Part I. ALPINES IN SHRUBBERY BORDERS. 47 



Many alpine plants, when grown in borders, are much bene- 

 fited by being surrounded by a few half-buried rugged stones or 

 pieces of rock. These are useful in preventing excessive evapo- 

 ration, and in guarding the plant, when small and young, from 

 being trampled Upon or overrun 

 by coarse weeds or plants, and 

 in keeping the ground firmer. Be- 

 sides, many mountain plants look 

 much more at home when ar- 

 ranged somewhat as shown in the 



accompanying illustration than in "^^^^^^^*' 



any other way on borders. pj^ 3^._Aipi„e pLt on border over- 



A few barrowfuls of stones — the lapping half-buried stones. 



large flints that edgings are often 



made from will do well, if better cannot be obtained — will do 

 for many plants.; and this simple plan will be found to suit 

 many who cannot afford the luxury of a properly formed rock- 

 work. Lists of alpine plants suitable for the mixed border will 

 be found in the selections, at the end of the book. 



Lastly, I will speak of the capabilities of common shrubbery 

 borders, &c. for growing a very considerable number of alpine 

 plants. No practice is more general, or more in accordance with 

 ancient custom, than that of digging shrubbery borders, and 

 there is none in the whole course of gardening more profitless 

 or worse. When winter is once come, almost every gardener, 

 although animated with the best intentions, simply prepares to 

 make war upon the roots of everything in his shrubbery border. 

 The generally accepted practice is to trim, and often to mutilate 

 the shrubs, and to dig all over the surface that must be full of 

 feeding roots. Delicate half-rooted shrubs are often disturbed ; 

 herbaceous plants, if at all delicate and not easily recognised, 

 are destroyed ; bulbs are often displaced and injured ; and 

 a sparse depopulated aspect is given to the margins, while 

 the only " improvement " that is effected by the process is the 

 annual darkening of the surface by the upturned earth. 



Illustrations of my meaning occur by miles in our London 

 parks in winter. Walk through any of them at that season, 

 and observe the borders round masses of shrubs, choice and 

 otherwise. Instead of finding the earth covered, or nearly 

 covered, with vegetation close to the margin, and each indivi- 



