A very extensive genus of plants, abundantly distributed on mountains in northern countries. For our present purpose they may be broadly thrown into five sections - the mossy section, represented in Britain by S. hypnoides ; the silvery section, represented by S. Aizoon ; the London Pride section, by the Kerry saxifrages ; the Megasea section, by the large cabbage-leaved S. crassifolia ; and the oppositifolia section, distinguished by its rosy-purple flowers. With the exception of the Megasea and oppositifolia sections, which have rosy flowers, most of the saxifrages have white blossoms spotted with red ; a few are yellow, and all are very hardy, and the easiest to grow of all alpine flowers. The mossy, silvery, and purple saxifrages may be naturalised with the greatest ease on bare rocky or mountainous grounds, amidst dwarf vegetation ; but, as the places in which this kind of ground occurs are comparatively few, the Megaseas, and the Kerry saxifrages, are probably the most generally useful, as they can fight their way amongst coarse grass and other common herbs. There are probably nearly 150 species in cultivation in the botanic gardens of England, though in many private gardens they are very little known.

Large-leafed Saxifrage in the Wild Garden.