ROCK GARDENS 257 



not belong. Now a word as to handling the 

 ready-made site — the rocky ledge, or the bowl- 

 der strewn hillside, or the glen with a stream at 

 its bottom perhaps. In general, let everything 

 alone; where this cannot be done — as in the 

 pathway by which one may thread between and 

 over the rocks — make it seem to be a coinci- 

 dence that rocks have arranged themselves con- 

 veniently. Do not build a path of definite and 

 uniform width, but rather provide a casual way 

 by which advance may be made safely and con- 

 veniently; where steps are necessary, let them 

 be separated at some distance if possible rather 

 than brought together in a single flight. Repro- 

 duce the twistings and indirect amblings of the 

 negligent walker, who invariably sets his feet 

 along the easiest way whether he is going uphill 

 or down; turn abruptly around the face of a 

 bowlder or at the blank wall of a high rock 

 against which the path seems, as approach is 

 made towards it, to end. Do all of the things 

 as a part of the rock garden which you would 

 naturally do on a mountain ramble, in other 

 words; for it is to provide such ramble, with all 

 its unexpected twists and turns and delightful 

 surprises, that the rock garden exists — partly. 

 By which it will be seen that this is one of the 

 most elusive and difficult forms of garden mak- 



