76 ALPINE BORDERS [CH. 



so that a breadth of 5 feet below is contracted to 3 or 

 4 feet above. Each stone should be set to tip somewhat 

 down at the back, so that every drop of rain that falls on 

 either side of the wall may find its way naturally amongst 

 the joints, and go to moisten the tender roots and attract 

 them inwards. 



The middle of the wall, which may be supposed to 

 stand over 4 feet high, can be planted with Bush-Roses, 

 Scotch Briars, Berberis, and some bushes of Sweet Verbena, 

 Olearia, and Choisya ternata at the more sheltered end. 

 As there are thus practically three sides available, almost 

 every aspect is afforded, and many things which refuse to live 

 at one side will probably thrive at the other side or above. 



Early autumn is the very time to get to work on the 

 rock garden, for alpines that are planted then at once take 

 a firm hold, and all through winter their roots, at least, 

 grow steadily. The names of a few of the more familiar 

 plants which would find a congenial home on such a site 

 will here suffice : Dwarf Alpine kinds of Alyssum, 

 Artimisia and Achillea, Mossy Saxifrages, Yellow Ever- 

 lasting (Gnaphalium orientale\ Erinus Alpinus, and the 

 three sorts of Cheiranthus a near relative of the wall- 

 flower alpinus, Marshall^ and mutabilis. The Edelweiss, 

 an unusual-looking Alpine, will grow freely from seed, 

 and lives on for years on the rock border. It bears 

 interesting flowers wrapped up in woolly silvery leaves. 

 The plant has a romantic interest for Swiss mountaineers. 



s 



