18 ALPINE FLOWERS [PART I. 



difficult to grow and keep, heaps and banks of grit will help 

 much. The detritus of millstone grit and granite are among 

 the best, and in some districts sharp river sand, but sea sand 

 does not, as a rule, take the place of these grits, granite grit 

 being for plants of granitic formations. These banks would 

 be all the better having different aspects, some cool and moist. 



It is, however, a mistake to suppose that all rock-plants will 

 not endure drought. Many, such as the Eock-roses (Cistus), 

 Sun-roses (Helianthemum), Stonecrops (Sedum), Sandworts 

 (Arenaria), the rock Bindweeds, Heaths, and many other rock- 

 plants, supporting drought and sunshine bravely. 



VARIOUS EOCK- GARDENS. 



We will now enter into particulars as to the various ways in 

 which alpine plants may be grown, beginning with the best type 

 of rock-garden that in which, in addition to the low-lying, 

 stony, and rocky banks and slopes, where numbers of hardy 

 and vigorous species may be grown, there are miniature cliffs 

 and ravines, with perhaps bog and water. The most usual of 

 the faults in setting rocks is that of so placing the stones that 

 they seem to have as little connection with the soil of the spot 

 as if thrown out of a cart. Instead of allowing what may be 

 termed the foundations of the rock-garden to barely show their 

 upper ridges above the earth, and thereby suggesting much more 

 endurable ideas of " rock " than those arising from the contempla- 

 tion of the unnatural-looking masses usually seen, the stones 

 are often placed on the ground much as a bricklayer places 

 bricks 



Half-buried Stone in Rock-Garden. 



The surface of every part of the rock-garden should be so 

 arranged that all rain will be absorbed by it ; here, again, 

 the objection to overhanging faces holds good, If the elevations 



