556 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
Among — 
the ---- 
Alpines. — — 
The cool moist weather which has been 
so prevalent lately seems to suit the al- 
pines well, even if not so agreeable to 
human beings, the former are flowering 
well and making good growth for another 
season • but one hopes that some sun will 
appear in August to ripen up the growths 
or winter will play havoc with them. I 
shall mention here a few which are or 
have been in flower lately: — 
Achilleas. — These plants combine 
beauty of foliage and flower. Ihe foliage 
is usually silvery white and finely divided. 
Flowers borne on stalks 4 in. high are 
Daisy-like, and have broad, pure white 
petals. Two pretty species I grow are 
A. argentea, forming loose cushions of 
finely divided silvery leaves, and A. 
ageratoides, having narrow silvery leaves 
about 3 in. long. Both species have 
white flowers, and prefer full sun, in a 
compost of ^ loam and f broken stone. 
In autumn the surface all round the 
plants should be covered with ^ in. 
pieces of sandstone, as in wet weather 
they are very liable to rot off. Propa¬ 
gate by division or layers. 
Dianthus deltoides, the Maiden 
Pink, is very lovely in its white and 
bright pink varieties and easily grown. 
The leaves are small and glaucous, and 
form dwarf tufts from which the 6 in. 
stem arise, bearing several flowers J in. 
to | in. across. The soil should be half 
loam and leaf mould and half broken 
brick. They are easily grown from seed. 
OXYTROPIS PILOSA. — This is a very 
pretty plant growing about 4 in. high, 
the whole of it being covered with dense 
brown hairs. It bears globular heads of 
pale yellow pea-shaped flowers, and 
blooms profusely. All the Oxytropis re¬ 
quire full sun, in f broken brick, 5 loam, 
and are easily grown from seed. 
Linnaea borealis is a sweet little 
plant for the shady bog. It forms a 
dense mat of red stem and bronze tinged 
foliage, creeping about on the surface. 
The flowers are borne on delicate stalks 
1 to 2 in. high, in pairs, _ and are delicate 
pink little bells, extremely graceful. It 
should be grown in full or partial shade 
in compost of peat, loam, and leaf 
mould, with a little sand. In spring a 
mixture like this should be worked 
among the young growths, which will 
then root, and thus it can be propagated 
from these rooted growths. 
ANDROSACE LAN GtllN OS A is a lovely 
plant with silvery leaves, each shoot ter¬ 
minating in a head of delicate rosy lilac 
flowers about ^ in. across. It flowers 
profusely from June till September, and 
is well worthy of extended culture. Its 
compost should be half broken brick and 
sand, half loam and leaf mould ; and it 
is better for frequent top dressings. Here 
it is necessary to cover with a pane of 
glass, placed about 1 ft. above it in win¬ 
ter to keep off excessive rain. Cuttings 
taken in August of the young shoots and 
inserted in almost pure sand will root in 
a cold frame by next spring. 
a Llium acuminatum. — This is one of 
those bulbs very useful for growing 
among dwarf plants, as it is not at all 
untidy or ramping as some Alliums. The 
leaves are 1 ft. long and very narrow. 
A stiff stalk rises to about 8 in., and bears 
a head of lovely purplish lilac flowers, 
remaining in bloom some time. It grows 
in a light soil best, is cheap, and well 
worth trying among dwarfer subjects. 
Mine grows out from a clump of Phlox 
fiondosa, and flowers when that is over. 
E. B. Anderson. 
Birmingham. 
-f+4- 
A Costly Ivy Plant. 
An Ivy plant which established itself in 
a crevice of the tower of St. John the 
Baptist’s Church, Yarborough, Lincoln¬ 
shire, has caused such damage that an 
architect who has been consulted esti¬ 
mates that ,£600 will be required to put 
the tower in a thoroughly good state. The 
roots undermined the foundations, gradu¬ 
ally lifting the stones out of place, and a 
large crack in the walls resulted from the 
growth of the plant. Work entailing a 
cost of £300 has been undertaken, ^228 
having already been raised. 
-- 0. w. - 
Prize Competitions. 
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f .lly uad. 
- -M-f 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
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tlixn Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
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Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “W.H.W.” for the article on 
“ White Violas for Spring Bcddirg,” page 545. 
August 24, 
1907. 
Hardy Edgings = 
— for — 
Summer Bedding. = 
There are many hardy plants suitab 
for edgings where only a spring display 
aimed at, but in the meantime I confii 
myself to those suitable for summer won 
In dealing with these, Violas or tufu 
Pansies must be awarded first plac 
They furnish a variety of colour, ai i 
easily propagated, and barring occasion 
failures, are persistent bloomers. Cu 
tings inserted in July or early Augu 
would be ready for planting early 
October, whilst those put in during Se 
tember would be suitable for spring plan 
ing. If the winter should prove sever 
a few twigs of Spruce or Yew throi\ 
over the boxes will benefit the plant 
White, yellow, blue, and purple se 
varieties are the most effective. Cerastiu 
tomentosum (Snow in Summer) is anoth 
excellent edging plant, whether d 
nuded of its flowers or allowed to bloor 
The former method is preferable, as t! 
edging secured thus is more compact ai 
the white of the foliage is sufficient 
pure. Cuttings laid in thickly like Bo 
wood round the. bed early in spring at 
watered in dry weather till rooted w: 
make a good edging the first season, ai 
if kept trimmed it may remain sever 
years. 
Arabis lucida variegata is a perfe 
gem for an edging; its shining gre> 
and gold rosettes of leaves are brig 
and attractive the whole year roun 
Plant early in April, mixing some flal 
leaf mould with the soil. When on 
established it will go on improving f 
years. The flowers should be picked c 
as soon as they appear in spring. Ajuj 
reptans rubra (Bugle) is a very effecti 
plant where a dark edging is wanted, 
is a vigorous grower, and can be plant' 
almost at any time. There is also 
variegated form well worth cultivatin 
Euonymus radicans var. is a bright vari 
gated, dwarf, hardy shrub, and forms ; 
effective edging for larger beds. It c; 
be propagated, during summer with ti 
help of a handlight in a shaded corner. 
For large beds, Funkia undulata fc 
var. makes a lovely edging, especial 
during the early summer. It is easi 
increased by division. The doub 
dwarf crimson Sweet William makes 
rich crimson edging. It can be torn 
pieces in autumn and planted in nurse 
lines in a south border, using plenty 
sandy soil about the roots. I have on 
space left to enumerate a few har 
annuals suitable for edgings. 
For a blue edging, Phacelia Campan 
laria or Nemophila insignis are amonf 
the best. Saponaria calabrica is a gol 
pink crimson. Virginian Stock gives, 
good crimson, and the white variety 
the same plant gives a good whi 
Eschscholtzia californica is a telli; 
yellow, and this Californian Poppy ci 
now be had in many shades. I have nt 
exhausted the list, but have shown sot: 
of the possibilities of hardy plants fi 
summer edgings. 
C. C. 
