i6 



ALPINE FLOWERS. 



Part I. 



steps or rude walks in the rock-garden, the very fringes of the 

 gravel walks may be graceftiUy enhvened by allowing such plants 

 as the dwarfer Sedums to become established in them. I have 

 never seen the alpine Linaria more beautiful than when self- 

 sown in a gravel walk. 



Another very important principle to bear in mind in both 

 making and planting is that, as a rule, . much more vegetation 

 than rocks should be seen. Where vast regions are inhabited 

 by alpine plants, acres of crag with a stain of flower or fern 

 here and there, are very attractive and imposing parts of the 



Fig. 17. — Rude stair from deep recess of rock-gardeiij with every chink and crevice 

 mossed over with alpine flowers. 



picture, but in gardens where our creations in this way can only 

 be Lilliputian, an entirely different method must be pursued, 

 except in places where great cliffs are naturally exposed, and 

 even in this case an abundant drapery of vegetation is desirable. 

 A rockwork is rarely seen in which plants predominate as much as 

 they ought. Very frequently masses of stone are met with under 

 this name with an occasional tuft of vegetation, every chink and 

 joint between the stones being thus exposed. This should not be 

 so ; every minute chink should have its little line of verdure, 

 and in this way we should not only have more plants but hide 

 the artificial nature of the structure. Where the ground is low 

 and bank-like, .there really is not the sHghtest' necessity for 

 placing stones all over the surface ; an occasional one cropping 



