PART I.] 



CULTURAL 



11 



of the alpine garden should be covered with plants, except the 

 projecting points of rocks ; arid even these should be covered, 

 as far as possible, without concealing them. In moist districts, 

 such plants as Erinus alpinus and Arenaria balearica will grow 

 wherever there is a resting-place for a seed on the face of the 

 rocks ; and even vertical faces of rock may be half covered 

 with a variety of plants; so that there is no reason why any 

 level surfaces of ground should be bare. 



ROCKY STEPS. 



A propos of simple ways of getting good effects, I may 

 mention what took place in a garden in Sussex, where stone 

 steps had been placed in the rock garden just as a pathway. 

 The plants inserted between the rough stones Gentians and 

 Stonecrops in a varied collection gave the prettiest effect, and 

 si 10 wed the finest health of any plants in the place ; and with 

 good reason, because they were protected from the heat much 

 more effectually than the plants in the rock garden near, as 



Rocky Path at Lydhurst, Sussex. 



