54 



ALPINES AND FERNS IN CONJUNCTION. 



The accompanying woodcut represents a very successful 

 arrangement which we adopted, now many years ago, 

 in a very exposed garden providing little or no proper 

 accommodation for ferns. As will be seen, it consists of a 

 low brick wall sunk in the soil and forming a back to a 

 sunken frame of any desired length, the bottom of which 

 was paved with large red tiles, while the lower side was 

 constructed of roofing slates or, alternatively, of similar 

 tiles set on end. Dimensions may be to taste or pocket, 



the principle being grasped. The protecting lights were 

 hinged to the top of the wall, the lower edge resting on 

 the tiles, as shown. The frame faced the north, and 

 against the outside (southern) of the brick wall a bank of 

 soil was deposited, and formed a rockery, in which Alpines 

 did very well, getting the full benefit of the sun, which the 

 wall itself protected from reaching the ferns on the shady 

 side of it. In this frame at one time I had a batch of 

 small Todea supevba, which did well, a fair proof of its 

 fitness for small growing ferns. 



C. T. D. 



