xvi FOREWORDS TO NEW EDITION 



as in the high mountain ground. And the plants 

 that will enjoy these conditions are far more numerous 

 than those that inhabit the flank of the moraine 

 or the high mountain crest, with often a few weeks 

 of summer only. Hence the summer that burns 

 up the Roses on the plains of Italy or of Southern 

 Germany or France, leaves us cool in the plains of 

 Britain, not to speak of our mountain ground, so 

 admirable for the growth of alpine plants and 

 mountain shrubs. And we may be sure that it is only 

 certain groups of plants inhabiting very high ground, 

 like Androsace, that will offer us any difficulty. 



It is for these reasons I have brought a greater 

 variety of plants into this edition ; hardy mountain 

 shrubs mainly, and those accustomed by nature to a 

 great variety of conditions, including plenty of sun and 

 an "open" winter. It is not only for their own sake 

 that the mountain shrubs are a gain ; it is for the 

 gentle shelter and shade they give to plants that grow 

 naturally in woods and copses. Some of these plants, 

 like Lily-of-the- valley, thrive in the open with us ; 

 but we lose plants of rare beauty, owing to exposure 

 on the bare rock-garden of plants that in nature live 

 among bushes and in copses and in open and moist 

 woods. 



EXTRAVAGANCE 



has had a free sway in rock - garden formation, 

 and has always ended in ugliness. Much harm is 

 done by rock-makers, their extravagant plans lead- 

 ing to great cost, of which some startling instances 



