CHAP. X. 



ROCKWORK. 27. 



as to give the idea of rocky scenery in hot 



climates. 



The rockwork of Lady Broughton, at Hoole 

 House, near Chester, is, again, quite different 

 from the rest. The design for this rockwork 

 was taken from a small model, representing; the 

 mountains of Savoy (including Mount Blanc), 

 taken from the valley of Chamouni; and the 

 rocks are made sufficiently large to give a per- 

 son walking; among' them an idea of their 

 reality. The labour of forming this rockwork 

 was very great ; not only from the large size of 

 the stones to be removed, but from the diffi- 

 culty of getting them of the proper colours 

 and shapes. Besides this, it was very trouble- 

 some to make them stand against the weather. 

 " Rain washed away the soil, and frost swelled 

 the stones ; and several times the main wall 

 failed, from the weight put upon it. The walls 

 and foundations are built of the red sandstone 

 of the country; and the other materials have 

 been collected from various quarters, chiefly 

 from Wales." The part that represents the 

 outer circle of rocks is principally composed of 

 the red sandstone of the neighbourhood, in 

 which little niches have been made for plants, 

 and filled with exactly the kind of soil in 

 which alpine plants grow naturally: viz. 

 broken fragments of stones, clean-washed river 

 gravel, the debris of decaving* moss and other 

 plants, crumbling rocks, &c. The plants are 

 all strictly alpine, the only liberty taken being 

 the mingling of the alpine plants of hot and 

 cold countries, or, rather, of different eleva- 

 tions, together; and this is contrived very in- 



t2 



