The South Australian Naturalist. 57 



If we build our garden of rich, absorbent soil, well fer- 

 tilized, and water lavishly, we will get a fine vigorous growth 

 — of foliage — but few fiovrers. If, on the other hand, we use 

 pulverized rock, sand, and leaf-mould, and send a fine spray 

 over the garden at night, the conditions for success are 

 provided. 



Choose a spot away from trees, if you can, at any rate, 

 large trees, bring a pipe from the nearest water service and 

 erect a vertical arm twelve feet high. Around this dump 

 waggon loads of soil, sandy loam, clay, road sweepings, or 

 whatever you will, as long as it is free from sour sops and 

 troublesome weeds. When the heap is big enough, form the 

 hills or slopes, or whatever shape you have in mind. Having 

 chosen your rock, begin to build up from the base of the 

 mound, so that at any rate the larger stones are supported one 

 by the other, although the support may not be apparent. This 

 important work being done, the mound is covered for six 

 inches more or less with fine quarry grit, mixed with soil and 

 leaf-mould, the grit being the chief constituent. This should 

 be carefully smoothed round the stones to give them proper 

 prominence and ensure a flat bed at the face where the planting 

 is done. Paths betAveen the hills may be made, and now the 

 twelve feet of water-pipe should be exposed about six feet 

 above the surface. On the top of this a mist spray can be 

 screwed, and it should serve a circle with a radius of twenty- 

 five feet or more when working at full pressure. 



The choice of rock depends on the locality. Travertine 

 limestone is good for most plants, and the rough sandstone 

 from Mount Lofty is probably better still, as it does not 

 crumble away. The purpose of bedding stones in the mound 

 is threefold — for picturesque effect, to form stepping-stones 

 and for giving shelter to the roots of plants in hot and dry 

 weather. 



Now having got such a garden ready, small or large, what 

 can we grow that Avill stand our exceptional days? Such true 

 alpines as Erinus alpinus — the dwarf harebells, will flower 

 nearly all the year. The beautiful aubretias of many species 

 and garden varieties are quite happy winter and summer. 

 Saxifrages, calandrinias, primulas and thymes, sunroses and 

 rockroses find a congenial home. Many beautiful plants which 

 barely exist in the open garden under competition show their 

 full beauty on the elevated shelter of a rock garden. Sturt's 

 desert rose, aralies and hibiscus coccinens grow to perfection, 

 and then there is the whole range of more hardy plants — 

 sedums, ajugas, erj^simums, incarvilleas, and many others. 

 Native correas and grevilleas, mountain veronicas, and other 

 plants from New Zealand and Tasmania, these all find a home. 



