ROCK, ALPINE, FERN, AND WILD GARDENING. 



219 



benefits derived from the glass covering ; but this, 

 by isolating the atmosphere of the fernery from the 

 sun'ounding mass, enables it to be charged with 

 moisture at pleasure ; and, important as a clean, 

 cool, moist atmosphere is to all sorts of plants, this 

 trinity of aids to growth is the breath of life to 

 ferns. Hence many who do not go to the expense 

 of introducing artificial heat to ferneries, yet find 

 one of their greatest pleasures in cultivating them 

 under glass. 



Beautiful, however, and abundantly varied as the 

 hardy fernery may be made, and often is, under 

 glass, yet by the introduction of more or less artificial 

 heat, the tropical ferns and the palms and other fine 

 foliage jjlants of the world become available. Even 

 in heated ferneries it is seldom necessary to exclude 

 all native species and varieties. For example, the 

 native Maidenhair Fern [Adiantum capillus-vcncris) 

 not only luxuriates in an in-door fernery maintained 

 at green-house temperature, but thrives equally well 

 or better in a trojiical temperature of from 60'* to 

 70". Nor is this all ; many so-called tropical ferns 

 and palms thrive well iu green-house temperatures 

 of, say, 45^ to 55°. Thus the cool fernery under glass 

 may be enriched from the tropics, while the tropical 

 fernery may receive not a few hardy specimens, and 

 the temperate or conservatory fernery may gather into 

 itself most of the fern-wealth of the world. 



The curse of in-door ferneries has hitherto been 

 the pot-culture of ferns, and the dotting or single- 

 plant style of arrangement. Four - and - twenty 

 ferns all in a row " on a shelf or stage, however 

 interesting as a botanical study, ■ are hardly more 

 artistic than the same number of blackbirds in the 

 well-known nursery rhyme ; but plant them out in 

 groups of greater or less magnitude, according to 

 numbers, habits, and area, and vary and intersperse 

 them with rock- work and a few scrambling climbers 

 or creeping mosses or other plants of varied character, 

 and the stately stiffness of marshalled hosts of ferns 

 in pots vanishes like a dissolving view, and in their 

 stead arise artistic groups, fading and melting, as it 

 were, into each other. 



But the mere introduction of rock-work and 

 planting out of the ferns is by no means sufficient 

 to break down the monotony of in-door ferneries. 

 Very far from it. Such ferneries abound in which 

 the back and front walls and ends are pocketed with 

 rock-work with as much regularity as trees are 

 planted in an avenue. Then, as if conscious of the 

 unusual monotony of the base, variety is striven 

 after by pitchforking the ferns into their pockets 

 on the dotting system — that is to say, each plant is 

 as imlike all others near to it as possible. Avoid 

 all this as much as is practicable. Don't be afraid 

 of bare walls ; clothe them with climbers, unless. 



indeed, the house is sufiicicntly wide to per- 

 mit of considerable masses of. rock- work project- 

 ing from their ends and sides, and so clothing the 

 walls with irregular rocks, boldly projecting here, 

 receding there, closely hugging the walls yonder, 

 and so on all round, no two projections or indenta- 

 tions being alike. If there is not room for this free 

 style it is better to have one bold mass of rock in the 

 centre, instead of clothing the walls with mere burs 

 or pockets all round. 



Pockets for Rocks or "Walls.— These should 

 be as varied as possible, hardly two resembling- 

 each other in size or shape, or distance apart. 

 Group the pockets in masses, and have irregular 

 spaces between them. This will so far simplify 

 the planting as to render it a very easy matter. 

 Then boldly group the genera ; or, failing these, 

 the diiierent species ; or even several plants of 

 one variety or species together. Each famil}^, or 

 member of it, will thus exhibit to the full its own 

 character, and make its own impression. The 

 groups should also melt into one another — not meet 

 in a crush that prevents the light and shade of 

 full harmony or contrast from being seen. Hence 

 the impoi-tance of using dwarf plants for the sides 

 of the groups, and Selaginellas, or creepers, for the 

 dividing lines, as much as possible. In the absence 

 of these, many of our native mosses answer, and look 

 well, in a moist atmosphere. 



The sight or sound of one thing more is needed 

 to complete the charm of the in-door fernery — that 

 is, water. This, which might readily become the 

 strongest point, is usually the weakest in most in-door 

 ferneries. The everlasting squirt or fountain mostly 

 converts v^ater into an eyesore, instead of its being, as 

 it ought, one of the most attractive features in the 

 fernery. So objectionable are these stiff, foimal foun- 

 tains, that if they must be introduced it would often 

 be better to hide them out of sight, so that the sound 

 of water in motion might be heard and none of it 

 seen. But a few drops trickling over rocks and 

 falling into a tank below would be far more attractive 

 than all the formal jets and squirting fountains which 

 degrade so many ferneries, in-door and out, to the 

 level of a toy-shop. In larger ferneries, and where 

 water-mains are available, waterfalls and rills of 

 water may expand into sufficient dignity and im- 

 portance to be seen as well as heard. "Water in 

 motion has other than artistic merits. It may be 

 used to dew over or wash the plants when needful, 

 and the motion keeps it sweet as well, and endows 

 it with refreshing and soothing melody. 



Roofs. — As a rule the roofs of in-door ferneries 

 are very badly arranged. The glare of white 



