WHAT ALPINE PLANTS ARE. 19 



species, and the special cultural treatment under 

 which they thrive best. 



What are Alpine plants ? What are their dis- 

 tinguishing characteristics ? How and why do they 

 differ from other classes of flowering plants ? 



When we see, as we often do nowadays, a rock 

 garden which includes herbaceous plants, bulbs and 

 aquatics we naturally conclude that " Alpine " has 

 a very wide application. It is certainly used com- 

 monly in a broad sense, nevertheless it has a specific 

 meaning. Properly speaking it only applies to moun- 

 tain plants. Not necessarily to the plants of " The 

 Alps," be it observed. The substantive alp, a Latin 

 word of Celtic origin, means mountain. It is allied 

 to the Latin alhus, white. Low-growing marsh 

 plants may be admitted into the rock garden, but 

 they are certainly not Alpines, indeed, if we wish 

 to pose as purists we must restrict this term to 

 plants which are natives of the higher altitudes of 

 mountains. 



In nature, Alpine plants have to adapt themselves 

 to a short summer and a long, severe winter. They 

 consequently develop a close, dense habit of growth, 

 with very small, compact leaves on short stems, 

 briUiant flowers with comparatively short peduncles, 

 and a thick mass of strong, far-striking, much branched 

 roots. With the close mat of foliage evaporation is 

 reduced to a minimum and with the dense rootstock 

 large supplies of moisture can be secured and valuable 

 supphes of food stored up to sustain the plants during 

 the long winters. The foliage is generally retained 



