A YEAR'S GARDENING 



Purple Aubretia, will form a lovely carpet of vegetation, and among 

 them may be interspersed the trailing variety of Veronica (Speed- 

 well), with its blue and white flowers, the common Violet and the 

 wild Primrose. Of course these are only a few among the many that 

 might be named and are only mentioned to show that tiie com- 

 monest and hardiest plants may be used with good effect if they are 

 given a position which exhibits the beauty of their natural mode of 

 growth. 



Where space is limited, as in a suburban garden, there is no need 



to despise the smallest of Rock Gardens, which may 



S^nrban _ become a feast for the eye of the jaded City man, 



"'^ ^ ^ especially in spring-time, if it be properly constructed 

 and made in a suitable position. Such a place may be found even 

 in a strip of garden, if it is fairly weU enclosed and happens to run 

 down to a railway cutting and embankment. The raised bank at 

 the end of the garden may easily be made into a good " rockery " 

 if simplicity be rigidly adhered to and the monstrosities of artificial 

 stone, overhanging structures of cement, and dry and dusty recesses, 

 be cis rigidly avoided. 



One sound and general principle is applicable to all Rock Gardens, 

 from the smallest to the largest, viz., that the rocks 

 Universal gj^^ stones should be supported by the soil and not 

 the soil by the rocks and stones. By a neglect of this 

 simple rule are produced many of the ugly mounds and disfiguring 

 structures mis-named " Rock Gardens," which are apparently 

 formed with the erroneous idea that the " rocks," and not the plants, 

 must be the chief consideration. But it cannot be stated too em- 

 phatically that the " rocks " must take a subsidiary place. Their 

 bases should be firmly embedded in the earth — so laid that their 

 most attractive sides protrude from the soil — ^while the smaller 

 stones should be used on the slope of the bank to prevent any ex- 

 cessive draining away of the moisture. And let it not be forgotten 

 that, as the result to be attained is a garden and not an exhibition 

 of rocks, the rocks should be used sparingly, allowing ample room 

 for the grouping and massing of the plants and for their sustenance 

 by the soil. 



THE WALL GARDEN 



In connection with Alpine and Rock Gardens a few words on 

 the so-Ceilled " Wall Garden " must not be omitted. Probably all 

 of us have noticed what charming plants may spring from a mere 



no 



