166 FLOWER-FIELDS OF ALPINE SWITZERLAND 



A field such as this is a garden in itself, and a 

 revelation, surely, for those who know only our 

 home-fields. And it will be noted that in such a 

 field there need be no destruction of effective 

 English field-flowers. Indeed, the addition of 

 Alpine wealth to our home-fields ought not to 

 oust any but rank invaders, such as the Plantain, 

 the Nettle, or the Bindweed, or other " volunteers," 

 as Californians picturesquely call them. Our 

 Buttercups, Daisies, Orchids, and Red Sorrel 

 should be secure ; Dandelions and Ox-eye Mar- 

 guerites can, and should, continue their reign as of 

 yore ; for all of these are constituents of meadows 

 in the Alps. Thus, if we create meadows to com- 

 panion our rockworks, we should be growing many 

 an Alpine which at present we do not allow among 

 our Alpines ; and in this way, if in no other, our 

 Alpine gardens would be far more complete, far 

 more representative, and, therefore, far more worthy 

 the name. 



No ; because a flower is already common in 

 England is no necessary reason why it should 

 be taboo in any Alpine field we may create in 

 England. Indeed, such common things as the 

 Marsh Marigold {Caltha palustiis), the two Butter- 

 cups {Ranunculus acris and R. bulbosus) and the 



