Excerpt: ...their filmy heads like purple foam; S. gmelini and S. limonium are two of the best. When cut, they last a long time, and are very useful for giving a graceful appearance to stiff bouquets. The dwarf thalictrums are good rockery plants; they are grown for their foliage, which bears a striking resemblance to the maidenhair fern. T. adiantifolium and T. minus are very pretty; their flower-heads should always be cut off, so as to promote the production of their fine fronds, which have the property of lasting well when cut. The aromatic scent of thyme is very pleasant on a rockery; not only should the silver and golden varieties be grown, but also those bright kinds which give us sheets of purple, pink, and white blossom during summer; to thrive they must be exposed to full sunshine, when they will attract innumerable bees. Pg 56 The new kind, T. serpyllum roseus, is splendid, the tiny flowers coming in such profusion as to completely hide the foliage. All are low-growing, having the cushion habit of growth. Veronicas are not often seen, yet they are exceedingly pretty, and continuous bloomers. Amateurs should not begin with the shrub tribe, as these are somewhat tender, but if V. incana, V. longifolia-subsessilis, and V. prostrata are obtained, they will be sure to please. The first and last are low-growing, but the other is two feet high, and has long racenes like soft blue tassels, which hang down in the most charming way. A few words on some more bulbs that look well on rockeries, besides the crocus and dwarf iris before-mentioned, may not be amiss: the winter aconites are most appropriate so placed, and show to greater advantage than in the level border. Their golden flowers, each surrounded by a frill of green, come forth as early as January, if the weather be propitious. The chionodoxa, called also glory of the snow, is very fresh and pretty, with its bright blue flowers having a conspicuous white eye. If left undisturbed they will spread...
