36 ALPINE FLOWERS [PART I. 



by being surrounded by a few half-buried rugged stones or pieces 

 of rock. These are useful in preventing excessive evapora- 

 tion, in guarding the plant 

 when small and young 

 from being trampled upon 

 or overrun by coarse 

 weeds or plants, and 

 in keeping the ground 



Alpine Plant on border surrounded by half-buried -, , 



stones. firmer and cooler. 



A few barrowfuls of stones the large flints of which 

 edgings are often made will do well, if better cannot be 

 obtained will suffice for many plants ; and this simple plan 

 will be found to suit many who cannot afford the luxury of 

 a rock-garden. Lists of alpine plants suitable for the mixed 

 border will be found in the selections at the end of the book. 



ROCK-GARDENS ON LEVEL GROUND. 



Mr F. Lubbock has been most successful in the cultiva- 

 tion of alpine flowers, in modest and simple ways, that so 

 many may follow in any open spot of ground, and, acceding to 

 my request, he writes of it as follows : 



" My experience is, that most alpine plants can be more 

 easily and conveniently grown in the open ground, with little 

 hillocks and ridges thrown up, so as to provide different aspects, 

 and dryer or moister positions, than in the more imposing 

 artificial ' rockery ' constructions the latter, if well made, do, 

 no doubt, show off some plants to advantage, and are better 

 suited to a few of the most difficult sorts; but they are 

 expensive to build, and if, as usually happens, some spreading 

 intruder establishes itself, it is far more troublesome to dislodge 

 it. Then it is much more difficult to put in a plant properly in 

 a rock crevice, and, with most alpines, it is of the greatest 

 importance to plant them well and firmly at the outset. More- 

 over, it frequently happens that a mistake is made in the 

 position given to a plant, and it is far easier to move it from 

 the open ground than to pull it out of a rock crevice. 



