EOCK, ALPINE, FERX, AND WILD GARDENING-. 



7 



necessity be elevated somewhat above the soil they 

 contain. When formed of cement or other com- 

 position, these sides are generally waterproof ; hence 

 the water at times floods the crowns of the plants. 

 This is sufficiently injurious in favourable weather, 

 but absolutely fatal to health or life during pro- 

 longed spells of frost. But with their cro^s-ns 

 elevated slightly above the surroimding level, and 

 the soil in which they are growing thoroughly 

 drained at all points, most of them bear the severities 

 of cm' climate with impunity. Those that do 

 succumb to it are kiUed by the sudden changes from 

 cold to heat and di'ought to saturation, more fre- 

 quently than from any absolute want of heat. 



We have nothing, however, equivalent to the 

 snow covering to which Alpines have been accustomed 

 in their native habitat. Perhaps the simplest and 

 best substitute for this is a thickish sprinkling of 

 roughish cocoa-fibre refuse over their crowns during 

 frosts of unusual severitj^. This is at once light and 

 porous, and hence most efficient as a heat-preserver, 

 while doing but little injury to the plants. Instead 

 of harbouiing slugs, its semi-harshness and rough- 

 ness is a partial antidote to them, while its decom- 

 position adds a useful ingredient to the feeding- 

 properties of the soil. 



Slugs and Woodlice. — One might almost 

 suppose that rock plants were unnatural food for 

 these. It seems impossible for many slug pests 

 to live in the hard and sterile soils and regions 

 where such most do congregate and thrive ; 

 but if so, the British slugs betray a wonderful 

 fondness for such exotic fare. They pounce upon 

 and devour choice plants with such avidity as if to 

 the manner born; and a water-cordon, which is 

 often practicable, is the best of all barriers to ex- 

 ternal attacks. But slugs seem to spring up out 

 of the very earth with extraordinary rapidity. 

 To prevent this, and in cases where Alpines are 

 grown on a small scale, the soil used might be 

 charred or burnt before use. This would get rid of 

 the slug pest from within, from whence it is most 

 troublesome; and thus, with a water- cordon — the 

 wider the better, though a few inches will suffice 

 (the writer has seen a common roof-trough on its 

 back prove effective) — the rockery can be made pest- 

 proof. On larger scales, the lake around the base of 

 the rock-garden may be made the most interesting 

 part of it; but watchfulness will stiU be needful. 

 Though these pests can neither crawl nor fly over 

 the water, they enter the rockery nevertheless, and 

 a slug-hunt at early morn and dewy eve will mostly 

 result in a few finds, and is the surest means of pre- 

 serving choice plants from being unseasonably de- 

 voured root and branch. 



Simpler Means of forming Small Rock- 

 eries. — In many gardens and demesnes natural 

 banks by the sides of streams, mounds, and dells are 

 to be found. Nothing can be easier than to convert 

 such into rockeries by the insertion of stones, brick 

 refuse, boulders, and other rock-like materials. 

 These should be erratically grouped rather than 

 regularly placed or planted all over the surface. It 

 is the latter that imparts that monotony to rockeries 

 which has done so much to bring them into contempt. 

 Not only must every yard, or even foot, of ground 

 have its plant, but its rock likewise. This is a huge 

 mistake. Let there be soil without rocks, and rocks 

 with little or no soil. Unless in her regular strata, 

 we never find nature scattering her detached rocks 

 about with any regularity ; neither should we in 

 oui' artificial rock-making. The less regular, the 

 more artistic and effective. 



Another simple way is to throw up the earth, and 

 build in and up the rock-work simultaneously. This 

 is perhaps the best way where such rock-materials as 

 brickbats, clinkers, &c., are used. Heaps or masses 

 of these worked in with the soil— taking care to leave 

 sufficient spaces for soil, and to coat all over-head 

 with a layer of cement, coloured and finished to 

 taste by additions of stones or smashed spar — pro- 

 duce strikingly beautiful masses of rock- work at a 

 cheap rate. 



Again, it is very easy to throw up mounds of earth 

 at different angles and of various forms against walls, 

 and to face such with rock-work, varying the breadth 

 and height of these at pleasure. Perhaps in no 

 position can rock-work prove more useful than in 

 hiding straight walls, and substituting for them flow- 

 ing or irregular lines of verdure and beaut}'. Rocks 

 may often be thus disposed against walls so as to 

 convert the boundary-lines of gardens into features 

 of the most absorbing interest and scenes of the 

 most surpassing loveliness. The whole character of a 

 house or garden may be changed and marvellously 

 improved by the use of a few loads of stones, and 

 fifty or a hundred choice plants and ferns. 



Hocks and "Water. — The margins of water, 

 woods, and shrubberies form admirable sites for rock- 

 eries, clothed with either Alpines or ferns, or, better 

 still, a mixtui'e of both, and other herbaceous and 

 foliage plants. Naturally as rocks seem to associate 

 with water, yet one seldom sees the two combined 

 to good taste or purpose by art. The m.ost common 

 mistakes arise from the attempts constantly made to 

 force the water over rocks when the two are placed 

 together. Few things are more pleasing and im- 

 posing than natural waterfalls. The music of 

 falling water is also among the softest as well as the 

 stonniest notes in nature ; and the sight of its gentle 



