32 THE BOOK OF THE WILD GARDEN 



and the earliest to bloom, commencing to flower in 

 February in mild winters in the south-west. It will 

 grow in any soil and exposure and spreads rapidly. 

 The double form lately reintroduced is far more lasting 

 than the single, the flowers resembling a miniature 

 Stock. 



Arenaria. — A. balearica is one of the most refined of 

 spring flowering plants, covering rocks with a delicate 

 tracery of bright-green tiny-leaved foliage starred with 

 minute white flowers. A. montana bears flowers six 

 times the size of the last-named and is of vigorous 

 growth. 



Armeria. — Our native Sea Pink paints the ledges of 

 the cliffs and the higher stretches of the pebbled beach 

 with soft colour, and several species and varieties may 

 be used with good effect in sunny, sandy spots in the 

 wild garden. 



Artemisia. — A. alpina is a pretty little tufted plant 

 with yellow flowers. 



Asperula odorata — Woodruff. A native plant that 

 should be naturalised in every wood. In many localities 

 it spangles the lane-banks with its small white flowers 

 with their scent of new-mown hay, and when dried has 

 a pleasant perfume. If taken up with a good ball of 

 soil and watered well on replanting in a shady spot, it 

 may be removed even when in flower without flagging. 



Aster. — A. alpinus bears bright-mauve yellow-centred 

 flowers on stems six inches or so in height. It succeeds 

 well in gritty soil in a sunny position. A. Stracheyi is 

 another good dwarf species. 



Aubrietia. — One of the most popular and decorative 

 wall and rock plants, spreading as rapidly as the Arabis. 

 The earliest introduced form was A. detoidea with pale 

 violet flowers, but of late years numerous improved 

 varieties have been raised of which the best-coloured 

 are Dr Mules, deep purple, and Fire King, dark crimson. 



