PLANTING THE ROCK GARDEN 189 



yards is not too much space to devote to one 

 variety ; but this is not always easy to accom- 

 pHsh. It takes so many plants of one kind 

 to cover the space desired, especially con- 

 sidering how small they usually are when 

 received from nurserymen, and the expense 

 of a large number is often prohibitive. But 

 if only two or three plants can be obtained in 

 the beginning, instead of the dozen or more 

 required, I would still advise assigning the 

 larger space, and in the autumn propagating 

 from one of your own plants. It cannot be ex- 

 pected that the garden will be properly clothed 

 much under four years, unless a very large 

 number of plants are purchased to begin with. 

 And even when this cannot be done, it is 

 still better to adopt the system of massing, 

 for massing is the secret of effect. Though 

 often the individual flowers of rock plants 

 do not possess much intrinsic beauty in them- 

 selves, when grown in large quantities they are 

 most effective. 



When massing plants, endeavour to vary the 

 shape and outline of each group as much as 

 possible, for otherwise a formal effect will be 



