THE ROCKWORK 79 



that below it. Keep the largest rocks for the 

 boldest and most perpendicular formation. 

 Where the banks slope back with a gentle 

 gradient there should be no hard and defined 

 line of rockwork along the top to give the 

 impression of a ridge, but rather they should 

 recede gradually, with the rocks becoming fewer 

 and more scattered, until eventually the forma- 

 tion is lost in the shrubs beyond. On the 

 other hand, in the bold and precipitous forma- 

 tion, the top of the rockwork may be abrupt 

 and well defined, but even in this case the 

 effect is more pleasing if the ground beyond 

 rise gradually towards the shrubs forming the 

 background. 



Build up the main rockwork first, keeping 

 in view the chief object, which is to maintain 

 the soil in position. Afterwards, if there 

 appear to be any large extent of ground with- 

 out rocks, it will be easy to put in a few here 

 and there to break the monotony, or form a 

 position for some plant requiring a special 

 aspect or treatment. 



Do not fall into the rather popular error of 

 imagining that a rock garden must be covered 



