ROCK-GARDEN FLOWERS 7 



plants, shielding them from the glare of the sun, and 

 giving them the coolness they then need. 



Fortunately, however, alpine flowers generally are 

 so accommodating that we can persuade most of them 

 to grow more or less happily in our rock gardens. The 

 measure of success depends largely upon our considera- 

 tion for their needs and upon the attention we may 

 afford them. The observance of many little points, 

 apparently trifling, often accounts for the difference 

 between success and failure. Though the true alpine 

 flowers are natives of the high mountains, in the rock 

 garden we grow others of low growth suitable for asso- 

 ciating with them. Many of these are bog plants, others 

 such as some of the New Zealand Veronicas grow by 

 the seashore. Their inclusion not only gives variety and 

 increased interest to the rock garden, but prolongs its 

 season of beauty, for many of the plants that are not 

 true alpines bloom after the high mountain flowers are 

 over, and are thus of especial value. If the rock garden 

 is properly planned and constructed it will provide suit- 

 able homes for all these the alpine plants from near 

 the snow line, the denizens of the mountain meadows, 

 dwarf plants from the lower ranges, and those that grow 

 wild in the bogs and on the seacoasts of various lands. 

 Most of them are so accommodating that, with a little 

 care, we may enjoy them in almost perfect beauty, and 

 provide them with all they need to enable them to grow 

 healthfully and happily in our gardens. 



