CHAPTER V 



THE NEW ROCK GARDENING 



A COMMON feature of popular exhibitions is the scenic 

 railway. It is a weird erection of girders, canvas peaks 

 and painted gorges. Toy trains laden with perspiring 

 and shrieking adventurers at sixpence per head 

 dart out of its tunnels and disappear along its cuttings. 



There is a phase of flower-growing which might be 

 called " scenic-railway " gardening. It consists in 

 erecting miniature Alps within a few yards of the front 

 door, and then buzzing up and down them with a small 

 box of rock plants tucked under the left arm, and a trowel 

 clutched firmly in the right hand. This is generally 

 spoken of as " following Nature," and is considered to 

 be a triumphant vindication of good taste in gardening 

 and a standing rebuke to those who practise the old style 

 of bedding-out. 



There is much clatter and fuss about scenic-railway 

 gardening. Its votaries are as fond of getting together 

 and advertising their proceedings as a colony of rooks. 

 One might say that it is distinguished by much stone, 

 much caw, and a modicum of flowers. 



It is conventional to " talk flowers " nowadays. 

 Agents for continental tours conduct thousands of 

 people round the Alpine regions, and at the dinner 

 tables of some of the hotels there is as much conversation 

 about flowers as there is at others about bobsleighing. 



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