FOREWORDS TO NEW EDITION xv 



is the cause of the greatest difficulty we have with 

 alpine plants. Constant change of weather, and 

 the occurrence of mild weather in winter when 

 all the high mountain plants are at rest, should lead us 

 to think more of southern plants and shrubs, which are 

 not subject to this high alpine sleep. 



But there is one fact that should make all 

 Britons rock-gardeners, namely, that the climate 

 of our grey islands corresponds with that of an 

 immense range of mountain ground in central 

 Europe. The plains of France and of Lombardy 

 are hot, and the alpine passes ice - cold, while 

 the nightingales are singing in millions of acres 

 of mountain pasture set with islets of Wild Rose, 

 Hazel, and Aspen. And these conditions of 

 cool mountain ground between hot valley-land and 

 high frozen passes obtain over vast regions in central 

 and eastern Europe. Even in the south, the same 

 thing occurs. If asked to name two of the most 

 enduring rock-flowers, I could not name any 

 better than the blue Greek Anemone (A. blanda] 

 and the purple Rock Cress (Aubrietia), which we see 

 in quantity on the hills near Athens. I have never 

 seen the mountains of northern Greece nor the 

 mountainous regions near, but we should expect no 

 less from their flora, as their hillside climate would be 

 more like our own. If we go into Savoy to see its 

 rich alpine flora, we are often struck with the likeness 

 to the conditions of our own land. This is why 

 such large numbers of rock - plants are so easily 

 grown in Britain, we having the same cool summer 



