places throughout the rockery. A form known to horticulturists 
as E. alpinus carmineus has flowers of a clearer, brighter color 
than the purplish E. alpinus. The green cushions of some of the 
mossy saxifrages are spangled with white or red blooms, accord- 
ing to variety. Most of our Saxifrages are growing in the low 
part of the garden at the extreme south. Here may be seen 
S. irrigua, S. caespi/osa, S. “ Mayflower ,” S. pu?icta/a , S. Hostii, 
and several others. Silene alpestris, the alpine catchfly; Hutch- 
iiisia alpina; Myoso/is alpestris , the alpine Forget-me-not; and 
Cerastium Thomasii are other May flowering rock plants. 
In June we have the dwarf, large-flowered alpine asters, 
Aster a/piuus, and its forms, of which there are several good 
clumps. The various bellflowers begin to bloom in June and 
carry on into July. Cav/panula carpatica , the Carpathian hare- 
bell, and several garden forms are very striking. C. arvatica; C. 
rotundifolia , the blue bells of Scotland; and C. Portenschlagia?/a 
(an ugly name for a beautiful plant), are of interest. Many 
species and varieties of the hardy pinks, some of them mountain 
and rock plants, and some of them more plebian in origin, per- 
fume the air with their fragrance. One of the gems of the collec- 
tion is Dianthus glacialisv ar. neglectus , the glacier pink. Gentiana 
cruciata is the only example of the large gentian family that is 
thriving vigorously. This has a rather dishevelled appearance 
and flowers of a dirty blue. G. acaulis , whose blooms are of the 
true gentian blue, has not yet taken very kindly to our condi- 
tions. Other June flowering rock plants are the rock roses, 
Helianthemum species and varieties; golden drop, Ovosrna 
echioides ; and Saponaria ocymoides, a member of the carnation 
family, which produces showers of pink blossoms. 
In July many of the Sempervivums are in bloom. The most 
striking of these is the cobweb houseleek, Sempervivuui aiach- 
noideum. This has flowers of dull red arising from rosettes of 
fleshy leaves, the tips of which are connected with gossamer-like 
threads. We have from fifteen to twenty species of Sedv?n, quite 
a number of which may be expected to bloom this month. Their 
flowers, as a rule, are not particularly showy. 6. caeruleuvi is 
noteworthy in that it is an annual and has blue flowers. Linar ia 
alpina , a charming little toadflax, is in bloom during July and 
August. The flowers are blue and orange in color, and there is a 
form in which pink is substituted for the blue. 
Among the many other interesting plants that might be men- 
tioned are the following: the edelweiss, Leontopodium alpi?ium, 
which, contrary to the general opinion, is of easy cultivation; the 
lady’s mantle, Alchemilla alpina , with insignificant flowers but 
exquisitely beautiful foliage; the rock spray, Cotoneas/er horizon- 
talis, a shrub the branches of which closely follow the contours 
