SOME GARDENS IN THE ALPS 155 



adding its pure and lively colouring to a scene 

 which was gay indeed, backed and enhanced as it 

 was by the blue-grey haze enveloping the distant 

 forests and glacier. In spite of the garden's 

 scientific arrangement, its appeal to the mere lover 

 of beauty is irresistible. How, indeed, could it be 

 otherwise ? how could such lovely subjects be 

 planted amid such lovely surroundings without 

 the result being lovely? At this season of the 

 year, moreover, everything noticeable among the 

 plants is so diminutive, so refined, so typical 

 of Alpine circumstance ; resplendent asceticism : 

 ' sanctity which shames our religions, and reality 



which discredits our heroes 1' 



i 



The Rambertia (limestone; altitude about 6,900 ft.). 



Here, at the summit of the Rochers de Naye, 

 above Montreux, is a garden which is one of the 

 highest and most romantically situated in Europe. 

 Laid out, for the most part, upon the southern face 

 of a precipitous cliff, it is in striking contrast with 

 the Pont de Nant garden. On a calm and cloudless 

 day it is entirely fascinating, and, with the magnifi- 

 cent panorama of Alp-land stretching away on all 

 sides, it is the very setting of which we dream for 

 Alpine plants. But when the fierce northern or 



