530 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 20, 1903. 
THE ALPINE GARDEN. 
Plants in Bloom. 
Haberlea rliodopensis. 
The above is one of the few plants native to Europe which 
belong to the same family as the Gesnera and Gloxinia. It 
grows on the Balkan Mountains of the South-east of Europe, 
and makes a beautiful companion to the better-known 
Ramondia- pyrenaica: The flowers are tubular, rosy-purple, 
and produced in small cymes, reaching only a few inches above 
the toothed and hairy leaves, which form a tuft hugging the 
ground as in the case of the plant just mentioned, and to which 
it is closely related. The most suitable position for this plant 
is in the crevices between porous stones or rocks in a position 
more or less shaded, so that the sun can only strike upon the 
plant for a short time each day, 
Conandron ramondioides. 
The flowers in this instance are very pale, or nearly white, 
with a purple centre, and in structure show that it belongs to 
the same family and to the same group a-s- Ramondia, The 
leaves are very different, however, being round, glabrous, and 
green, recalling to some extent Shortia galacifolia. The species 
is a native of the mountains of Japan, and appears to be as 
hardy as the species above given. A shaded position should 
be selected for it, and a special compost, consisting chiefly of 
peat, made up for it. If planted on the side of the rockery 
facing east, and in such a position that the sun will only shine 
upon it during the early part of the morning, it will thrive and 
look happy. 
Ramondia Heldreichii. 
The above plant is a native of Greece, and though correctly 
given as a. Ramondia, it is frequently spoken of under the name 
of Jankaea. Heldreichii. The generic name is also spelt 
Jancaea. Botanically it differs from Ramondia chiefly 
by having four lobes instead of five to the corolla, which is bell¬ 
shaped and produced in cymes on short scapes like the rest of 
its congeners. The flowers are described as blue 1 , but lilac and 
purple shades are more nearly the exact hue. The leaves are 
small, ovate, and covered with silky grey hairs. The plant re¬ 
quires to be grown in crevices of fairly moist rocks, and where 
the shade will be similar to that accorded to the Ramondias 
proper. If peat is chiefly used in the compost it will retain 
the moisture much better than in ordinary loamy soil. The 
plant is more often seen simply with foliage than in bloom, but 
when the hardy plants-men have had time to understand its 
ways the public will no doubt oftener get a sight of this 
dwarf and interesting rock plant, 
Anthyllis montana. 
The Kidney Vetches might more often be introduced to the 
garden than is the case. In chalky districts our native species, 
with yellow flowers, is often seen in great perfection, but even 
that is neglected in most gardens. The flowers are produced in 
globular heads more or less deeply shaded with red, on a 
ground that looks much like yellow, hut at a short, distance 
the prevailing hue is light rosy-red. The much-divided leaves 
are produced in greater abundance than in our native species, 
and give the plant an interesting aspect, even when not in 
bloom. I lopagation can be effected by means of cuttings 
during the summer months by placing them in sandy soil under 
a bell-glass or hand-light. The tufts can also be divided in 
March just, when commencing to grow. 
Aquilegia glandulosa. 
The Siberian Columbine is one of the most handsome of 
the genus at present in bloom. The flowers are of large size, 
apparently out of proportion to the size of the plant, but they 
are not very numerous compared with those of the common 
Columbine. The sepals and the lower part of the petals are 
of a bright blue, while the upper part of the petal is pure 
white, thus making a fine contrast. The plant is usually about 
a foot high when grown in the open, but is usually dwarfer 
when groAvn in pots, especially if the latter are small. This 
species is all the better for a little shade in the south of 
England, where the atmosphere is frequently of an arid charac¬ 
ter during June and July. The moister climate of the north 
of Scotland is, however, more congenial to its well-being, and 
the plants thrive with much less attention. Young plants are 
best obtained from seeds, which may be sown as soon as ripe 
and protected in a frame till spring. Or the seeds may be kept 
till March, and then brought on with the aid of a frame till 
a few leaves have been formed, when the seedlings may be 
transplanted to the rockery, which is the best place for them 
out of doors. 
Asperula suberosa. 
The common Woodruff is common in most gardens, but the 
above species Is yet quite uncommon. It hails from Greece, 
and is of very dtvarf habit when planted in a well-lighted posi¬ 
tion on the rockery. The stems are very slender and the 
leaves small and very hairy, giving the plant a gray appearance. 
Were it not for this latter characteristic, the plant might be 
comparable to the Galium saxatile so common on dry banks in 
this country. The flowers are very different, however, not 
only from those of the plant named, but also from those of 
the common Woodruff, 'being funnel-shaped, with a long slender 
tube, and of a, delicate pale pink. There is no difficulty in get¬ 
ting up a stock, as a rule, by separating the tufts in small 
pieces with a few roots to each. Being so small, the cultivator 
cannot do better than pot these pieces singly in small pots, 
keeping the pots in a cold frame until the plants become well 
established. 
Armeria caespitosa, 
Of the several species in gardens the above is the dwarfest 
that- has come under my notice 1 , seldom exceeding 3 in. or I in. 
under favourable conditions. The leaves are very narrow, 
forming grassy tufts, and the pink flowers are produced in 
heads very much as in the common Thrift. When the crowns 
are separated from one another just when growth is about to 
commence in spring they could easily be re-established and 
grown on into nice little specimens. Although the plant may 
be grown in high and exposed positions, depth of soil must 
always be taken into consideration in order that the roots may 
go down out of reach of drought. 
Erinus alpinus. 
A stock of this dwarf alpine is not difficult to preserve, pro¬ 
vided the seedlings are allowed to develop and come up on 
the rockery where the plant- has been grown. The old plants 
are liable to perish, but seedlings, as a rule, come up plentifully, 
and I have even seen them growing upon a wall at some dis¬ 
tance from the garden, but how they could have got there I am 
not prepared to sa-y. There is a white variety of this plant, 
which, although hardly so pretty as the type, is useful by way 
of contrast. No fear need be entertained for planting this in 
dry situations, as it is then quite at home, provided the roots 
can penetrate damp soil for a supply of moisture. The amount 
necessary certainly cannot- be great, seeing that the plant can 
thrive in the crevices of a wall built of stones or bricks. 
Cerastium alpinum. 
Two forms of this occur high up on some of our mountains, 
and when brought to the lowlands they prove tractable enough 
when planted on the rockery. The flowers in both cases are 
similar to those of C. arvense-, but have a. more massive appear¬ 
ance 1 , owing perhaps to the broader petals. The two forms to 
which I refer are the tj-pe 'with very slightly hairy and green- 
foliage and C. a. lanatum, which, as the name implies, has 
woolly leaves, or, in other words, they are covered with long 
grey hams, which give- to the foliage a peculiarly shaggy ap¬ 
pearance. The flowers in both cases are quite similar. The 
plant is of the easiest propagation by means of cuttings. 
C M. W. 
