160 ORNAMEKTAL GARDEXIXG. 



CHAPTER XII. 

 MISCELLANEOUS NATURAL MATERIAL. 



Rocks and stones are not, like soil, absolutely neces- 

 sary to garden making, yet the frequency with which 

 these are met in attractive natural scenery, and their power 

 in contributing to picturesqueness, entitle them, at 

 the least, to be named among available garden materials. 

 In other parts of this book, considerable attention is 

 paid to their use in ornamental gardening. 



What is true of the ornamental value of rocks, is main- 

 ly and in an enlarged degree true of water in garden 

 and landscape scenery. Remove the sparkling river, 

 lake, and spring, the gurgling rill, swift rapids and water- 

 falls, out of nature, and she would be devoid of some 

 of her most attractive charms. It is well, there- 

 fore, to consider the ornamental value of water, when 

 gardens are large enough to admit of it in some form. 



Some kinds of beasts, birds, and fishes add much to 

 the charms of natural scenery. Cattle, sheep, and deer, 

 grazing or else reclining in the shade, contribute an 

 effect to scenes that without them would be tame. The 

 sweet-voiced birds in the trees, the graceful water-fowl 

 in the lake, or the schools of tame fishes within its 

 bosom, are all of great value for adding to the interest 

 of pleasure grounds. While in the majority of places it 

 may not be practicable to do much in the way of intro- 

 ducing these, yet their value should not be lost sight of 

 where circumstances will allow of them. 



In addition to the natural garden making mate- 

 rials which have now been named in this book, there 

 are many other things, from the gravel of walks to the 

 slate on the roof, that might be enumerated. But as 

 these are used mostly as mere constructive material, 

 there is little need of so doing. 



