en
the stout foliage grows glossy, waved, and of a deep clear green
colour, the edges of the leaves become lined with red as if hemmed with
red silk; the leaves also have the edges irregular in form, the outline
broadly oval, 4in. to 6in. long, and they are veined and slightly
wrinkled; during the autumn a yellow tint starts from the edge, and in
time becomes a vermilion, which is all the more effective from the leaf
being of leather-like substance.

[Illustration: FIG. 91. SAXIFRAGA PURPURASCENS.

(One-third natural size.)]

It enjoys a deep rich loam; and, evidently, to place its roots in
contact with pieces of limestone is beneficial. Rare as the plant is,
this is all that I do for it, and not only does it remain healthy, but
it has increased greatly in size during the last year. I have not as yet
tried to propagate it, but so far as I can judge there will be no
difficulty in forming young stock by root division. It has hitherto
enjoyed a happy immunity from all garden pests, not excepting slugs.

Flowering period, April to June.

Saxifraga Pyramidalis.

PYRAMIDAL SAXIFRAGA; _Nat. Ord._ SAXIFRAGACEAE.

This is a very handsome form or variety of _S. Cotyledon_, and belongs
to the alpine regions of Europe. As a decorative subject for our
gardens, it is highly and deservedly esteemed; its attractiveness
consists more in the numbers and arrangement of the flowers than in any
beauty which belongs to them individually, though they are not devoid of
that quality.

Of the many hundreds of species and varieties of Saxifrages which bloom
during the month of June, this is one of the most distinct and useful as
a decorative flower, and where the Saxifrages are grown in large
collections, as they often are, giving more than an ordinary amount of
pleasure compared with collections of other genera, the kind now under
consideration always asserts itself as one of the first order of merit.
Not only in its blooming state, but all the year round, it is very
effective and striking; it is a free grower, having handsome, large
rosetted foliage.

[Illustration: FIG. 92. SAXIFRAGA PYRAMIDALIS.

(One-eighth natural size; 1, single blossom, natural size; 2, leaf,
one-eighth natural size.)]

The flowers, as will be seen by the one given, natural size, in the
illustration (Fig. 92), are of the common Saxifrage form, but rather
more highly coloured in the central markings than the general run. They
are produced on stout st