Book of Gardens 



33 



only a smaii part of 

 what is hidden by the 

 soil. Place the addi- 

 tional rocks so that 

 the strata all run in 

 the same direction, 

 putting the largest 

 rocks and boulders at 

 the bottom and bury- 

 ing them one-third in 

 the ground. The size 

 of the stones used 

 should depend upon 

 the size of your gar- 

 den. Build the rocks 

 and soil carefully to- 

 gether, eliminating air 

 spaces between the 

 rocks. The stones 

 should be placed in 

 such a manner that 

 the water will drain 

 into the soil rather 

 than run off. Finally, 

 remember to leave 

 plenty of pockets for 

 the soil and plants 

 between the rocks. 



It is advisable to 

 use rocks that w'iil 

 give an old, weather- 

 beaten appearance, 

 such as moss-grown 

 stones ; but it is of the 



utmost importance to avoid anything which 

 will crumble with exposure. Artificial rocks, 

 bricks, old tree stumps or wood of any kind 

 should never be used. Sandstone and moun- 

 tain limestone are good to use because they are 

 soft and porous and of a moisture-retaining 

 character. 



Alpine plants, contrary to a quite wide- 

 spread belief that they will grow in almost any 



To one standing near 

 Lombardv and BoUes 



the rock house shown in the photograph on page 31, this view is presented, 

 poplars mark the skyline above the golden elders which form a background 

 for the smaller plants 



kind of earth, require a good rich soil. Porous 

 soil mixed with leaf mold and well rotted 

 manure, used to a depth of 2' or 3' with a light, 

 sandy subsoil, will give the best results. Avoid 

 a heavy clay soil. The garden must be con- 

 stantly watched in summer and the ground kept 

 from drj'ing out. An annual top-dressing of 

 soil every spring will prove beneficial to all 

 the plants. 



Good drainage is 

 essential to the success 

 of this type of garden. 

 The correct placing of 

 the rocks and the 

 presence of a tiny 

 stream are great aids 

 to proper drainage but 

 are not sufficient in 

 all cases. For dry 

 stone wall gardens it 

 is sometimes necessary 

 to install a -sub-irri- 

 gation system consist- 

 ing of a perforated 

 WTought iron pipe 

 placed along the top 

 and rear of the wall. 

 In most cases it is not 

 necessary, however, to 

 irrigate if care is 

 taken in the location, 

 and building of the 

 garden. 



The planting calls 

 for care and a fine 

 sense of fitness. One's 

 aim should be to have 

 the garden present the 

 best possible appear- 

 ance throughout the 

 year; this can be ac- 

 complished by pro- 

 viding for a continu- 

 By using the early spring flower- 



ity of bloom, 



ing bulbs such as snowdrops, scillas, crocuses, 

 grape hyacinths, chionodoxa, colchicum and 

 poet's narcissus for early 'spring bloom, the 

 Alpines and small, compact growing shrubs for 

 spring and summer, and dwarf evergreens for 

 winter when the flowering plants have died 

 down, a pleasing year-round effect results 

 which offers abundant variety. 



Gentiaua asclepiadea (gentian): 2', blue, blooms July. 

 Gcntiana bararica : i'. blue, blooms July. 

 Gentiaua Favratn: V-2', deep blue, blooms July. 

 Gentiaua Kurroo: I'-IS", blue, blooms September. 

 Gcntiana pneumonanthe : 6"-^", deep blue, blooms 



August. 

 Gentiaua verna: 1', blue, blooms May-June. 

 Iris cristata (iris): 6", azure blue and lilac, blooms 



April-May. 

 Iris sibirica: 1', lilac, blooms April-May. 

 Linnaea borcalis: 8"-12", pale pink, blooms June. 

 Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower) ; 2'-3', red, blooms 



August-September. 

 Lobelia syphilitica: 2'-Z', blue, blooms August-Sept. 

 Miiscari botryoides (grape hyacinth) : 6", blue, blooms 



March-April. 

 Oenothera Arendsii (evening primrose): l'-18", pink, 



blooms May. 

 Oenothera ccspitosa: 12", white changing to rose, 



blooms May. 

 Oenothera fruticosa: 18", yellow, blooms May. 

 Oenothera speciosa: 18", white changing to pink. 



blooms May. 

 Orchis foliosa (Madeira orchid): 18", rosy purple, 



blooms May. 

 Orchis latifoHa: 12", purple, blooms June. 

 Orchis maculata var. superba: 18"-2', lilac spotted 



purple, blooms June. 

 Primula Bnlleyana 1', orange scarlet, blooms June. 

 Primula involucrata: 6", creamy white, blooms April- 

 July. 

