1 1 2 ALPINE FL WERS. Part I: 



above the abodes of our ordinary vegetation, not only because 

 the cool pure air and moisture are congenial to their tastes, but 

 because taller and less hardy vegetation dares not venture there . 

 to overrun and finally extinguish them. But though they dwell 

 so high in alpine regions, they are the most tractable of all 

 plants in British gardens, and with but little attention grow 

 away as freely as our native lowland weeds in gardens where 

 Gentian and alpine Primula and precious mountain Forget-me- 

 not sicken and die. They are evergreen, and more beautiful to 

 look upon in winter than in summer, so far as the foliage is con- 

 cerned, and their foliage is beautiful exceedingly. But unlike 

 many other things which have attractive leafage, or a peculiar 

 form and habit, they flower as freely in the early summer as if 

 they were herbaceous and uninteresting, instead of being per- 

 manent and of exquisite chiselling. 



One would think that coming from habitats so far removed 

 from all that is common to our phlegmatic and monotonous 

 skies, it would be impossible to keep these little stars of the earth 

 in a living state, and reasonably enough, as it would be easier to 

 imitate the temperature of the hottest ravines of Borneo, or the 

 clime where the unearthly-looking Welwitschia grows, than to 

 produce in any way known to us even the faintest imitation of 

 such a climate as theirs. But that is needless, as they can grow 

 no better on their native hills than they do even within large towns 

 and cities in the United Kingdom. Our climate suits them to 

 perfection, and they are the chief glory of the cultivator of 

 alpine plants. Hitherto they have been but very little appre- 

 ciated. They are usually grown in pots, where people cannot 

 see half their loveliness, and in which they sicken and dwindle. 

 Not so when planted in the open air. 



In autumn, when most plants and trees are making them- 

 selves quite melancholy-looking before the approach of darkness, 

 wintei;, and frost, and casting off their soiled robes, the Saxi- 

 frages are expanding their compact little rosettes, and glisten 

 with silver and emerald when the rotting leaves are hurrying 

 by before the stiff, wet breeze. 



They are divided into numerous sections botanically, but for 

 our purpose, the mossy section, of which our own .J. hypnoides is 

 the type, and the silvery one, of which the alpine ..5". Aizoon 

 is the most familiar member, are the two most important. 

 The mossy and green Saxifrages look like fully developed very 



