IRISH GARDENING. 



51 



Water in the Rock Garden 



A GOOD deal has l:)een written in Irish 

 Gardening about bog gardens, their formation 

 and planting, and the many plants which 

 flourish therein, but the value of water in con- 

 junction with the rock garden has not been so 

 otten commented on. The accompanying 

 illustrations from the rock garden at Curragh 

 Grange demon- 

 strate very clearly 

 the satisfactory 

 effect of water 

 pools and water- 

 side vegetation as 

 an adjunct of the 

 rock garden. The 

 size and shape of 

 the pools will be 

 governed by the 

 extent of the 

 rockwork, and 

 even the smallest 

 rockery may have 

 its pool, though it 

 may be only a 

 shallow tub sunk 

 in thegrovmdand 

 surrounded by 

 suitable stones, 

 grass or peat to 

 hide the rim. 



In the case of 

 pools of some size 

 the sup])l y of 

 water is, of 

 coiu'se, a con- 

 sideration, but 

 where this is laid 

 on to the rockery 

 in any case, it is 

 fairly easy to ar- 

 range matters. It 

 is a very good 

 plan to carry the 

 supply ])ipe some 

 distance up and allow the water to trickle in a 

 tiny stream over the rocks, and thence by a suit- 

 able channel to the pool, or the latter may be 

 immediately at the base of the rocks if desired. 

 The construction of the pools recpiires careful 

 consideration to avoid subsequent worr}' and 

 disapj)ointment. If it is intended to grow some 

 of the smaller-growing Water Lilies, about two 

 feet in depth of water will be required, but this 

 need only be in the centre, diminishing to six or 

 nine inches near the margin. Tb,e bottom and 

 sides must be thoroughly puddled with stiff 

 adhesive clay, kneaded and rammed thoroughly 



WaTEU I'OOL IX T 



while in a plastic state. Cement is ])referred in 

 some cases where the sub-soil is gravelly, but it 

 is less natural in appearance, and not so well 

 suited to the cultivation of aquatics. If the 

 pools are of considerable size and the area 

 surrounding or contiguous to them correspond- 

 ingly ample there is no limit to the variety of 

 plants which may be grown. Tall Spiraeas, 

 Astilbes, Irises of various species, Sidalceas, 

 L y s i m a c h i a s, 

 Trolliuses, Scar- 

 let Lobelias, 

 Podophyllums, 

 Rushes and Saxi- 

 fraga peltata will 

 make a fine show 

 from spring till 

 autmnn, while for 

 the margins of 

 smaller pools 

 Primula rosea, P. 

 japonica P. pul- 

 verulenta, P. Bul- 

 leyana, P.Ljiique, 

 P. Lissadell Hy- 

 brid, P. sikki- 

 mensis, P. As- 

 thore and P. 

 Aileen Aroon are 

 sjilendid, and 

 with these may 

 be grown many 

 other moisture 

 lovers as TroUius 

 p u m i 1 u s a n d 

 variety Yiuina- 

 nensis, Synthyris 

 reniformis. Sax. 

 Fortunei, Gaul- 

 theria numnui- 

 larifolia, Meco- 

 nopsis integri- 

 folia, M. race- 

 mosa, M. rudis, 

 M. aculeata, &c. 

 The dwarf Giui- 

 dentata and nuigellanica are in- 

 kvhile many hardy Orchids, such 

 C. pubescens and 

 such a position. 



IE KUCK (iAKUK: 



Grange. 



AT C I KKAt.il 



neras like 



teresting, 



as Cyprijiedium spec ta bile, 



many Orchises flourish in 



Water Lilies are now obtainable in many lovely 



varieties for deep or shallow water. Generally 



the pools in a rock garden will be comparatively 



shallow, and the medium gro\^'ers will be best. 



The following can be recommended — Nymphaea 



Laydekeri rosea, N. Froebelii, Andreana, 



Attraction, James Brydon, William Falconer, 



EUisiana, pygmsea and pygmsea helvola, the 



two latter requiring only about a foot of Avater. 



