PART L] CULTURAL 41 



from taking root and overrunning the usually dwarf rock plants. 

 When these intruders are once observed, they can be easily pre- 

 vented from making any further progress by continually cutting 

 off their shoots as they appear ; it would never be necessary to 

 disturb the wall even in the case of a thriving Convolvulus. 

 The wall of alpine plants may be placed in any convenient 

 position in or near the garden : there is no reason why a portion 

 of the walls usually devoted to climbers should not be prepared 

 as described. The boundary walls of multitudes of small 

 gardens would look better if graced by alpine flowers, than bare 

 as they usually are. 



DRY STONE WALLS FOR ROCK PLANTS. 



In garden formation, especially in 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 an expensive brick or masonry wall. Where the stones 

 can be got easily, men used to the work will often make gently 

 " battered " walls which, while fulfilling their first use in sup- 

 porting banks, will make homes for rock plants which would 

 not live one winter on a level surface in the same place. 

 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 

 being used, do well. As each stone is laid, slender-rooted rock 

 plants are placed along in lines between with a sprinkling of 

 fine earth, enough to slightly cover the roots and help them in 

 getting through the stones to the back, where, as the wall is 

 raised, the space behind it is packed with earth. This the 

 plants soon find out and root firmly into. Even on old walls 

 made with mortar, rock and small native Ferns often establish 

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

 plants, and we may have any number of beautiful alpine plants 

 in perfect health in them. 



One charm of this kind of wall garden is that little atten- 

 tion is required afterwards. Even in the best-made rock- 

 gardens things get overrun by others, and weeds come in; 



