Gardening for Amateurs 



585 



to pathways, which ought always to be 

 formed in a rock garden of any size. Paths 

 may be narrow, but in forming them it 

 should not be forgotten that in due course 

 the flowers which are planted along the 

 edges will grow partially over the pathway, 

 so that it is wise to allow a little additional 

 width for this. 



The paths ought not to be perfectly 

 straight, but should wind here and there, 

 rising with the undulations of the rockwork 

 and being varied by flights of rough stone 

 steps where advisable. 



The material for the pathways deserves 

 some thought. Flat stones are best. They 

 should not be of uniform size or of regular 

 outline. They ought to be laid firmly, and 

 low-growing plants, such as some of the dwarf 

 Arenarias and Alyssums, put in the inter- 

 stices. A pathway of this kind can soon 

 be made quite a charming feature in a rockery. 

 Flights of steps ought to be constructed of 

 irregularly- shaped stones, with alpines be- 

 tween the crevices, and, when the stone is 



porous, with such lovely flowers as Arenaria 

 balearica covering the face of the steps with 

 blossom and verdant foliage. 



In some rock gardens grass paths are 

 preferred, but they require a good deal of 

 care to keep the verges clear, so that the 

 grass does not find its way among the 

 flowers, and in wet weather are very uncom- 

 fortable to walk upon unless kept closely cut. 

 There can be little doubt that the pathway 

 formed of stones is the prettiest and also by 

 far the best. We have seen rockery paths 

 formed of asphalt and macadam, but they 

 are quite out of place. 



A Wall for Flowers. In some gardens 

 there are sloping banks covered with grass 

 or Ivy, and the source of much trouble, but 

 providing little or no beauty. They can be 

 converted at little cost and trouble into 

 capital wall gardens. The grass or Ivy 

 should be cleared away, all roots of the 

 latter being dug out, and the soil broken up. 

 If the earth is clayey, broken bricks for 

 drainage will probably be necessary, and some 



The Maiden Pink (Dianthus deltoides), a charming, easily-grown alpine for the rockery margin. 



