FOREWORDS TO NEW EDITION xix 



of offering plants by the dozen or hundred and at 

 reasonable rates. 



The plants in this book are not treated in any one 

 or regular way, for the reason that they differ so much 

 in value. In nature, all plants may be said to be of 

 equal value, but in gardening the difference in their 

 values is enormous, both in degree and in every other 

 way. Therefore, in a purely garden book like this, the 

 only helpful way is to treat plants in some relation to 

 their value in the garden. A great many plants, also, 

 are truly Alpine, but have little or no use or beauty in 

 the garden, and these are not included in this book. 

 Nor can we even in such a vast theme include all the 

 claims to beauty, not to speak of the fact that many of 

 the regions from which these plants come are not yet 

 half explored, and many of the plants that are known 

 are not yet introduced. 



Here I leave the Alpine garden to the young 

 enthusiasts of the future ; they can never exhaust its 

 variety, but can do much for it, by simple plans and 

 good culture. Done in the worst way and most adverse 

 conditions it is interesting, but, with care and thought 

 in the best, the Alpine garden may be the fairest ever 

 made by the hands of man. 



W. ROBINSON. 



GRAVETYE MANOR, 

 January 1903. 



