FOREWORDS TO NEW EDITION xiii 



plants are too often found in obscure corners, might each 

 exhibit a beautiful rock-garden, at half the expense 

 now bestowed on some tropical family displayed in 

 a glass-shed, and there is not a garden, even in the 

 suburbs of our great cities, in which the flowers of 

 alpine lands might not be enjoyed. 



This book is written in the hope of showing 

 various simple ways in which this may be done. As 

 regards the instructions for cultivation given in it, 

 it will be understood that they can only be applied 

 in a general way, so much being dependent on the 

 difference in conditions, even in our islands, of north, 

 south, east and west ; of soil, rainfall, amount of sun- 

 shine, and many other considerations not always 

 noticed. The plant that in a garden on a north 

 of England moor might be quite happy and take 

 care of itself, will need care in the sands of 

 Surrey, and plants that thrive with the more copious 

 rainfall on the western coast of Ireland may want 

 much looking after in Kent or Essex. In some 

 cases these difficulties are not easily got over. 

 Even soil is not by any means the simple thing 

 it looks, as that no matter what trouble we take, in 

 certain districts we cannot make soil nearly so 

 good as that which occurs naturally in others. 

 But from this and many other things, we may 

 learn the best lesson of all, as regards rock plants, 

 which is to grow the plants that our conditions 

 allow us to do best. We have even seen the 

 hardy Pansies perish in great heats on the south, 

 when in the cool hill-country they were enduring and 



