Rock Gardens are one of the most effective landscaping features.

They also provide that all elusive curb-appeal that adds signicant value to a home at minimal cost.

There are few features in the garden that provide such a variety of interests in so little space as a well-planned and carefully planted rock garden.

The smallest plot may contain a rock garden which will house a representative and charming collection of alpine plants; but, on the other hand, there are few features in the ordinary garden that are so neglected and so ill-understood.

It must be remembered that the chief function of the rock garden is to provide the plants grown in it with conditions, so far as possible, similar to those existing in their natural haunts.

The alpines and high alpines are the most typical of all rock plants and are mostly natives of the high mountain crags and screes of the Alps and Himalayas.

The ideal rock garden, therefore, should, so far as possible, provide the soil and natural conditions pertaining in these regions.

During the short alpine summer the plants are subjected to fierce and baking sun; many of them, therefore, have thick leaves covered with down or hair to protect them from its shrivelling rays.

The roots, too, at this time need ample moisture, and this is provided by the melting of the snows on the mountain tops, whence it permeates through the scree of the moraine.

Also, to live in their natural haunts they require to be very deep and strong rooted, very often with a much greater root run than the foliage and flowers which their roots support.

Enjoy. DT.

Drawing from the wisdom of native and ancient spiritual traditions, Keith Varnum shares his 30 years of practical success as an author, personal coach, acupuncturist, filmmaker, radio host, restaurateur, vision quest guide and international seminar leader
2608
Plants are intelligent forms of life who are capable of
intention, preference, and a will to survive, thrive and
interact. Scientific research indicates that plants communicate
with insects, animals, human beings and other plants in order to
keep themselves alive and safe. Evidence also reveals that
plants are telling us how to achieve health and wholeness for
humanity and the earth herself.

Plants Are Just Like People

In research which spans more than 100 years, scientists have
been documenting botanical adaptability and the amazing
similarities that plants have with animals and people. Studies
indicate that what metaphysicians, psychics, shaman, tribal
people and sensitives worldwide have been saying about the plant
kingdom for millennia is true: plants are intelligent beings who
can communicate with us, and, we can communicate with them.

Smart Strategies for Survival

In the book, The Secret Life of Plants, authors Peter Tompkins
and Christopher Bird describe how plants talk to people and
what plants talk about. Staying alive and safe tops the list.

To protect themselves, plants have developed highly adaptive and
strategic ways for living. According to the authors, Plants
seem to know which ants will steal their nectar, closing when
these ants are about, opening only when there is enough dew on
their stems to keep the ants from climbing. The more
sophisticated acacia plant actually enlists the protective
services of certain ants which it rewards with nectar in return
for the ants' protection against other insects and herbivorous
mammals, thus serving the same function as friends and allies
do in the animal and human realms. Some vegetation develop a
bitter taste, some ooze gummy secretions, while others grow
thorns to defend themselves.

Prickles for the Pussy

Once plants feel safe, however, they may drop their need for
defense. In one study, a scientist wanted to determine if cacti
grow needles primarily for the purpose of keeping themselves
from harm. Safely housed in a greenhouse, the scientist talked
to numerous cacti assuring them that they were protected and
that he cared about them. He encouraged the plants to feel even
more secure by playing soothing music in the greenhouse. Within
several months the cacti dropped all their spikes. The offspring
of these bare cacti were born without needles. Defenseless
within this nurturing environment, the mature and new-born cacti
prospered. After a period of a year of being without their
protective quills, the cacti suddenly began re-growing their
bristles and new baby sprouts were born with needles again.
After some investigation, it was discovered that a house cat had
found its way into the greenhouse. Suspecting that the cat may
be the source of the perceived threat to the cacti causing the
reemergence of their means of protection, the scientist blocked
the cat's way of entry. Once the cacti sensed they were once
again safe, all of the cacti dropped their prickly means of
defense.

