THE ROCK AND WATER GARDEN 145 



flower pictures of alpine Phlox, Aubrietia, Dianthus, Can- 

 dytuft, and so on ; but is there one among the number to 

 surpass a spreading, well-flowered mass of the rosy pink 

 Convolvulus althaeoides of July ? But we do not see it, or 

 certainly only rarely, and then not always in good condition. 

 It may be indeed is, probably, that our rock-gardens are not 

 big enough for all not big enough to provide representative 

 pictures of all that is good ; hence the comparative rarity of 

 some. And there are Campanulas, too one might almost 

 enumerate a dozen such Zoysii, Tymonsii, Garganica and its 

 forms, Fragilis, Isophylla and its varieties (hardy enough and 

 perennial enough if planted in chinks of rock instead of the 

 richer soil in the pockets), Stansfieldii, White Star, Profusion, to 

 say nothing of the later-flowering varieties of the turbinate 

 group which are worthy of a little more thought from those 

 who would embrace the longest possible season of flowering. 

 Then there is the wild C. rotundifolia, or Harebell, a charm- 

 ing plant that is worthy of inclusion in the best rock-gardens 

 where flowers are required during July and August. 



In not a few instances the owners of large gardens are 

 absent from home for weeks after midsummer, when but 

 little encouragement is given to subjects flowering after that 

 time. These and other things might readily constitute con- 

 tributory causes for the absence of some plants and the un- 

 representative display of others during some weeks of the 

 latter part of summer. What is needed most of all, perhaps, 

 is a rock-garden on a more representative plan planted with 

 a view to do justice to all, rather than, as is often the case, to 

 permit the free-flowering and showy to predominate, to the 

 exclusion of much else that is good or even more worthy. In 

 private gardens, naturally, the season of greater gaiety is at 

 the direction or wish of the owner, while at Kew or at Wisley, 

 whither gardeners and others go for inspiration and education, 

 the idea of more representative planting, as opposed to 

 display work covering shorter periods of time, might reason- 

 ably receive studious thought. 



In certain directions late-flowering alpines are asked for 

 almost clamoured for hence there is need to look around 

 to see what is to be had. Each year, too, is giving evidences 

 anew that the supplies are not exhausted ; and when in a 

 single season such good things as Astilbe simplicifolia y Lysi- 

 machia Henryii, and Wahlenbergia vincczflora plants of un- 

 doubted merit and utility may all be added to the lists 

 of late summer alpine flowers, growers of such things have 

 no cause for repining and much less for despair. At the 



K 



