. Alpine flowers for English gardens. Mountain plants; Flower gardening. Part I. WHAT TO AVOID. 85. position in which they could not possibly attain anything like their native vigour and beauty, or do otherwise than lead a sickly existence. The degree of contentment and delight felt by the artist for his subject is shown by his planting the ponderous vase in the centre of the group, and the introduction of the railing is quite beyond all praise. A few blacking pots or pieces of broken crockery are all that is needed to make the group complete. One of the commonest forms which rockwork is made
. Alpine flowers for English gardens. Mountain plants; Flower gardening. Part I. WHAT TO AVOID. 85. position in which they could not possibly attain anything like their native vigour and beauty, or do otherwise than lead a sickly existence. The degree of contentment and delight felt by the artist for his subject is shown by his planting the ponderous vase in the centre of the group, and the introduction of the railing is quite beyond all praise. A few blacking pots or pieces of broken 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 Loudon, is less hideous than numbers that may be seen about London, Fre- quently they are formed of burrs, and occasionally of clinkers, but even if composed of the finest stone obtainable, they are utterly useless for the growth of alpine vegetation. How many Saxifra- ges, or Pinks, or Primroses, would find a home on such a structure planted in a part of the Alps highly favour- able to vegetation ? 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 ])lants 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 necessary to construct one would suffice for one of the simpler types o
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