CHAPTER IV. 



General Remarks on the Culture of 

 Alpines. 



Few, probably, among the flower-lovers who read 

 these remarks belong to the class which looks upon 

 rock gardening as a trouble-saving system. They 

 do not contemplate making a rock garden for no 

 better reason than that when it is complete it can be 

 left alone, thereby differing from the bedding system, 

 which entails periodical changes. 



There is no class of ornamental plants which can be 

 left alone entirely without suffering, and I am not 

 sure that the majority of us would care much for it 

 if it existed. There might be moments when it 

 appealed to us, but in the main it would be so devoid 

 of interest and charm that we should care little for it. 



There are, however, many flower-lovers to whom 

 rock gardening appeals because the routine work 

 which it entails is light. They have not the physical 

 vigour, even if they had the taste, for laborious work, 

 but they can do, and benefit by, light operations in 

 the open air. I have already spoken of the peculiar 

 charm of lowly Alpine plants — how their minuteness, 

 not less than their beauty, appeals to us strongly. 

 The more that the flower-lover works among them, 



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