You Can Hurt a Plants Feelings

Plants respond not only to insects and animals but to human
emotion and intention. Plants can distinguish between people who
are feel kindly towards them and people who don't, and our green
friends cooperate with people they like. In one experiment a new
scientist came to study some test plants. Surprisingly, these
test plants which previously had been very responsive, were
completely non-responsive during the new scientist's tests.
Investigating the change in the plants' response, it was
discovered that the new scientist incinerated his plants in his
own personal research once his tests were completed. Shortly
after the new scientist left, the plants again began registering
activity and cooperating.

In another study, scientists found that vegetation reacted
negatively to people who found the plants unattractive, even to
the extent that the plants would faint. When over-stimulated
by emotions, plants will go unconscious or numb and can stay
moody for weeks. Scientific studies show that once plants
attune themselves to a particular person, they are able to
maintain a link with that person, no matter how far away. These
plants register knowing not only when a person is returning to
the plants, but when the person makes the decision to return.
Other reports show that plants respond to people talking to them
in a caring, loving manner, such as asking a tree to radically
change its growth direction so that it won't have to be cut, or
asking weeds not to grow excessively in a vegetable garden.

Who Says Plants Can't Move?

In order to stay alive, plants have learned to move and do so in
remarkable fashion, for extraordinary purposes and with high,
extra-sensory intelligence. Plants, says Viennese biologist,
Raoul France move their bodies as freely, easily and gracefully
as the most skilled animal or human, and the only reason we don'
t appreciate the fact is that plants do so at a much slower pace
than humans. A climbing plant which needs a prop will creep
toward the nearest support. Should this support be shifted, the
vine, within a few hours, will change its course into a new
direction. Plants will even grow towards a support that's
hidden from view. France continues, Plants are capable of
intent: they can stretch toward, or seek out, what they want in
ways as mysterious as the most fantastic creations of romance.
As Thomkins and Bird relate, Some parasitical plants can
recognize the slightest trace of the odor of their victim and
will overcome all obstacles to crawl in its direction.

The Sophisticated Musical Tastes of Plants

Through their animated responses to classical and heavy rock
music, plants further divulge their preferences. In studies of
plants exposed to heavy rock music, the plants not only grew
away from the music source, but some grew either abnormally tall
and put out excessively small leaves or remained stunted. In
some cases the plants died. When classical music was played to
the plants, the plants grew toward the music source with healthy
growth. The same plants, marigolds, who died when listening to
rock music, flowered when listening to classical music. The
authors report, the rock-stimulated plants were using much more
water than the classically entertained vegetation, but
apparently enjoying it less, since examination of the roots
revealed that soil root growth was sparse in the rock group,
whereas in the classical group, root growth was thick, tangled
and about four times as long.

In India, Dr. T. C. Singh, in his studies of music and plants,
stated that he had proven beyond any shadow of doubt that
harmonic sound waves affect the growth, flowering, fruiting and
seed-yield of plants. Singh also reported that girls dancing
India's most ancient dance style accelerated the growth of
daisies, marigolds and petunias. The dancing caused them to
flower much earlier than the control group of plants, presumably
because of the rhythm of the footwork transmitted through the
earth.

Plant Devas Caught on Camera!

Kirlian photography is now able to verify the existence of
living, changing light radiating from plants. And many seers
and scientists have seen light emanations and moving forms
coming from plants. Hindu sages refer to devas. Clairvoyants and
other sensitives are able to directly see and communicate with
the fairies, elves, gnomes, sylphs and other creatures which
live in and among plants.

Tompkins and Bird conclude, Evidence now supports the vision
that plants are living, breathing, communicating creatures,
endowed with personality and the attributes of soul.

About the Author

Drawing from the wisdom of native and ancient spiritual traditions, Keith Varnum shares his 30 years of practical success as an author, personal coach, acupuncturist, filmmaker, radio host, restaurateur, vision quest guide and international seminar leader (The Dream Workshops). Keith helps people get the love, money and health they want with his FREE “Prosperity Ezine” at www.TheDream.com.

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