74 ALPINE FLOWERS AND ROCK GARDENS. 



There is always one simple resource open to the 

 amateur rockery-maker, and that is to make a plain 

 mound of soil, and place the stones in it in a series of 

 ridges, with cross pieces at irregular intervals, some 

 six, some twelve and some eighteen inches apart, to 

 form pockets of different sizes. This is perfectly 

 straightforward, and may very well settle the construc- 

 tion of the first section of rockery. What it really 

 results in is a rock bed. Instead of a flat bed of TuHps 

 or Begonias, the whole area of which we have beneath 

 our eyes from one point of view, we have an elevated 

 bed which must be examined from different positions. 

 It is less brilliant than the Tulip bed, but more varied. 

 It is not, so to say, gulped, but taken in savoury 

 morsels. It is something that we linger over. We have 

 to walk round it to take in all its beauty, and every 

 step brings out some new feature of interest. 



The modest Alpine-lover should not despise a plain 

 rock-bed, especially if his garden be very small. 

 Through its means he will be able to add a new and 

 charming feature to his garden, and to gain experience 

 and confidence in the utilisation of Alpines. Rock 

 beds break the uniformity of a garden. They are not 

 only interesting in themselves, but they relieve a flat 

 surface. Flower gardens in general would be all the 

 more interesting and attractive for the rapid mul- 

 tiplication of rock beds. 



It cannot be said, however, that stone-lined heaps 

 typify the most beautiful examples of natural Alpine 

 scenery. There must be a considerable element of 

 make-believe in connection with a mound that we can 



