630 
THE QARDBN1NQ WORLD, 
August 6, 1904. 
The Rock Garden. 
Plants in Bloom. 
Erythraea Massoni. 
While undoubtedly a dwarf variety of Centaury, it is still 
sufficiently high to constitute an interesting and pretty sub¬ 
ject for the rock garden. The stems vary from 3 in. to 5 iln. 
high, and are erect, covered with small oblong or ovate 
leaves. The flowers anei of a, bright rose, and produced in 
clusters on the top of the stems. When, the cultivator isi 
selecting a position for this plant, he should choose one which 
is inclined to be cool and moist in summer rather than other¬ 
wise. This will encourage good growth, and enable the flowers 
to retain their beauty for a longer period than if the plant 
were to get scorched up, with dry weather. Jt is not difficult, 
however, to cultivate, and if the soil is at all heavy, it should 
have some sand and ai considerable proportion of leaf mould 
incorporated with it;. Propagation is easily effected by divi¬ 
sion of the clumps in March. Cuttings of the young shoots 
.that have not flowered may also be taken during July and 
August, inserted in sandy soil, and kept under a hand-light or 
cold frame until roots are produced. 
Primula Forbesii. 
Most cultivators grow this tiny Bird’s-eye Primrose in a 
greenhouse. It isi net particularly long-lived, whether grown 
indoor's or upon the rockery, but as it produces seeds freely 
a stock can always be kept up 1 with little troublei in this way. 
A pan should be sown with seeds, as soon, as they are ripe and 
placed in a cool frame, where they will gradually n akei nice 
little plants, which flower when even quite small. These may 
be planted in patches upon the rockery to flow:r during 
summer*. The blooms come ai deeper 1 rose hue in the open, air 1 
than under glass', and the plant makes dwarfer growth under 
these conditions. It, comes from. China, and resembles a tiny 
form of P. cortusoides! in the leaves, but mostly resembles the 
Bird’s-eye Primrose in the flowers. 
Gentiana Pneumonanthe. 
The Windflower Gentian is a native of Britain, though by 
no means a common, species, even in the wild state or culti¬ 
vated. The stems grow 12 in. to 18 in,, high, and have a 
number of rich deep 1 blue flowers in the axils of the upper 
leaves. The peculiarity of the flowers of this, species is that 
they are inflated in the middle and closed at the mouth, re¬ 
sembling a balloon in, shape. The leaves are of a rich dark 
green. The only other species, of tall habit, at all commonly 
grown in. gardens is G. asclepladeia,, but. the flowers of these 
are altogether different in shape, so that the plant under 
notice is the more interesting because the less common of 
the two. Seeds may be saved and young plants raised if the 
cultivator is careful to keep- a watch on slugs in, the frame 
while the seedlings are yet, small. 
Onosma tauricum. 
While the above Dropwort is one of the moist commonly 
grown, it is, also one of the prettiest and moist free flowering. 
The tubular yellow flowers: are produced in, a crosier-like 
raceme, and 1 the flowersi when, they reach the expanded stage 
rise to the upper side of the stalk-si. They are of a bright 
yellow, and produced over -a considerable period of time. The 
linear grey leaves, form dense tufts, and: this is, always the 
habit of the plants. It therefore makes a very neat plant 
for crevices' amongst stones or on. ledgesi of the rock garden 
where the soil is sufficiently deep- to hold sufficient soil to 
remain cool and moist during dry weather. 
Oenothera caespitosa. 
Of the dwarfer-g,rowing species of Evening Primrose, this 
is certainly one of the prettiest and most suitable for the 
rock garden:. Unless thei clump, is a large' one, fully expanded 
flowers are never 1 very numerous at any one time, but, that 
is due to their great size. On first expansion, they are pure 
white, but pass into pink when fading, so that both, of these 
stages may be observed on the plant at the same time. The 
tube of the flower is of considerable length, and that together 
with the expanded portion makes a bloom about 6 in. ii 
length. The greyish-green leaves are spathulate and f'om 
much neater tufts than several others of similar habit. Tin 
plant is of slow growth, but seeds may occasionally be o! 
tained even if it is necessary to fertilise the flower when in ir 
prime. It would be unadvisable to cut about the rootstoel 
in 'trying to make divisions while the plant is yet small. 
Parnassia palustris. 
Several species of the Grass of Parnassus are well wortlr 
of cultivation, having much the same general resemblance 
differing only ini minor botanical particulars. The Britbl 
species has flowers nearly as large as any, and in detail i- . 
veiy pretty flower. The flower-stalk bears a single leaf, an« 
terminates in. a single white flower veiy much like that of . 
Strawberry or a, Saxifraga greatly magnified. As one ster 
represents a whole plant, it follows that a number of then 
should be planted together in, order to make a clump, and i 
the crowns' are planted sufficiently near together that th 
leaves may cover the ground, the effect will be all the bettei! 
In the southern part oif England it is comparatively a scare 
plant, and to see it in all its beauty one must go where tli 
rainfall is great,er 1 . It is virtually a, bog plant, and if th 
cultivator would succeed with it, he must select a cool situs 
tion, using plenty of leaf-mould in the soil or other decayin 
vegetable matter, unless lie has the actual command of 
boggy portion in the rock garden. Peat would answer th 
purpose just as, well as leaf-mould, and its effects would pr< 
bably be more lasting. Although mention has been made ^ 
a cool situation, the plant must be fully exposed toi light t 
get the most, satisfaction from it. Seeing that the plant i 
confined to a single crown, the only way of propagating i 
would bei by seeds. Those who- live near it® natural habitaj 
will have no difficulty in transplanting a few of the crown: 
which will succeed provided a constant supply of moisture 
ensured, especially during the summer months. For som 
time past it has been flowering beautifully, but further nort 
it may still be found in, full bloom, even in. September. T1 
white petals are beautifully veined, but to the botanically ii 
dined the stalked glands alternating with the petals are eve 
more interesting. 
Lychnis coronaria oculata. 
The ordinary form of this plant ha-s rich rosy-oarmin 
flowers, soma of these being paler and other® darker. Tli 
beautiful plant which I here mention, however, has whit 
flowers with a, dark rose centre. I believe this was 1 the origi 
of the name L. coronaria, and if so, it ought to be the typic; 
form of the plant, and the self-coloured ones the variety 
Usually this plant is relegated to the herbaceous border, In: 
it, is soi w r ell adapted for cultivation in the rock garden, the 
a place might, be found for it on the higher ridges of tli 
rocky banks. The densely woolly leaves enable the plan 
to withstand drought, and that is the reason why the plai 
■will succeed on the rockery, where others have a, difficulty i 
coming through the warm weather. Seeds are usually pi'' 
duced abundantly, so that increase can he obtained in, till 
way. 
Campanula carpatica pelviformis. 
Some of the varieties of C. carpatica have rich blue flower 
hut, that under notice ha,si a veiy pale lilac flower. Tli 
variety is important, chiefly on account of-it® distinctness, tl 
flower being of a, different shape from any other of this groul 
which I know. Instead of being bell-shaped, as, is customar 
in, the genus, the flower is greatly flattened out and sauce 
shaped. In all other respects the variety agree® with th 
type in, appearance and its cultural requirements. Seeds ar 
freely produced, and increase may be obtained in this war 
but this is chiefly done for the purpose of getting hen 
varieties'. To maintain the variety true, the clump shoul 
be divided in, March, or cuttings of the un,flowered shoots maj 
be taken during June or July. 
Linaria pilosa. 
The flowers of this Ivy-leaved Toad-flax are veiy similar t 
those of our native species, but they are two or three times a 
