Nature a Guide 



hope -of success. Too many rock gardens to-day err 

 on the side of pretentiousness. Too much rock of too 

 wall-like a pattern and too much exposed are among 

 common errors. And, further, as though the chief 

 idea of the builder was a display of rocks, they are 

 thrust dnder one's nose in order, apparently, that their 

 incongruities and shortcomings might be fully realised. 

 The Best Teachings of Nature in such matters — best 

 because embracing utility with a graceful contour — are 

 the teachings of our own hillsides. Here, in touch with 

 the rolling bank — sculptured and fashioned by thou- 

 sands of years — ^we see what is good, and, from the 

 utility standpoint, all we need copy. As we have neither 

 room for nor require the whole even of this, it will 

 suffice if we grip its vital principles, modifying or 

 adapting them to our circumstances as may seem desir- 

 able. The occasional boulder, projecting ledge or out- 

 crop rock, now exposed, or, anon, nearly mantled from 

 view by the ever-moving debris, will all be here, ever 

 suggestive of possibilities by their position, connected 

 or disconnected as the case may be, each an object 

 lesson of the highest importance for those who have 

 eyes to see. It will be seen how that these rocks invari- 

 ably lie to the bank — the hillside — for the obvious pur- 

 pose, apparently, of arresting the downward progress 

 of seed and soil, and, while playing the part of receivers 

 and retainers of moisture, also by their lie conducting 

 it to the roots of the plants. Hence their teaching 

 value is enormous. To comprehend all such teaching 

 conveys is to grasp the first great fundamental prin- 

 ciple of rock-building; to ignore it would be but to 

 hopelessly flounder in the dark, and always with " rocks 

 ahead." On the other hand a mere slavish imitation 

 of unqiiarried rock would be wrong from every gar- 

 dening point of view. These noblest monuments of 

 Nature we may admire to the full from afar. , Replicas 

 of them in miniature in our gardens would be entirely 

 out of place; wholly unsuited to the children of the 

 mountains with which we desire to garnish them. 



