade of 

 pale purple. Superha is a form with 

 rather deeper coloured flowers. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. purpurea. — This has broader 

 leaves, larger purple flowers — which also 

 appear later — a more erect habit and 

 more leafy stems than A. deltoidea. The 

 variegated form is useful for carpet- 

 beddmg and as an edging to small beds 

 &c. Dr. Murie is a beautiful garden 

 form of A. purpurea. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. violacea. — This is a very fine 

 variety with large deep violet-purple 

 flowers fading to reddish-violet, and has 

 a very effective appearance. 



Culture dc. as above. 



VESICARIA (Bladder Pod).— 

 This genus contains about 20 species 

 of branched annual or perennial herbs, 

 with entire, sinuate or pinnatifid leaves, 

 and large, rarely small, yellow or purple 

 flowers, varying in form. Fruit pods 

 globose or inflated. 



Culture and Propagation. — Vesicarias 

 grow readily in ordinary soil, and are 

 suitable for sunny parts of rock-work. 

 The annual and perennial species are 

 reproduced from seed which is produced 

 freely in favourable seasons, and may be 

 sown in cold frames either as soon as ripe, 

 or in gentle heat in spring. The seedlings 

 are pricked out into hght rich soil when 

 large enough, and by the end of May or 

 beginning _ of June will be ready for 

 transplanting to the border or rockery as 

 required. To eecwce good effects, several 

 plants should be grouped together about 

 9-12 in. apart. The perennial kinds may 

 also be increased from cuttings put under 

 a hand-glass or in a cold frame during the 

 summer or autumn months. 



V. arctica.— A perennial about 1 ft. 

 high, from N. America. Leaves in clusters, 



