PREFACE 



IN the whole history of gardening there has never 

 been so much interest taken in the cultivation of 

 alpines as there is to-day. Not very many years ago 

 it was quite exceptional to find a rock garden worthy 

 of the name in any but the largest of our private gar- 

 dens. To-day, however, a garden of any appreciable 

 dimensions is not considered complete unless it con- 

 tains a portion devoted'to the cultivation of alpines. 



The primary reason for this development is undoubt- 

 edly the beautiful alpine plants which have been so 

 successfully displayed at the great horticultural exhibi- 

 tions. The public have seen the wonderful variety of 

 plant life that can be arranged in a natural manner in a 

 small space, and the resulting demand for rock gar- 

 dens has, during recent years, been little less than 

 phenomenal. The second, though minor reason, has 

 been the introduction of a great many new plants 

 which are suitable for either the rock garden proper 

 or the small bogs or pools that can be appropriately 

 associated with it. 



In conjunction with this widespread interest in rock 

 gardens there has arisen a demand for information 

 about them, and the plants suitable for growing 

 therein," and it is for the purpose of supplying this 

 information that this little book has been prepared. 

 Rock gardening contains many pitfalls for the be- 

 ginner, and the aim of this book is to show how these 

 pitfalls may be avoided and how success may be 

 achieved. Mr. Jenkins is well known amongst lovers 

 of alpines as_a practical exponent of their proper culti- 

 vation, and the advice he gives may be acted upon, with 



