78 SATURDAY IN MY GARDEN 



On the other hand, there are " rockeries " on the construction 

 of which neither time nor expense has been spared, which are 

 masterpieces of rocky art, but which are not and never can be 

 the home of thriving flowers. 



Diagram No. 5 will enable the amateur to see at a glance 

 how a rock garden should be constructed. By its aid and a 

 careful study of some of the charming rock gardens to be found 

 in many of the public parks he should have little difficulty in 

 achieving a fair measure of success, even at the very outset of 

 his endeavours. 



The autumn provides a favourable opportunity to start the 

 construction of a rockery. The first essential is to lay in a good 

 stock of fair-sized stones. If possible it is advisable to procure 

 pieces of sandstone, but where this cannot be done it will be 

 necessary to fall back on the cheapest stone obtainable in the 

 neighbourhood. The purpose of the rocks or stones is to afford 

 congenial crannies which the roots can explore for nutriment, 

 and to provide flat or round surfaces upon which the plants can 

 spread their trailing beauty as though they were growing on their 

 native Alps. 



In preparing the ground upon which the rockery is to rest, it 

 will be necessary to ensure good drainage. This can be provided 

 if the ground be dug out to a depth of three feet and the bottom 

 covered with a layer of old rubble and stones. On this base clods 

 of new turf turned upside down and the roughest of the soil should 

 be placed. 



It will naturally be desired that the rock garden should be 

 elevated, and for the purpose of ensuring that it shall be of 

 sufficient height say, two, or at most three feet above the ground- 

 level any mould available can be used, but the top should consist 

 of at least one foot of good soil chiefly sandy loam mixed with 

 some peat, to which a good portion of sandstone chips and grit 

 has been added. 



The stones should next be placed in position. Their disposition 

 may be left to individual taste and idiosyncrasy. The chief 

 point to bear in mind, however, is that they must be so fixed in 



