36 The Fern Garden. 



any more sunny position. In the cut the house -is 

 shown with a stage for flowering plants, as originally 

 constructed. In the course of time, some building and 

 planting took place a little way off towards the west, 

 and the nice gleam of sunlight that enlivened the house 

 from 2 p.m. till sunset was effectually blocked out, and 

 the house became unfit for flowering plants. Instead 

 of bringing an action against the neighbour who de- 

 voured my sunshine, I brought an action against myself, 

 and the verdict was, that the shady house should be 

 forthwith converted into a fernery. The stages were 

 removed, and in their place a rockery was built upon a 

 very simple plan, and which, considering the smallness 

 of the house, proves delightfully effective, as affording 

 at all seasons a beautiful scene, and very serviceable 

 arrangements for the growth of plants. I employed a 

 skilful bricklayer ,to do all the solid work, and, under 

 my direction, he faced the back and end walls of the 

 house (1 and 2) with a rugged mass of burrs from the 

 brick-field, rendering it somewhat like the interior of a 

 cave. The work was commenced at some little distance 

 from the wall, and gradually brought nearer and nearer 

 as it proceeded upwards, occasional large blocks being 

 firmly cemented to the wall, and strengthened with 

 holdfasts ; and between the walls and the burrs good 

 loam was rammed in from bottom to top. Next the 

 front wall (4) and the end (3) a low border was formed 

 with a facing of burrs, this border consisting of good 

 loam. No special device for drainage was resorted to, 

 and it has never been wanted ; a layer of broken bricks, 

 about six inches deep, was put upon the tiles, and the 



