48 ALPINE FLOWERS. Part I. 



dual developed into something like a respectable specimen of its 

 kind, we find a spread of recently-dug ground, and the plants 

 upon it, with an air of having recently suffered from a whirlwind, 

 or something or other that necessitated thp removal of mutilated 

 branches. Rough-pruners precede the diggers,- and bravely 

 trim in the shrubs for them, so that nothing may be in the way ; 

 and then come the delvers, who sweep along from margin to 

 margin, plunging deeply round and about plants, shrubs, or 

 trees. The first shower that occurs after this digging exposes a 

 whole network of torn-up roots. There is no relief to the spec- 

 tacle ; the same thing occurs everywhere — in a London botanic 

 garden as well as in our large West-end parks ; and year after 

 year is the process repeated. While such is the case, it will be 

 impossible to have an agreeable or interesting nlargin to a 

 shrubbery; albeit the importance of the edge, as compared to 

 the hidden parts, is pretty much as that of the face to the back 

 of a mirror. 



Of course all the labour required to produce this unhappy result 

 is worse than thrown away, as the shrubberies would do better 

 if let alone, . and merely surface-cleaned now and then. By 

 utilising the power thus wasted, we might highly beautify the 

 positions now so very objectionable. 



If we resolve that no annual manuring or digging is to be 

 permitted, nobody will grudge a thorough preparation at first. 

 The planting should be so arranged as to defeat the digger. 

 To graduate the vegetation from the taller subjects behind to 

 the very margin of the grass is of much importance, and this 

 can only be done thoroughly by the greater use of permanent 

 evergreen and very dwarf subjects. Happily, there are quite 

 enough of these to be had suitable for every soil. On 

 light, moist, peaty, or sandy soils, where such things as the 

 sweet-scented Daphne Cneorum would spread forth their dwarf 

 cushions, a better result would ensue than, say, on a stiff 

 clay ; but for every position suitable plants might be found. 

 Look, for example, at what we could do with the dwarf green 

 Iberises, Helianthemums, Aubrietias, Arabises, Alyssums, dwarf 

 shrubs, and little conifers like the creeping Cedar {Juniperu^ 

 squamatd), and the Tamarix-leaved Juniper! All these are 

 green, and would spread out into dense wide cushions, covering 

 the margin, rising but httle above the grass, and helping to cut 



