ii6 The Wild Garden 



from a chink in an arid rock or boulder. They are 

 often stunted in these conditions, but always more endur- 

 ing than when growing on the ground. Now, numbers 

 of alpine plants perish if planted in the ordinary soil of 

 our gardens, and even do so where much pains are taken 

 to grow them. This results from over-moisture at the 

 root in winter, the plants being made more susceptible 

 of injury by our moist green winters inducing them 

 to make a lingering growth. But by placing many 

 of these fragile plants where their roots have a dry 

 if poor soil they remain in perfect health. Many 

 plants from latitudes a little farther south than our 

 own, and from alpine regions, show on walls and 

 rocks a dwarf, sturdy growth, which enables them 

 to endure a winter quite different from that of their 

 native countries. 



In many parts of the country there are few oppor- 

 tunities for this gardening; but in various districts, 

 such as the Wye and other valleys, there are miles of 

 rock and rough wall-surface, where the scattering of 

 a few seeds of Arabis, Aubrietia, Erinus, Acanthus, 

 Saxifraga, Viola, Stonecrops, and Houseleeks, would 

 give rise to a garden of rock blossoms that would 

 need no care from the gardener. Growing such 

 fine alpine plants as the true Saxifraga longifolia of 

 the Pyrenees on the surface of a rough wall is quite 

 easy. 



A few seeds of the Cheddar Pink, for example, sown 

 in a mossy or earthy chink, or even covered with a 



