HARDY FLOWERS. 



135 



R. parnaSSifolillS, from the Alps, bears large white 

 flowers, mi stems 3in. to 6in. long, in June and July. 

 It is found growing in disintegrated granite. Cultural 

 details similar to those recommended for R. glacialis 

 should be followed in the case of this plant. 



R. pedatllS, from Eastern Europe, grows to a height of 

 lit., and bears yellow flowers in June. 



R. pygmseUS, from the, Tyrol, is very dwarf, scarcely 

 exceeding lin. in height, and bears in June one small 

 yellow flower on each stem. 



R. pyrenseus, found in the Alps and Pyrenees, bears 

 small white flowers, on stems 6in. high, in May and 

 June. 



R. repenS is a troublesome weed, of which there is, 

 however, a double form that is sometimes used in 

 gardens. 



R. rutsefoliuS, from the Scandinavian Alps, grows 6in. 



high, and bears small, many-petalled white flowers in 



May and June. A semi-shaded position in moist, porous 



soil is advisable. 

 R. Seguieri from the Alps, bears white flowers in May 



and June. 



R. Spicata, from Algeria, grows to the height of ift., 

 and bears large, bright yellow flowers in the spring. 



R. Thora, a 



native of 

 Southern 

 Europe, bears 

 small flowerSi of 

 a deep yellow 

 colour on stems 

 6in. high in May 

 and June. 



Rliododen- 

 drons will be 

 considered in 

 the shrub 

 chapter. 



Rock Cress.— 



See Aubrietia. 

 Rockets. — The 



most worthy of 

 these plants for 

 garden decora- 

 t i o n is un- 

 doubtedly the 

 double white 

 Sweet Rocket 

 ( H e s p e r i s 

 matronalis alba 

 fl.-pl.). It is 

 one of our best 

 old - fashioned 



flowers, its delicious scent rendering it particularly 

 acceptable. It thrives best in deep, rich loam, 

 and should be lifted and divided every autumn or 

 spring, and planted in fresh soil. If allowed to 

 remain undisturbed in the same position for any length 

 of time it speedily decreases in vigour. If carefully 

 divided, every rosette of leaves will develop into a fine 

 plant. It should be mulched with well-rotted manure in 

 the spring. There is a double purple form of this plant, 

 but it is uncommon, and is le=s attractive than the white 

 variety. In soil that suits it this Rocket will grow to a 

 height of 3ft. or more. The single form of the foregoing, 

 though not possessing the attractions of its double variety, 

 is pretty in wild gardens or at the verges of shrubberies, 

 and may be propagated by seed sown in the open in 

 April, in a sunny position, the seed being covered with a 

 quarter of an inch of soil. The Night-scented Stock 

 (Hesperis trislis) is a biennial, and is best grown on old 

 walls, ruins, and such-like. The seed may be sown in 

 the interstices between the stones during the early 

 summer 



Roses, Christmas or Lenten.— See Helleboms. 



RudbeekiaS. — A useful family of hardy perennials, the 

 most effective of which is that known as R. Newman! ; 

 but the true name is R. speciosa. It is sufficiently 



effective to plant a centre bed with, the plant growing 

 about 2fr. high, and bearing flowers of intense orange 

 yellow colour, made richer still by the mn rone-coloured 

 centre, a conspicuous flower indeed, lasting in beauty 

 throughout August and September. This kind is 

 preferred to all others, and ordinary soil suffices, whilst 

 to increase the stock it is simply needful to divide the 

 roots when growth is commencing in spring. R. 

 purpurea is a tall kind with purplish flowers, very 

 distinct in colour. It is effective because of ils unusual 

 shade, and is very free and hardy, thriving best in warm 

 soils. 



Sanguinaria canadensis (the Canadian Bloodroot) 



and its variety major are very hardy and attractive spring 

 flowers, white, and very pretty in some shady spot where 

 the soil is neither very heavy nor wet. 

 SantOlina incana is a pretty plant for edgings, as it is 

 very dwarf, and the leaves are of a pleasing silvery grey 

 colour. It is happy in ordinary soils. 

 SaponariaS. — A family of perennial and annual flowers. 

 The annual kind is S. calabrica, which has a wealth of 

 small flowers like little pink stars upon the frail stems, 

 and there is a white variety also. It is of very compact 

 growth, not more than 4m. certainly, and a mass of 



bloom. Seed 

 may be sown in 

 autumn for an 

 early display the 

 followingspring, 

 or in April for 

 flowering the 

 same year. Suit- 

 able for the rock 

 garden are the 

 little alpine S. 

 caespitosa, which 

 has pink flowers 

 in clusters and 



SAPONARIA OCYMOIDES 



requires a warm 

 sandy soil, and 

 the trailing S. 

 o c y m o i d e s , 

 which to be seen 

 in full beauty 

 must be planted 

 so that its slen- 

 der shoots fall 

 over the face of 

 rockwork, a sea 

 of colour from 

 the hundred 

 pink flowers 

 which crowd 



thickly upon the slender drooping growths. Give the 

 plane deep loam for soil. Splendens is a variety with 

 flowers of rich rose crimson colour. An old cottage 

 flower is the Soapwort (S. officinalis), which has flowers 

 varying in colour from white to a rosy shade, but the 

 double form (fl.-pl.) is the one to choose. Where few 

 things thrive this will succeed, caring not whether the 

 position be a rough woodland or a hot dusty roadside 

 garden. It seems to grow every where, flowering for many 

 weeks, and, if not suitable for association with more 

 delicate flowers, is welcome because so free, vigorous, 

 and hardy. 



Saxifragfa. — The Saxifrages are seen in most gardens, 

 and may be used in many ways. The majority of them 

 are pretty in the rock garden, the larger and more robust 

 kinds in the border, and the Megasea group in masses 

 wherever their noble leathery leaves are seen to advaniage. 

 We may divide the family into divisions, as the various 

 kinds, so to say, group themselves. Thus some kinds 

 are silvery, that is, the little leaves are encrusted with 

 silver, others mossy, such as the well-known Saxifraga 

 hypnoides and the Megaseas. As regards culture, the 

 Saxifrages want very little, as they are of extreme vigour 

 for the most part, but the little crusted kinds, wdiich as a 

 rule are not very quick in growth, should have a soil 



