92 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



Those who have observed alpine plants must have noticed in 

 what arid places many flourish, and what fine plants may spring 

 from a chink in a boulder. They are often stunted 

 Wall gardens, and small in such crevices, but longer-lived than 

 when growing upon the ground. Now, numbers 

 of alpine plants perish if planted in the ordinary soil of our gar- 

 dens from over - moisture and want of rest in winter. But if 

 placed where their roots are dry in winter, they may be kept in 

 health. Many plants from countries a little farther south than our 

 own, and from alpine regions, will find on walls, rocks, and ruins 

 that dwarf, sturdy growth which makes them at home in our 

 climate. There are many alpine plants now cultivated with 

 difficulty in frames that may be grown on walls with ease. 



In garden formation, especially in sloping or diversified ground, 

 what is called a dry wall is often useful, and 

 may answer the purpose of supporting a bank 

 or dividing off a garden quite as well as 

 masonry. Where the stones can be got easily, 

 men used to the work will often make gently 

 "battered" walls which, while fulfilling their 

 object in supporting banks, will make homes for 

 many plants which would not live one winter 

 on a level surface in the same place. In my 

 Pansy on brick wail. own garden I built one such wall with large 

 blocks of sandstone laid on their natural " bed," 



the front of the stones almost as rough as they come out, and 

 chopped nearly level between, so that they lie firm and well. No 

 mortar was used, and as each stone was laid slender rooted alpine 

 and rock plants were placed along in lines between with a sprinkling 

 of sand or fine earth enough to slightly cover the roots and aid 

 them in getting through the stones to the back, where, as the wall was 

 raised, the space behind it was packed with gritty earth. This the 

 plants soon found out and rooted firmly in. Even on old walls made 

 with mortar rock plants and small native ferns very often establish 

 themselves, but the "dry" walls are more congenial to rock plants, 

 and one may have any number of beautiful alpine plants in perfect 

 health on them. 



One charm of this kind of wall garden is that little attention is 

 required afterwards. Even on the best rock gardens things get over- 

 run by others, and weeds come in ; but in a well-planted wall we may 

 leave plants for years untouched beyond pulling out any interloping 

 plant or weed that may happen to get in. So little soil, however, is 

 put with the plants that there is little chance of weeds. If the stones 

 were stuffed with much earth weeds would get in, and it is best to 



