of a recent Continental Tour. 27S 



cording to the magnitude of the whole, while the broken and 

 irregular terminations of the strata afford fine nooks and 

 shelves for plants, and moist shady caves for JungermannzVe, 

 Marchant/^, &c. The terminal line of the strata may be a 

 curve, so as to present various aspects, and the whole crop^ 

 to use the geological term, might be hollow, for fungi, &c. 

 Where, however, large boulder stones can be procured, a 

 more intricate and interesting group may be produced, not 

 so good for choice plants, but more picturesque: here large 

 shrubs, or even trees, American plants, and aquatics, may be 

 well introduced. 



Some gardeners seem to imagine that the style of rock- 

 work should accord with that of the garden in which it is 

 placed ; that is, that a Chinese garden should have Chinese 

 rocks in it, or a rockwork composed of every possible mon- 

 strosity arranged as uncouthly as possible ; and so of other 

 styles. Nothing can be more mistaken than this : it is the 

 scene should suit the rockwork, which should be artificial 

 chiefly in the suppression of the appearance of art. But be 

 it ever remembered that the common style of making rock- 

 works, piling stones into cones, pyramids, arches, &c., mixing 

 with them fragments of broken statuary or architecture, sea 

 shells, corals, mirrors,~singing-bird cages, water organs, &c., 

 is barbarous and absurd. Bees are a delightful addition to 

 rockwork, placed in a hive made of the hollow stump of a 

 tree planted among the stones : their busy merry hum and 

 incessant toil give life to the rest of the scene. 



" Fervet opus, redolentque thymo fragrantia mella." * 



I cannot approve of chained eagles, sea gulls, land tortoises, 

 porcupines, &c., pets not uncommonly found in rockworks. 

 The plants immediately amongst the stones should none of 

 them be very tall or straight growers. Prostrate plants of 

 small growth, are the proper staple. No such plants as 

 Tussilago, &c., should be introduced but where there is a great 

 deal of room, as it is next to impossible to eradicate runners 

 from rockwork, although the}' may be choking other plants. 

 The common Z,ysimachia Nummularia is a beautiful rock- 

 work plant much neglected. 



If a little bubbling runnel can be made to meander 

 through a rockwork, it is of infinite use and beauty. In 

 a large rockwork I would place here and there patches of 



* " With diligence the fragrant work proceeds." 



DrydetCs trans. 

 The device for a rustic beehive, figured and described Vol. VIII. p. 665., 

 might perhaps not be unsuitable. — J. D. 

 Vol. IX. — No. i*. t 



