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The Rock-Rose: Helianthemum
The common Helianthemum is a variable plant, and may be varied beyond all present limits by the interesting process of crossbreeding. The varieties in cultivation comprise white, yellow, rose, crimson, and purple flowers in several shades, mostly single, but a few are double, and there is one sort with variegated leaves. Nor are we restricted in our choice to varieties of H. vulgare, for H. rosmarinifolium, H. pilosum, and H. croceum offer their several attractions, and at least a hundred other species are available for such as seek for them and know where to find them, which we confess we do not, although they have a place in the books. A very beautiful species is H. tuberaria, a herbaceous plant, native of South Europe, producing ribbed leaves and yellow sun-roses of the most exquisite beauty; and only needing what may be termed good conditions on the rockery. A fine plant intermediate in character between a sun-rose and a cistus is Helianthemum ocymoides, an erect-growing shrub about two feet high, with ovate lanceolate leaves and flowers bright yellow, with a blotch at the base of each petal. The species of Helianthemum and Cistus are mostly natives of South Europe, a very large proportion being found on the sunny Spanish peninsula. Hence a dry soil and a sunny aspect are natural requirements, and where anything like a collection exists, it will be found impossible to keep it together unless duplicate plants are reserved and wintered under glass, a brick pit being the most suitable for this purpose. But the common sun-rose is one of the hardiest of garden plants, a true native of Britain, and spread over Europe from the Arctic circle to the Mediterranean.
All these plants may be easily propagated by cuttings of the young shoots placed in a moderate heat. But to insure variety, and to make plants in considerable quantity, there must be systematic saving and sowing of seeds. It is a good plan with all choice subjects to sow the seeds in pans or boxes, and give the young plants the shelter of glass until they are somewhat advanced. But those who cannot manage in this way may sow on a sandy, sunny border in the month of April, and plant out the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to be handled with safety. The soil should be sandy and calcareous for all except the common species, which, as remarked above, is not particular as to either soil or aspect. A simple way to shelter tender plants of this class during frosty weather is to insert a few boughs of evergreens near them, so as to overhang them slightly.
For the tasteful display of a collection of sun-roses and cistuses we need stony banks, balustrades, and other similar situations, where the plants can spread and trail and form natural festoons and falling masses, so as to approach the wildness of nature, but not to lose the order and neatness which belong to art. The trim garden is usually agreeable, and the trimness sets off the beauties of many plants, but the "negligence of nature" has also its charms. It is the triumph of art to conceal art, and in the garden it is pleasant sometimes to have visible reminders of the freedom that prevails in the world where "the crooked scythe and spade" have not touched a clod, nor damaged a leaf, nor put anything in order to gratify human notions.
