February, 1906 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



25 



the big stones is walled up to a height of two 

 or more feet, with a six-inch wall across the 

 open front. This gives four large receptacles 

 below the central pocket, with a twelve-inch 

 border and no end of tiny nooks. 



A BAD MISTAKE TO BUILD HIGH 



Unless a rockery is in a sheltered nook the 

 height should be limited to two and a half 

 feet. No great expectations need be indulged 

 in even at this low point, for none of our regal 

 beauties that would answer for a centrepiece 

 can endure the winds if thus elevated and 

 isolated. 



I had in my mind's eye an elegant vase- 

 like ostrich fern (Matteuccia) , which should 

 crown my rockery with dignity and grace. 

 My aspirations, however, were blown away, 

 for no sooner did a frond unroll its curly tips 

 than a wind promptly snapped the brittle 

 stalk, and an inglorious and untidy "study 

 in ferns" marred an otherwise successful 

 creation. The plant was eventually removed 

 but stolons had penetrated in all directions 

 anc^ a fringe of young ostrich ferns ap- 

 peared. 



MAKING AND SHADING THE ROCKERY 



In building rockwork it matters little what 

 sort of earth is used for the foundation; but 

 if taken from a rubbish heap it must be freed 

 from vegetable matter, which may decompose 

 and eventually cause the earth to settle away 

 from the stonework. 



In the construction of small rockeries of 

 the style described, part of the ground tier 

 of stones may be laid and the filling piled 

 high in the centre, and either tamped or thor- 

 oughly wet down with the hose before the 

 inside stones are placed. 



A shady corner allures the fern grower, and 

 affords scope for bewildering confusion of 

 rocks and ferns or an artistic sectional ar- 

 rangement, as fancy dictates. The latter is 

 much more satisfactory in every way and 

 may be as picturesque and informal as the 

 material will admit or the ingenuity of the 

 builder suggests. 



An odd lot of calcareous sand-rock and 

 pudding stone compose the larger part of 

 my rockwork. These stones look as if they 

 might wash away, but, having withstood the 

 elements for some fifteen years, they are not 

 likely to vanish in the near future. 



They are, however, sufficiently disinte- 

 grated to make the limestone with which they 

 are impregnated available for the cliff dwell- 

 ers to be grown thereon. A few other con- 

 glomerates, chiefly limestone and quartz, are 

 in the foreground. 



INSURING PLENTY OF MOISTURE 



Mine has an especially dry corner, as the 

 trees and shrubbery absorbed the natural 

 moisture from the soil. For this reason, 

 after the ground was cleared the hose was 

 turned on and the water allowed to play for 

 many hours before any filling was piled on. 

 This in turn was wet down in instalments. 

 Evaporation was thus checked and the soil 

 thoroughly settled. 



To insure a good slope of the side slabs, 

 which diverge from a beautiful central up- 



■ 





The bladder ferns are ideal for dry and exposed 

 rocks. Filix fragilis above, Filix butbifera below. They 

 grow freely and will overpower others if not restricted. 

 May be lifted in spring and brought indoors 



right, the earth was piled much higher in the 

 rear and sloped toward the open front. 



Some foundation stones were laid beneath 

 the main divisions and cement used in a few 

 of the joints. This was immediately dusted 

 over with coarse sand and pebbles inserted 

 to match the conglomerates. 



Experienced handling is imperative, as the 

 stones, so replete in tufts and turrets, are 

 easily injured by small breakages, which 



The Walking Fern (Camptosorus rhixophyllus) is indis- 

 pensable for the rockery. The ends of its curious 

 fronds penetrate into fissures of rock and take root 



lessen their artistic value. Careful selection 

 and grouping of material are also necessary, 

 for there is great difference in color and 

 wave of sandstone; a beautiful stone may 

 look like a new patch on an old garment and 

 spoil an otherwise harmonious whole. 



Nature is so lavish of material that it is not 

 difficult to blend one neutral tint into another, 

 thus avoiding abrupt transitions which are 

 so detrimental to any color scheme. 



Space should be left for massing tall ferns 

 outside the walls. The large pockets are of 

 course designed for vigorous growers. 



Even though it is designed to make your 

 rock garden a repository for a botanical col- 

 lection, no attempt should be made toward 

 grouping genera and species, since artistic 

 value is not a secondary consideration. Only 

 single specimens of the larger ferns should 

 be omitted, but the lesser growths may be 

 largely in evidence. 



Leave space outside the walls for massing 

 the common bracken or brake (Pteridium 

 aquilinum), ostrich fern (Matteuccia Struthi- 

 opteris) and the interrupted fern (Osmunda 

 Claytoniana) . The tall fronds arching over 

 the fawn-colored stones will exquisitely 

 frame the picture in the near future. 



The royal fern (Osmunda spectabilis) is an 

 admirable queen for the central pocket. 



Rocks are so unique and beautiful in them- 

 selves that special care should be taken not 

 to overload them in stocking and to prevent 

 ultimate growth from hiding their formation. 



THE BEST FERNS FOR ROCKERIES 



Large clumps of osmundas and Goldie's 

 fern (Dryopteris Goldieana) were literally built 

 into the four sections described. Lower 

 down in the border are specimens of maiden- 

 hair. The dark, glossy fronds of the Christ- 

 mas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) are 

 largely in evidence, contrasting well with the 

 reliable marginal shield fern (Dryopteris mar- 

 ginalis) ; both in turn foil the more delicately 

 cut and colored spinulose shield fern (D. 

 spimdosa), with its varieties. The most dis- 

 tinguished member of the polystichum group 

 is Braun's holly fern (P. Braunii). 



Fine clumps of the purple cliff brake (Pel- 

 Icea atro purpurea) are apparently as much at 

 home as they are among the outcropping 

 ledges at the base of scraggy cliffs. They are 

 not only beautiful in design but unique in 

 color, a dark blue-green emphasizing all the 

 varying tints about it. They begin to unfold 

 their fronds late in comparison with others, a 

 desirable habit, for the oak fern (Phegopteris 

 Dryopteris) is so intensely brilliant earlier in 

 the season that nobody looks at anything 

 else. 



The beech fern (Phegopteris polypodioides), 

 on the contrary, appears late in the season 

 and keeps so fresh and looks so cool long 

 after other deciduous ferns are fading that no 

 rockery can afford to be without it. 



The common polypody is perhaps equally 

 to be desired and should be lavishly used in 

 rockwork. Of the smaller spleenworts, the 

 ebony spleenwort (A . platyneuron) stands here 

 as elsewhere like a small sentinel. Pretty 

 rosettes of the maidenhair spleenwort (4. 

 Trichomanes) are cropping out here and 



