82 WALL AND WATER GARDENS 



Three main paths pass through it ; the one on the 

 right skirts the natural foot of the promontory, passing 

 first north-east, then north, then a little north-west ; 

 the one to the left mounts its shoulder by an easy 

 ascent, partly excavated so as to give rocky banks 

 right and left ; but it is nearly level at the top before 

 coming to the further descent. Here will be the place 

 for fine short turf to be pierced by the bloom of 

 mountain bulbs, Snowdrops, Spring Snowflakes, and 

 the like ; each kind having its own little region, in- 

 formally bordered by some group of small bushes. 



The third path will be cut through the heart of the 

 knoll, gently turning, and having steep banks right 

 and left. In forming such a rock-garden as this the 

 rock-builder must use all his skill, so that the lines of 

 the work shall not only be good in themselves, but 

 shall not jar with anything that comes before or after, 

 or with any view of the half distance that can be seen 

 from any portion of the garden scheme. 



This scheme of three main pathways supposes a 

 fair space of ground, such as a third of an acre to 

 half an acre. If less space has to be dealt with it is 

 better to have an easy path alone and a sloping bank 

 on either side, as in the good rock-garden shown in 

 the illustration at the next page. 



When the ground is shaped and the rocks placed, 

 the next matter of importance, and that will decide 

 whether the rock-garden is to be a thing of some 

 dignity or only the usual rather fussy mixture, is to 

 have a solid planting of suitable small shrubs crown- 

 ing all the heights. Most important of these will 



