THE ROCK AND WATER GARDEN 139 



soon becomes parched by the sun ; while there are yet others, 

 whose designers have evidently spared no pains or expense to 

 produce a masterpiece of art, with the result that their rock- 

 gardens must remain till the end of time places of rocks, and 

 not of flowers. 



In Forming a Rock-Garden it must be borne in mind that 

 the object in view is to grow beautiful plants, and to display 

 to the best advantage, amid appropriate surroundings and in 

 robust health, the flowers that enamel the rugged Alpine 

 slopes, and streak the creviced crags with colour. The mission 

 of the rocks is to afford congenial crannies for the roots to 

 explore, and to provide surfaces for trailing growths to veil 

 with greenery and blossom. They are there to act as a natural 

 setting for the flowers, which should spread in tinted breadths 

 over the spaces as freely as on their native ledges. The 

 nearer Nature can be approached the more natural will be 

 the effect, and rocks should therefore emerge from the soil 

 in such a manner as to give the effect of an outcrop of 

 the living rock from a mountain side. Where rock-masses 

 are built by placing stones against one another, either in 

 a horizontal or sloping position, those having flat surfaces 

 should be used in order that the form of natural rock- 

 stratification may be presented (see illustrations). An open 

 position, i.e. one that is not unduly shaded by buildings, 

 or in the least overhung by trees, must be selected for the 

 rock-garden. On no account should cement be used in the 

 rock-garden, but all fissures and seams between stones should 

 be crammed with soil, great care being taken that no vacuum 

 exists between the rock-faces. Should these occur, losses are 

 certain to ensue through the dry air entering the crevices and 

 parching the roots. It is well to excavate, where the rock- 

 garden is to be formed, to a depth of eighteen inches, in 

 order that thorough drainage may be ensured, since stagnant 

 moisture at the root is fatal to many Alpines. A depth of 

 fully three feet of soil should be provided, as many rock 

 plants send their roots downwards to some distance between 

 the masses of stone, where they remain cool and moist during 

 the hottest weather, while foliage and flower enjoy the full 

 benefit of the sunshine. Sandy loam mixed with some peat, 

 to which a good proportion of sandstone chips and grit has 

 been added, will be found suitable for the majority of rock 

 plants. Some, however, prefer peat, while others like a 

 calcareous soil, in which case broken limestone should take 

 the place of sandstone. The mixture of stones and grit with 

 the soil is a great help to alpines, as it prevents rapid evapora- 



