52 ALPINE FLOWERS. Part L 



what is really beautiful -still live amongst us, so surely will they 

 come into our gardens again, and take up a prominent position. 

 Perhaps the most fortunate of all lovers of alpine flowers are 

 those who have opportunities of growing them where there is a 

 natural rock-garden — a not uncommon case in many parts of 

 these islands. Where the rock crops up naturally in any way 

 approaching that shown by Fig. 38, a very trifling expense, a 

 little taste, and some knowledge of suitable plants, is all we 

 require to produce a magnificent result. Numbers of exotic 

 herbs are sufficiently vigorous to take care of themselves among 

 the .weeds that grow in such places, while a select open spot may 

 be easily cleared for the rarer and more delicate alpine plants. 

 Even if only a few points of rock show, excavating or procuring 

 smaller masses, and arranging them so that they seem to peep 

 naturally from the earth, cannot be a matter of difficulty. The 

 nobler herbaceous plants, from the stately Pampas Grass to the 

 brilliant Tritoma, might here be associated with the Brake-fiern 

 and the Struthiopteris ; the light tracery of the various splendid 

 everlasting peas, white and crimson, might twine in undisciplined 

 loveliness amongst the huge leaves of such plants as Rheum 

 Emodi and Acanthus latif alius ; the superb new purple Clema- 

 tises, with countless blooms like saucers of purple, and many trail- 

 ing mountain herbs, might drape over the rocks not too thickly 

 studded with ferns or flowers ; the Cyclamens and Lihes, and 

 many brilHant hardy bulbs of the sunny hills of Italy and 

 Greece, might here bloom in company with the Linnaea of 

 North Europe and Scotland, and the many interesting plants 

 that haunt the bogs and mossy woods of northern and arctic 

 regions ; and with all these, and many more, might be carried 

 out Lord Bacon's conception of a " Naturall wildnesse. Trea 

 1 would have none in it; But some Thickets, made only of 

 Sweet-Briar,?i.n6. Honny-suckle, and some Wilde- Vine amongst ; 

 and the Ground set with Violets, Strawberries, and Prime- 

 Roses. For these are Sweet, and prosper in the Shade. And 

 these to be in the Heath, here and there, not in any Order. 

 I hke also little Heaps, in the Nature of Mole-hils, (such as are 

 in Wilde Heaths) to be set, some with Wilde Thyme ; Some with 

 Pincks ; Some with Germander, that gives a good Flower to the 

 Eye ; Some with Periwinckle ; 3ome with Violets ; Some with 

 Strawberries ; Some with Cowslips ; Some with Daisies ; Some 

 with Red-Roses ; Some with Lilium Convallium ; Some with 



