16 THE STORY OF MY ROCK GARDEN 



Alpine plant growers. It is delightful to find that 

 one of the outstanding features of plant lovers is their 

 readiness to impart information which years of careful 

 study of the plants has given them. 



I have always found that if I am in any little difficulty 

 owing to lack of experience, I have only to go to some 

 brother plantsman, and he is only too pleased to 

 place his best advice at my disposal. My thanks are 

 especially due, in this respect, to Mr. E. A. Bowles, 

 M.A., F.L.S., of Waltham Cross, and also to those in 

 charge of the fine collection of Alpine plants at Kew, 

 who have always been most kind to me. I trust I have 

 maintained this kindly spirit of helpfulness, by passing 

 on what knowledge I may possess to other, and still 

 more youthful Alpine plant lovers. 



The difficulty of obtaining real stone led me to cast 

 round for an efficient substitute, and I must say that, 

 after considerable experience I find that roughly broken 

 blocks of cement concrete such as are sometimes 

 obtainable when the foundations of the London roads are 

 being removed are really very useful. In appearance 

 it is suggestive of conglomerate its light colour when 

 dry being its chief disadvantage. I got over this, 

 however, in a manner which I will explain later. 



I am quite aware of the advice so frequently given 

 that on no account should anything but real stone be 

 used, but I believe I can show that it is not a necessity 



