THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



829 



the extent of tlie flower garden be great, some of the most 

 curious and interesting may be introduced upon the grass, or 

 in the larger of the clumps or groups ; and if properly placed, 

 will have a good effect. Attention should also be paid here 

 to dispose of the surrounding trees and shrubs so as to pro- 

 duce a good effect in the coloring even of the foliage, and 

 particularly the habit of the trees. To produce a pleasing ef- 

 fect in planting, the trees should be planted with judgment 

 and with a painter's eye. 



The Alpine or Rock Garden. — Gardeners generally deno- 

 minate all plants Alpines, that are of very humble growth, 

 and that require some protection during winter, whether they 

 be really natives of Alpine situations or not. To these they 

 add many species that are of difficult cultivation. In consi- 

 dering, therefore, the Alpine or rock garden, we will suppose 

 it to contain all such plants which, from their minute size, 

 rarity, or difficulty of propagation or cultivation, are excluded 

 from the other flower gardens, and look upon it as a garden 

 of vegetable curiosities rather than as one in imitation of 

 rocks and mountains, at which man at the best is but a puny 

 imitator. 



In the Alpine garden, a small pond or large cistern should 

 be made for those aquatic plants which are curious or minute, 

 such for instance as Lobelia Dortmanna, Subularia, C/iaraSy 

 Pilularia, and Isoctes, &c. ; and if the proprietor be of a 

 botanical turn of mind, he may introduce as many species of 

 Conferva and Bissus as he can cultivate. 



A small bog should also be made for the cultivation of 

 many plants, extremely beautiful in themselves, but which 

 require a degree of humidity at their roots not convenient to 

 be applied by any other means ; here all the curious species 

 of Eriopliorum, Phignicula, Drosera, &c. may be cultivated. 



This beautiful and truly interesting assemblage of plants 

 requires to be viewed closely before their real beauties are dis- 

 covered, and therefore the nearer they are brought to the eye 

 of the observer, the more readily their beauties are seen. 

 Plants of such humble growth, and liable to so many acci- 

 dents, are not in many cases fitted for the borders of the 



