126 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



April, 1910 



and they must be firmly imbedded in the earth so as to form all vegetation and soil. Then the loose stones can be taken 

 small and deep compartments or pockets. Each compart- up and arranged to make the pockets or depressions deeper 

 ment must have loose stones in the bottom, for drainage, and to pro\ide better drainage. Taking up the soil is 

 and must be filled with good earth sloping on the surface so necessary so that one can see what the depth of pockets is 

 that no water can stand on the ground in winter, but sloping and thus determine what to plant in them. One must not 

 so little that the beds will not wash or fail to soak up the waste a deep bed on drought resisting plants, nor plant 

 water which falls on them in summer. Little of the stones things which need moisture in a shallow bed. 

 should show when the planting is iinished. The appearance It should be a rule that no plant must depend on water- 

 should be rather that of an outcropping ledge covered with ing to live, even in the longest drought, though water to 

 plants, than a pile of stones with plants growing between increase the luxuriancy of growth may be desirable! A 

 them. The artificial rock garden may start in the open and hose connection will be very useful. 



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lead through a glade with 

 trees on each side to give 

 shade, but so far away that 

 their roots cannot reach 

 the beds. A natural glade 

 with a brook would be a 

 lovely place for our gar- 

 den. 



The rock garden should 

 never be seen next to a 

 l.iwn. It is too fussy and 

 lacks the repose which is 

 necessary in the boundaries 

 of a lawn. It should be 

 hidden by shrubs such as 

 rhododendrons, kalmias, 

 azaleas, and the common 

 juniper (jinii perns com- 

 miiiiis), with the Mugho 

 pine, the yews anci some of 

 the slow growing or dwarf 

 spruces. These will all 

 form a background for the rock garden and increase its 



3 E e T I O N 



Section through rock garden showing beds for plants 



The plants which can be 

 grown in a rock garden are 

 very numerous and there 

 should be Howers there 

 throughout the season, 

 from the earliest snow 

 drop or winter aconite to 

 the last autumn crocus. 



There are many small 

 shrubs which should find 

 a place in the rock gar- 

 den. Dwarf Rhododen- 

 drons, Daphnes, Hyperi- 

 cum, Ledum, Pieris, Aza- 

 leas, will all do well and 

 add much to variety of 

 color and form. 



Of the ferns and bog 

 plants which can be grown 

 on rocks that are naturally 

 wet and shaded, it is im- 

 possible to speak in this 

 short paper, but the possibilities in such a place are un- 



isolation from the rest of the place. The rock garden is limited. 



so different from ordinary features of a place that it will The rock garden should be carefully located on the way 



look trivial and messy unless the contrast be made com- to some frequented place so that one will not fail to visit 



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plete by isolation. 



Turf walks with step- 

 ping stones for dewy morn- 

 ings are nicest. There 

 should be several rough 

 stone seats — a stone table 

 and a bird bath. A very 

 small lawn not more than 

 fifteen feet wide will be 

 pleasant to sit on m warm 

 weather and in the spring 

 it will be full of crocuses 

 and squills. 



Running water and a 

 rude pool, partly hidden by 

 a large rhododendron, per- 

 haps, will give moist air 

 and shade for ferns, and 

 various little mosses. In 

 this one can fill the water- 

 ing pot, or plunge the 

 flowers while they wait to 



be taken to the house. A pool for aquatics would not be 

 good. Aquatic plants are too luxuriant and coarse to be 

 in harmony with delicate things in the rock garden. 



A fireplace, if roughly built, might be one of the perma- 

 nent features of the rock garden, and will be most con- 

 venient if near the table, as it will probably be used for is never a time except in April and September when a half 

 boiling the tea kettle or making toast or simply for warm- day is devoted to it. 



ing one's toes in winter. Charcoal or hard wood shavings On summer evenings we lie there with our backs to the 



make a quick and hot fi-e, much better for outdoors than warm stones, enjoying the sounds and fragrance of the 

 an alcohol lamp. night and watching the stars. Even in winter the rock 



If a natural ledge is to be used it should be stripped of garden has charm. 



Ideal plan of rock garden 



it several times a day, no 

 matter how deeply en- 

 gaged in other work. In 

 such a place a few minutes 

 can be stolen for weeding, 

 or simply for visual enjoy- 

 ment, which might not be 

 possible if a special trip 

 were necessary. 



My rock garden is on 

 the way to the flower gar- 

 den and vegetable garden, 

 and is not much out of the 

 way to the motor house, 

 besides being the pleasant- 

 est place for afternoon tea, 

 which is served on the low 

 stone table, so we are often 

 there, and almost always 

 when passing through I 

 stop to pull up a weed 

 or two, or to pick some 

 flowers. Sometimes in the cool morning before breakfast 

 the sun shines pleasantly there, and I may spend a half hour 

 fussing with things— the keenest pleasure of the 

 day! 



Doing the work in this way it ceases to be work, and there 





