My Rock Garden 



pleated folds, but the head of flowers is not worthy of this 

 early promise, and a very dingy affair, much too large for 

 its short stem. The other side of the walk calls for a glance ; 

 a group of the two heaths, Erica carnea and hybrida, crowns 

 the mound, and white Fritillarias have been making a pretty 

 contrast with its red flowers : both are passing over by now, 

 but some very good Camassia seedlings are taking their 

 place. The first I planted here were some named seedlings 

 of C. Leichtlinii, a pure white, and a very deep purple called 

 Purple Robe ; now seedlings have appeared in all directions, 

 and some are of very good deep blue and purple shades. 



There are several large clumps of C. Leichtlinii in the 

 rock garden, both the typical cream-coloured one and the 

 lilac-blue variety, and if one sees them on an afternoon 

 when they have freshly opened a series of flowers they are 

 a fine sight, but sometimes I wish to impress a visitor with 

 their beauty and find never a bloom open ; yesterday's have 

 all faded and they make the plant look untidy, and the 

 next four or five buds on each stem will not open until the 

 late afternoon. A good-sized bush of Berberis Fremontii 

 astonishes many people who think it needs a wall to do 

 well. It grows in a very exposed position here, and is ex- 

 quisite when the crimson of the young growth contrasts 

 with the steely blue of its prickly little leaves. Corylopsis 

 pauciflora grows in a sheltered nook with Olearia num- 

 mulanaefolia, a Bush Ivy and a prostrate Juniper to keep it 

 company. The Corylopsis gives bunches of flowers like 

 Cowslips on fine twigs in early Spring, and then for the 

 next four months bears imitation Hornbeam leaves of 

 delightful shades of pink and red and tawny brown, more 

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