i8 THE STORY OF MY ROCK GARDEN 



growing season, and roughly dryer in the winter than 

 in summer. 



Before proceeding to give a more detailed account of 

 how I made my garden, it will perhaps be of interest 

 to glance at the conditions under which Alpine plants 

 grow in their native mountains, as this will ensure 

 the best way of simulating these conditions as far as 

 may be in our lowland gardens. 



I would here like to point out the immense amount 

 of pleasure I have derived from this tiny space allotted 

 to these mountain plants every week, indeed every 

 day, in the year sees something of interest happening 

 in the Rock Garden, and though during the winter 

 months flowers are few in number, those that do come 

 to gladden us are valued quite apart from their 

 intrinsic beauty, and are appreciated accordingly. 



With this form of gardening when mid February 

 has arrived we are able to start right away with our 

 brilliant succession of blossom which will carry us on, 

 not merely through the hey-day of Summer, with its 

 perfect rainbow of colour but on to the soft Autumn- 

 time, and thence to November and December if the 

 weather be at all kind. 



Even in some cases where it seems a great deal of 

 trouble to make some rarer plant feel " at home/' the 

 very effort required brings its own reward, and I am 

 sure that with most plant lovers, it is the presence of 



