FRITZ BAHR'S COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE 



Fig. 77. — -k. Well-planned Rock Garden, and in a good setting, too. Many of 

 the typical Alpine plants are hard to grow in America, but there are plenty of satis- 

 factory substitutes among our more common sorts 



What Is a Rockery? 



A rockery is not merely a pile of rocks or boulders thrown 

 in a heap with a few starved plants set among them; nor need a 

 rockery be ten feet high in order to be effective. A rock garden 

 may consist simply of a raised bed with a few good-sized boulders 

 in it. It all depends on the effect wanted, the size of the grounds, 

 and the extensiveness of the planting to be made. ' For small grounds, 

 a bed say five feet in diameter, elevated some twelve to fifteen 

 inches above the surface of the lawn, with five or seven fair-sized 

 boulders in it and planted with a few Iris, Aquilegias or other 

 suitable plants and perhaps a few hardy Lilies, Santolinas and 

 specimens of Vinca minor will add greatly to the attractiveness of 

 the surroundings. Such a planting one may consider the beginning 

 of a rockery or a rock garden in miniature, and really nothing more 

 is needed than to extend the arrangement and size so as to make 

 it correspond with the surroundings no matter how extensive. 



Wonderful effects can be obtained, but each garden and plant- 

 ing requires a different treatment so that it will harmonize with the 

 surroundings. At times a low effect is most desirable; at others 

 the elevation may be many feet in height. But always you must 

 have the width in porportion. An unsightly view may be hidden 



