ROOTWORK. 
coccinea. It should be grown ina 
moist stove, in peat, sand, and !cam, 
the pots being well drained with | 
petsherds and cinders. ‘The flowers 
are produced in great abundance, 
and they are very fragrant as well 
as beautiful. 
Rootrworx.—The roots of trees, 
and especially large roots, including 
the stool, or base of the tree after 
the trunk has been cut down to the 
ground, may be combined together | 
in various ways useful, ornamental, 
or curious, in gardening. ‘Two or | 
three large stools of trees grouped 
together on a lawn with mould and 
plants placed in their interstices, 
form a striking contrast to the 
smoothness and high art displayed | 
on the general surface of the lawn. 
The plants placed among the roots, 
whether in pots concealed by 
mosses, stones, or mould, or planted | 
in soil, should never be of indige- 
nous kinds common in the locality; 
fer these might be mistaken for | 
weeds ; but of exotic kinds, such as 
Geraniums, Petunias, Maurandyas, | 
&c., or of British or European | 
alpines of small size, neat foliage, 
and brilliant flowers. 
be kept in view is, that of creating 
artificial ornaments without much 
expense; and therefore, the roots | 
must never appear to have been | 
left where they are by carelessness 
or accident, but placed by design, 
and with reference to the compo- 
sition of which they form a part. 
In many situations, conglomera- 
tions of roots as a receptacle for 
plants are more pleasing than con- 
glomerations of stones, because they 
display less effort, and seem a more 
natural and easy way of obtaining 
a nidus for ornamental plants. Too 
much effort and expense for attain- 
ing any object is never altogether 
so satisfactory, as when the same 
object is obtained with ease and 
economy. Hence rustic seats in a 
354 
The idea to | 
ROOTWORK. 
| 
other vessels for containing plants, 
are more Satisfactory than cast-iron 
seats or marble vases, unless indeed 
the latter are connected with some 
building. 
Roots may also be combined to- 
gether so as to form seats, open or 
covered huts, grotto-like structures, 
and grotesque bridges; and one ob- 
_ject for which they are particulariy 
| suitable is for placing on the. margin 
of pieces of artificial water along 
'with trees, bushes, or plants. A 
smooth expanse of water, like a 
smooth lawn, requires shade and 
roughness to contrast with it, in 
order to produce a striking effect ; 
and roots at once supply both rough- 
ness and shade. In placing them, 
a part of the root should always be 
covered by the water, and another 
part by the soil; and by planting a 
young tree or bush adjoining the 
root, a double contrast is produced 
between the root, which gives the 
idea of an aged tree long since felled 
or dead, and the erect young shoot 
which foretells a future tree. The 
shadow of the group so formed in 
the water is a circumstance that 
redoubles the interest. 
Roots may be piled up, and con- 
nected together by wooden pegs, 
so as to form arches, arcades, or 
covered ways, or grottoes, or other 
structures for shelter or repose; the 
| interstices being filled in with moss 
or heath, and the exterior being 
thatched with heath, or the chips or 
shavings from hoops common in 
countries which abound in coppice- 
wood, such as Sussex. Roots also 
_may be piled up so as to form gro- 
_tesque fences, which are suitable 
| for certain situations and purposes. 
A flower garden in a wood or se- 
questered glen, surrounded by a 
fence of this kind, has sometimes a 
striking effect; and sometimes the 
area of gravel before the entrance 
front of a villa is separated from the 
pleasure-ground, and rustic vases, or | awn by an irregular ridge of roots 
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