THE ROCK GARDEN 



121 



will catch the moisture. Leave plenty of soil space between the 

 rocks and plan Kttle pockets to catch the water. Ptovide drainage. 

 by the use of a quantity of ashes or fine gravel in the center of the 

 mound. The rocks get very hot and some plants may dry readily. 

 If a little water can be provided it should be conducted to the top 

 and allowed to seep down through the crevices. In Winter a protec- 

 tion of straw and decayed manure over the plants will be beneficial. 

 It is best riot to remove this protection too early. Neglect it a bit. 

 Evergreen branches are excellent for those plants which do not die 

 down each year. 



Matemal for Rock Garden. The rock garden is 

 essentially a wild feature and a great deal of native 

 material should be used. No variegated 

 freak horticultural varieties should be in- 

 troduced. Even fancy and well bred vEirieties 

 are better when absent. We refer to the 

 Mme. Ghereau German 

 Iris or, in fact, anything 

 dressy. It is well to 

 grow in the rockery the 

 interesting little plants 

 which need special at- 

 tention to be seen 

 properly. 



Bulbs are excellent. 

 Snowdrops, Narcissus, 

 SciUas, Fritilleirias, and 

 Crocuses are all quite 

 necessary. 



Large trees should 

 be avoided and some trees especially; for example, Hawthorns and 

 Elms require much water and should never be planted. The smaller 

 evergreens, Junipers, jU-borvitaes, broad-leaved evergreens, Yucca 

 and Cacti are excellent. 



If the rock area is extensive and a very quick result is wished, the 

 use of annuals is excellent. Dr. Southwick has used annuals most 

 effectively in his "Garden of the Heart" in Central Park, N. Y. The 

 otherwise objectionable colors of Petunia are there very cheery. 

 Lobelia erinus is indispensable. California Poppies, either the golden, 

 the crimson or the white ones, are very pretty. Baby's Breath (Gyp- 

 sophila murahs, the pink, or elegans, the 5vhite) adds a graceful touch. 



Diagram to show, in a general way, the placing 

 of the boulders or large stones in the making of 

 rock garden. A shelving arrangement is adopted, 

 leaving spaces, called pockets, between the stones. 

 These should be arranged so as to catch the rain. 

 At the same time the tvater must pass readily 

 away through drainage channels 