 Primula japonica: 1', deep crimson to pure white, 



blooms May. 

 Primula pulverulenta: V, crimson, blooms April-May. 

 Primula rosea: 6", rosy carmine, blooms April. 

 Primula sikkimensis: 1', yellow, blooms May. 

 Ranunculus aconitif alius (crowfoot): 2', white, Ijlooms 



May. 

 Ranunculus alpestris: 4"-6", white, blooms June-July. 

 Ranunculus parnassif alius 6", white, blooms June. 

 Sanguinaria canadensis: 6". white, blooms April-May. 

 Saxifraga cespitosa : 4", red. blooms April-May. 

 Saxifraga sanguinea superba: 4", scarlet, blooms May- 

 July. 

 Saxifraga exarata: 4", white, blooms June. 

 Saxifraga glohulifera: 4", white, blooms May-June. 



bright yel- 



light purple, blooms 

 2'-3', various, except 



Trillium ercctum: 1', purple, blooms May. 

 Trillium granditioruni: 1', white, blooms May. 



PLANT MATERIALS FOR POOLS AND PONDS 

 (* Plants suitable for 1' or less of water, or on banks) 



Butomus nmbellatns (flowering rush) : 2'-3'. rose, 



blooms summer. 

 *Caltha palustris (marsh marigold) 

 low, blooms April-June. 

 Carex (sedge) : l'-3'. 



Epilabium hirsutum (willow-herb) : 2'-4', purplish, 

 Hippuris z'ulgaris (horse-tail) : 2'. 

 Hotonia palustris (feather-foil) 



summer. 

 *Irts laevigata (Japanese iris) : 



red, blooms June, July. 

 *Iris pscudo-acorus: 2'-3', yellow, blooms June. 

 Iris versicolor (native blue flag) : 2'-3', purple marked 

 with yellow, blooms June. 

 *Iris sibirica: 2'-V, lavender, blooms June. 

 *Lysimachia thyrsiHora (loose-strife) : 4"-6", yellow. 

 '■■Myosotis palustris (forget-me-not) : blue, blooms June. 

 Nuphar luteum (European yellow pond lily) : blooms 



June. 

 Nymphaea advena (yellow water lily) : yellow, blooms 

 June to August. 

 *Nymphaea alba var. candidissima (white water lily): 



white, blooms June to August. 

 *Nymphaea Marliacca (Marliac's hybrids): white, 

 blooms June to August. 

 Nymphaea ado rata (native white pond Hly) : white, 



blooms June to August. 

 N ymphaea odorata var. rosea (Cape Cod water lily) : 



pink, blooms June to August. 

 Polygonutn amphibium: spreading, light rose. 

 Pontederia cordata (pickerel weed) : 2'-4', purple, 



blooms June to August. 

 Ranunculus aquations var. lingua major. 

 Sagittaria latifalia (arrowhead) : 6"-4', clear white. 

 *Typha latifolia (cat-tail rush): 4'-8', brown, July to 

 August. 



PLANT MATERLAL FOR THE DRY W^\LL 

 (Those which thrive best when planted flat against 



a perpendicular rock face are marked (''). The color, 

 height and period of bloom of these plants may be 

 found under the list of material for the rocky bank.) 



*Androsace alpina. 



'^ Androsace pyrenaica. 



Arabis albida. 



Ajuga repens. 

 *Armeria cespitosa. 



Aiibretias of all kinds. 

 ^Campanula Elantines. 

 *Campanula fragilis. 



Campanula ratundifalia. 



Cheiranthus a I pin us. 



Aquilcgias of all kinds. 



Dianthus arverncnsis. 

 ■ Dianthus suavis. 

 * Gcntiana acaulis. 



Primula marginata. 



Primula viscosa. 



Saponaria cespitosa. 



Saxifrages. 



Sedutn acre. 



Silene •alpestris, 



PLANT MATERIAL FOR CREVICES BETWEEN 

 WALKS AND STONY STEPS 



Ajuga repens (bugle weed). 



Alyssum saxatile compactiim (silver madwort) 



Aquilcgias (columbine). 



Arabis albida (rock cress). 



Campanula cespitosa (bellflower). 



Campanula ratundifalia (harebell). 



C erastium tomentosum (snow-in-summer). 



Cheiranthus at pin us (wallflower). 



Gentiana acaulis (gentianella). 



Geranium maculatum (crane's bill). 



Gypsophila repens (baby's breath). 



Phlax subulata (moss pink). 



Portulaca grandiHara (rose moss). 



Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot). 



Saponaria ocymoides (soapwort). 



Scdum acre (wall pepper). 



Tunica saxifraga (saxifrage). 



Veronica rupcstris (speedwell). 



