HARDY HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS. 



351 



Arab is. — A genus useful for its hardiness and early- 

 flowering qualities. Besides the old garden favourite, 

 A. albida, invaluable for edging borders and beds, there 

 are three other good species worth growing in the rockery, 

 viz.: — 



A. alpina. White, 6 inches. Europe, North America. 



A. lucida variegata. 



A. procurrens. White, 6 inches. Transylvania. 



Arenaria. — Low, evergreen Alpines, suitable for grow- 

 ing among stones. A . balearica is one of the gems of the 

 rock garden. It spreads over the surface of the damp 

 rocks with great rapidity, covering them with a carpet of 

 green, which becomes starred in early summer with small 

 white flowers. They like a sandy soil, and are easily 

 propagated by seeds, divisions, or cuttings. 



A. balearica. White, dwarf. Balearic Isles. 

 A. grandiflora. White, trailer. Europe. 

 A. laricifolia. White, 3 inches. Europe. 

 A. purpurascens. Purple, 1 inch. Pyrenees. 

 A. Rosard. White, 3 inches. South Europe. 

 A. tetraquetra. White, 3 inches. Pyrenees. 



Armeria. — The Sea Pinks are useful to form margins 

 to borders ; they also produce a very pretty effect when 

 planted in tufts among stones. The flowers are usually 

 shades of pink with scarious corollas. The method of 

 propagation is by cuttings or seeds. All that is needed 

 is to take an old plant, divide it up, and make the 

 cuttings of single shoots. These will readily root; any 

 failures should be made good at once. Cuttings of A. 

 latifolia strike easily though not quickly. 



A. caespitosa. Pink, 2 inches. Spain and Portugal. 



A. juncea. Pink, 4 inches. South France. 



A. latifolia. Bright- pink, 12 inches. Portugal. 



A. vulgaris and vars. Pink, 9 inches. Europe, &c. (Britain). 



Arum. — There are several hardy species which deserve 

 a place in the garden. They have a tuberous root-stock, 

 arrow-shaped leaves, and large-spathed flowers, which are 

 generally followed by spikes of bright-red berries. They 

 prefer a shaded and rather moist position. The big- 

 spathed A. crinitum, often called Dracunculus crinitus, 

 is one of the most striking members of the family ; its 

 hairy mottled spathe suggesting the large ear of some 

 animal. It has pedately-divided leaves. A. Dracunculus 

 has tall prettily mottled stems, compound leaves, and a 

 large erect black purple spathe. The other species worth 

 growing are: — 



A. italicum. Yellow- green, 1 foot. Europe, &c. (Britain). 

 A. maculatum. Yellow-green, 9 inches. Europe (Britain). 

 A. sanctum. Black-purple, 1 foot. Orient. 



Asperula. — Pretty little plants for the rockery and 

 border. The common native Woodruff, A. odorata, is a 

 useful garden plant with white flowers, having a hay- 

 like odour, appearing in May. Propagation by division 

 or seed. A light soil suits them best. 



A. odorata. White, 4 inches. Europe, &c. (Britain). 

 A. suberosa. Pink, 2 inches. Greece. 



Asphodeline. — Summer -flowering bulbous plants, 

 with grass-like foliage, growing well in ordinary garden 

 soil, and well suited for border, shrubbery, or wild 

 garden. They produce stately spikes of flowers in June 

 and July, and are increased by means of seeds. 



A. lutea. Yellow, 4 feet. South Europe. 



A. taurica. White, 3 feet. Orient. 



Aster. — Besides the Michaelmas Daisies and other 

 popular forms of this large genus, there are the small 

 Alpine species, which deserve to be grown in the rockery 

 or select border. Easily raised from seed ; also increased 

 by division. For particulars of other species see special 



article ; also under Callistephus for what are popularly 

 known as China Asters. 



A. alpinus. Purple, 3 inches. Europe, North Asia. 



„ var. albus. White, 3 inches. 



,, var. ruber. E,eddish, 3 inches. 

 A. Stracheyi. Purplish-mauve, 4 inches. Himalaya. 



Astilbe. — Handsome plants with elegant feather-like 

 plumes of flowers, popularly known as Spiraeas, and often 

 confused with Hoteias, of which H. japonica is the Spiraea 

 japonica of gardens. They are easily managed, and are 

 specially serviceable for marshy positions or by the side 

 of ponds, streams, &c. Several hybrids have been raised 

 by M. Lemoine between A. Thunbergii and Spircea astil- 

 boides. They are called Astilbe, "gerbe d'argent ", &c. 

 Increased by division. 



A. chinensis. Pink, 3 feet. China and Japan. 



A.rivularis. White, 3 feet. Himalaya. 



A . Thunbergii. Bluish-white, 2 feet. Japan. 



Astrantia. — A distinct little genus of umbelliferous 

 plants, quaint, on account of the curious and pretty 

 flower-heads. Propagation is effected by seeds. A damp 

 position suits them best. 



A. carniolica. White, 1 foot. Eastern Europe. 

 A. major. Pinkish, 2 feet. Europe (Britain). 



Aubrietia. — Valuable plants for spring effects, when 

 large masses of the various shades of violet, mauve, and 

 purple add much beauty to border or rockery. They do 

 best on a warm, light soil, but are not fastidious. All 

 the garden forms are varieties of A. deltoidea. They are 

 increased by division, cuttings, or seed. 



A. deltoidea. Purple, 3 inches. South Europe. 

 ,, var. grandiflora. 



,, var. Leichtlini. Bright-rose. 



,, var. purpurea violacea. 



,, var. W. Ingram. Deep, rich red. 



S- 424.— Bocconia cordata. 



Bocconia (Plume Poppies). — Xoble plants, the stems 

 growing to a height of 10 feet, the foliage light gray- 



