August 2, 1913. 
THE GARDENERS* MAGAZINE. 
679 
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ki;. 
MOSSY SAXIFRAGES. 
The saxifrage or rockfoil family is far 
and away the most valuaible genus plants 
that we have for use in the rock garden. 
There are so many different and 'beautiful 
kinds, and they vary in habit to such an 
extent that such extreme species like the 
diminutive S. csesia, •with its tiny rosettes 
of leaves and corresponding sprays of 
flowers, and the Californian giant S. pel- 
tata, would appear at first sight to have 
little in common. This heautiful family of 
plants embraces sulbjects suitable for all 
positions, from a hot, sunny ledge or rocky 
crevice to a cool shady hank. Others de- 
the taller hybrids which have been brought 
out are of a rather weedy character, 
with flowers of a washed-out appearance in 
the matter of colour. The charm of the 
mossy saxifrages lies in their neat and 
tufted appearance, with flowers in propor¬ 
tion, on stems that hold themselves erect. 
It is evidently the influence of S. granu- 
lata which has tended to develop the taller 
and loss graceful habit w'hich we see in 
many of the newer productions. For 
general use, easy cultivation, and gcxKl 
habit, the following species, wdth their 
varieties, are the best of this section: 
var. hirta, with very hairy foliage. Many 
heauitiful kinds have (been produiced by 
hybridisation in recent years, several with 
charming red flowers. The red colour in 
these newer forms of S. csespitosa, which 
has white flowers, is due to the influence 
of S. muscoides var. atropurpurea, a diarm- 
ing little plant with bright red flowers. 
One of the first was Guildford Seedling, a 
very dwarf carpeting plant witli bright 
crimson flowei-s. S. Clibrani is of rather 
stronger habit with red flowers; as also is 
S. Bathonensis, wdiich grows nearly 1 ft. 
high, with much-branched stems and large 
brilliant red flowers. One of the best is 
S. pnguinea superba, which is of neat 
iiabit, and 'bears flowers of a rich ruby- 
scarlet that do not fade so quickly as some 
of the other kinds. 
S. exarata. 
This distinct and beautiful species is a 
native of the Alps and Pyrenei‘s, and forms 
SAXIFRAGA MUSCOIDES ATRO-PURPUREA. 
A vigorous-growing and free-blooming form, having bright red flowers. 
^ter^ their roots among stones in 
og several species make delightful 
a whole, the rockfoils are eaav to Northern and almost Arctic 
and only need to be iplan-ted in naturally varies to a great 
' -- ^ - extent. Many names have ibeen applied to 
the different forms, among which may be 
mentioned S. decipiens and S. sponhemica, 
hut, although the extreme forms may be 
goo<l^.>n^ different sections. A 
for planting is, sun 
if id leather.! I hard, encrusted and 
^ leaves, alth^vnnrii _ 
caespitosa.. a close compact carpet of bright green foli- 
This species is found growing over the age completely covered inth a mantle of 
^ . . white flowers in summer. Only two or three 
inches high, the thin wiry stems are rigid 
and freely-liranched, and produce such a 
quantity of flowers that they overlap and 
quite obscure the foliage. 
S. g^lobulifera. 
ffiStho^ of fij or half-shade for 
#lManv of soft-leaved section. 
JjfK or m(,nn<l« Ht , ^®r form lovely carpets 
boautiftu^^^ emerald green foliage, 
'?fr^*Pring and oj winter, and covered in 
i?^wpure wljito summer with masses of 
^ Durrm^^i "-"Sy-Pink flowers. 
**a 8 been hybridist 
‘he ‘I'e saxifrages of 
^any fine ^^* 4 ® ^ others, 
'•■‘ous raised of 
grees of excellence, but some of 
quite diistinct, they are linked up by a i.* i, lo *+ u Air + a/i* tx 
chainof intermediatesthat makes it difficult ^ M.xliter 
A free-hlooming and handsome species, 
lich has its h< 
ranean region. 
._ranean region. It is somewhat similar in 
or even imposs^e to ^ a toe ^tween ohlracter to C. Camposi and S. Wal- 
the varioip so-called sp^ies or varieties. ^ 
Attempts have been made to evolve order 
out of the chaos, with little or no success. 
forms, has white flowers, these being pro- 
Z ZZctiZr^b;irg mo^ orTe; of a months of May and June. 
geographical character that are of no avail 
when the plants are growing side by side. 
S. hypnoides. 
The “ Dovedale Moss,” with its emerald 
lit i® (therefore simplest to keep to green carpet, is a well-known plant in gar- 
of S. caespitosa for all these dens. During the winter months it is one 
Linnaeus’s name 
indistinguishable forms 
’ One <3 the most marked varieties is S. « 
of the chief attractions in the rock garden, 
clothing otherwise baie places with a 
