THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



353 



is to have fresh floweriiii; i;rii\\ih fur the cooler days of 

 September, when Dahhas arc most expected and in re- 

 quest. Why is it that the neat-growing- pom])on-cactiis 

 or miniature cactus varieties are so entirel\- neglected? 

 They are the ideal tor floral work and for llio smaller 

 gardens. 



\'isits to gardens in variou> Atlantic States recently has 

 impressed u])on me the richness and wealth of material we 

 lave at our disposal for summer effect. There is no reason 

 why -American gardens ought not to he resplendent from 

 -May until November. Hulls, roses, perennials, annuals, 

 greenhouse stock that can be bedded out, shrubs, climbers 

 in very great variety, hardv f^•rn^, al])ines — all these com- 

 bine and add to the resplendency. Ihit there is something 

 left unmentioned which calls for more c;ire, or as nnicli 

 care, as any of these, antl that is the lawn. The lawn in 

 .America is one of the especial tests of a gardener's pa- 

 tience and resourcefulness. Weeding, watering, mowing, 

 rolling, sweeping, top dressing with rich soil — these are 

 among tlie operations that demand attention in turn, the 

 watering and the mowing very regularly in any of our 

 orflinarx' sunniers. 



ROCK GARDENS AND ROCKERIES. 



By Arthur S.Mnn. l'i.x\s\ i.\ a.xia. 

 (Continued f rain J)il\ \nmhcy.) 



Ill planting', it should be the aim to get the rockery 

 fidl of life as soon as possible, allowing sufficient room 

 for the plants to spread. Practically all al])ines thrive 

 best when growing close together, although as some 

 S])read more than others they- require more room ; 

 the Dryas octopetala. for instance, wdiich is found 

 both on the Swiss .Alps and the mountain of New 

 England, has, for alpines, rampant trailers when it 

 does well. There are two other species of Dryas, 

 native of alpine .America, drainmondi and iutegri- 

 folia, neither of which have such a trailing habit as 

 octopetala. but the latter is considered most beautiful. 



.After planting, the bare soil around the plants 

 should be covered with stones or pieces of rock to 

 keep the ground cool while the plants are establishing 

 th.emselves. Growing alpines require perhaps, even 

 more of that patience which one must have in all hor- 

 ticultural matters. Some species may take several 

 years to become established, so one must not throw 

 a plant out because it does not thrive immediately, 

 for so long as there is life there is hope. 



In connection with the plants to use, one can seek 

 to have as large a collection of sjiecies as possible ; to 

 create as it were a museum. This method is very in- 

 teresting and one which has been adopted, for in- 

 stance, at the famous rock garden at Wisely, England. 

 The main object of the latter is of course botanical 

 and educational, and for the studying out of methods for 

 the successful cultivation of those alpines which hitherto 

 have been difficult to get to thrive, or which have posi- 

 tively refused to grow at all in captivity. 



From an aesthetic point of view, however, fewer 

 species and the massing "i a number of the same 

 species together, is better than single specimens. 



As regards the selection of species, nurseries in this 

 country have hitherto made no attenqit at the culti- 

 vation of alpines. It is true that in some lists of hardy 

 plants a few are designated as being "suitable for 

 rockeries," but these, with one or two exceptions, are 

 not true alpines and the majority of them will thrive 

 also in the situations that hardv iilants are generally 

 planted. 



\\'here one has a naturally rocky jilace that requires 



beautifying much can l)e done with these "suitable" 

 plants, as most of them enjoy the coolness to their 

 roots which the presence of rocks near them give. 

 For this latter reason the nati\e hardy ferns can be 

 used for this purpose, of which there are many species 

 that, given a rich, cool soil, will do well in full sun. 



While there are, as before mentioned, some species 

 of alpines that defy all attempts at growing them, 

 the majority can he successfully made to thrive. The 

 greatest troul)le is with our winters. In their native 

 homes the seasons create two distinct conditions, a 

 summer of three months, and a dormant ]ieriod for 

 the remainder of the \-ear during which they are con- 

 tinually covered with ;i m;intle of dry snow. .Alpines 

 are never killed by cohl winters but by wet ones. As 

 was noted in a ])revious issue <if the Ciiko.nici.i-:. the 

 effects of rain and moist atmos])here during the dor- 

 mant period may be i)re\-ented l)y covering them with 

 sheets of glass. Some erect a glass house over their 

 alpines, which is so constructed that it can lie taken 

 ajiart and stored away each summer. .\t the above 

 mentioned Wisely a iiermanent structure has been 

 placed over the more delicate species, but this would 

 obviously be out of place and unsightly in a private 

 garden. 



One of the secrets of success with many alpines is 

 to give them an annual top dressing or "earthing ui)" 

 with compost and at the same time pegging the 

 branches down. They are constantly being subjected 

 to the same kind of treatment by nature, for in s]jring 

 the melting snow carries down earth, grit and stones 

 on to them. Species having a growth like Daphne. 

 Iberis and Alyssuiii. to give instances of plants well 

 known, es])ecially require this treatment. Some may 

 be unaware that these species are true alpines, as they 

 are common to our hardy borders. But it is within 

 the e.xperience of most peo])le that in that position 

 they become in a few years "leggy" if they do not 

 actually die out. This is caused by their habit of 

 growing out of the sciil, which they no doubt have in 

 consec|uence of having become used to the natural 

 topdressing given them by the melting of their own 

 mountain snows. They have learned that if they did 

 not rise up they would be buried under the annual 

 deixisit. 



To give a mere list of aljiines that have been suc- 

 cessfully grown woidd be meaningless and useless for 

 all practical purposes, unless accompanied by detailed 

 descrijitions and re(|uirements. This would obviously 

 take u]) more s])ace than can be albiwed for in an 

 ordinary article. 



Perha]is the most interesting and instructive method 

 of working up a collection of alpines is to go to the 

 mountains and collect them oneself. There would also 

 be in this coiu'se the distinct advantage of seeing some- 

 thing of their natural habitat. If possible, seed should 

 be gathered as well, as there are some which, wdiile 

 they do not take kindly to removal, niay^ be success- 

 fully grown from seed. 



In these cursory notes the subject has been by no 

 means exhausted, but it is hoped that sufficient has 

 been stated to be of some assistance to those who have 

 b;id no (i])])ortunity of gaining experience in this 

 branch nf gartlening. 



While it is ])erhaps unnecessary, it may be as well 

 to mention that the word "alpine" as used here, does 

 not designate jdants which only grow upon the -Alps. 

 .\Ipine conditions exist more or less all over the world, 

 from mountains that rise out of tropical ])lains and on 

 towards the regions of jierpetual ice. In the latter 

 alpines are found at sea level. 



