74 



ALPINE FLOWERS. 



Part I. 



Fig. 46. — After Loudon. 



few blacking pots -or pieces of obscene crockery are all that is 

 needed to make the group complete. 



One of the commonest forms which rockwork is made to 

 assume is that of a rustic arch ; and the following illustration, 

 copied from Loudonj is less hideous than numbers that may be 

 seen about London. Frequently they are formed out of burrs, and 

 occasionally of clinkers, but even if 

 composed of the finest stone obtain- 

 able, they are utterly useless for the 

 growth of alpine vegetation. How 

 many Saxifrages, or Pinks, or Prim- 

 roses, could find a home on such a 

 structure planted in a part of the 

 Alps highly favourable to vegeta- 

 tion ? Probably not one, and should 

 a few succulents establish themselves 

 on its lower flanks, they would in 

 all probability perish from heat and 

 drought if their roots had not a free course to the earth beneath. 

 Even persons with some experience of plant life may be seen 

 sticking plants over such objects as these, as if their tender roots 

 were capable of bearing as many vicissitudes of heat and cold as 

 a piece of copper wire. The fact that plants push their roots far 

 into masses of old brickwork is no 'justification for the rustic 

 arch as a home for alpine flowers. If the cement, burrs, and 

 clinkers permitted them even to enter 

 it, they have nothing of any kind into 

 which to descend. There is rarely an 

 excuse for constructing such arches ; 

 where they occur, they should be 

 completely clothed with Ivy or other 

 vigorous climbers : the expense ne- 

 cessary to construct one would suf- 

 fice for one of the simpler types of 

 rock-garden already described. 



The next scene is one in which a 

 miniature representation of various 

 mountains is attempted. Efforts of 

 this kind usually end ridiculously, ex- 

 cept when carried out at a vast expense. Let us succeed with a few 

 square yards of stony mountain turf and flowers before we attempt 



Fig. 47.— All the Alps seen from the 

 hall-door. (After Macintosh.) 



