50 



IRISH GARDENING. 



for a heij^lU oi' tour t'cct, tor instance, a width 

 at bottom o\ three and a halt feet and at top o( 

 eiifhteen inches will not be excessi\e. Next, 

 we must be careful as to our selection ol stones. 

 A flat bottom side to each stone is desirable for 

 the sake oi' stability and a llai top side so thai 

 the rain may not be throw n otV Init so.ik inw aids. 

 to ensure which every stone should be laid with 

 its top sloping- inwards slii,^htly. All the joints 

 between tiie stones should be as n.irrow as 

 possible, both to check evaporation, and in the 



Rock Wall Section 



case of the vertical joints also because we wish 

 to prevent the earth from slowly trickling- out 

 and laying bare the roots of the plants. Stones 

 more or less brick-shaped are in fact the ideal ; 

 but of course a too great regularity becomes 

 monotonous. Next — and I regard this as im- 

 portant — each plant should be planted as the 

 wall is being built. Thus, and thus only, can 

 we direct its roots far inward towards the core 

 of earth. Bed your stone solidly, pressing- it 

 down, then lay on a couple of inches of earth 

 free from stones ; now lay down your plant, 

 the crown a little inside the line of the wall, the 

 roots raked as far inwards as they can go, and 

 then lay on your covering stone and press it 

 well down. Tramp the core of earth solid to 

 prevent settlement, and ram every crevice 

 solid. 



Of course nice judgment is required as to the 

 selection of plants ; the more vigorous growers 

 must occupy the lower portion of the wall, or 

 they will overshadow and kill the smaller or 

 slower-growing species. When the top of the 

 wall is reached it is better not to leave it bare 

 earth, as that allows too much loss of water ; 

 it should be rounded off and closed in with 

 wedge-shaped stones with narrow joints be- 



tvvoL'U, well iilanlcd with sju'cics wliicli can 

 stand drou-hl. 



It the wall runs north and south, tiien each 

 side will receive ;u) equ.d .amount oi sun, and 

 no (.litlerence need be made between the species 

 used tor the two taees. Hut if it h;is an east 

 and west trend, willi a northei-|y and ;i soutliei'ly 

 face, a little care must be exercised in planting 

 the south side, and species must be selected 

 capable oi' withstanding drought, such as 

 succulents (sedums, sempervivums, &c.) and 

 grey-leaved plants (achilhcas, artemisias, and 

 so on), and long-rooted species ; while on the 

 north side plants which like a little shade, such 

 as mossy saxifrages, will be found to do 

 well. 



Nothing remains but to enumerate some 

 plants suitable for dry-wall cultivation. 1 

 mention only those which in my own limited 

 experience I have found suitable : others with 

 wider knowledge can no doubt add to these 

 lists. 



For the lower part of the wall the following 

 comparatively strong-growing species : — 



AchillcEa argentea, Clavennae, Kellereri, ser- 

 bica, umbellata, &c. ; Alyssum saxatile vars., 

 Olympicum, podolicum,&c.; Arabis albida vars.; 

 aubretioides, &c. ; Armeria plantaginea, &c. ; 

 Artemisia argentea, Roezlii, sericea, &c. ; 

 Aubretia in variety ; Campanula garganica, 

 portenschlagiana, &c.; Dianthus, many species ; 

 Helianthemum in variety ; Hieracium villosum, 

 gymnocephalurn, &c. ; Hypericum fragile, 

 repens, &c. ; Iberis, dwarf sorts like Little Gem; 

 Marrubium sericeum, velutinum ; Onosma in 

 variety ; Saxifraga Cotyledon, Geum and um- 

 brosa vars. ; Thymus, smaller sorts ; Tunica 

 Saxifraga ; Veronica cinerea. 



For the upper part, smaller choice things 

 like Acantholimon spp. ; Androsace spp. ; 

 Asperula Athoa ; Dianthus, small alpine sorts 

 like neglectus ; Draba spp. ; Erinus alpinus ; 

 Geranium argenteum, cinereum ; Saxifraga, the 

 stronger growing Kabschias, like apiculata, 

 sancta, Elizabethae, coriophylla,Rocheliana, mar- 

 ginata, also the neater Aizoons, like pectinata, 

 PortiE, paradoxa, cochlearis, lantoscana, longi- 

 folia, splendida, Aizoon rosea, &c. ; Sedum, all 

 except weedy ones like album ; for instance, 

 Ewersi, populifolium, spathulifolium, multiceps, 

 Kamtschaticum and its variegated form, will be 

 found satisfactory ; Sempervivum, many kinds ; 

 Silene acaulis. 



