148 PLOWERS XND THE FLOWER GARDE!?'. 



mental, for a cool retreat in hot weather. The ruder 

 the rock^Yo^k for the grotto, and the larger in character, 

 the better, and the outside should be so concealed as to 

 give the idea of an excavation, not of an erection. The 

 sides of grottos are generally made of rough stone or 

 brick covered with spa, shells, madrepores, corals, &c., 

 with a pebble pavement, in a pattern for the floor. Beyond 

 everything the roof must be weather tight. Earth 

 thrown on the top, if its weight can be borne, and 

 planted with periwinkle, ivy, or low evergreens, rather 

 hanging forward, looks well, or if the grotto be against 

 higher ground the top can be turfed over, so as to give 

 the appearance of a grass knoll from behind. For a 

 grotto to be of any use it must be in so dry a situation 

 as to be quite fit to sit in, and in that case the refresh- 

 ing coolness of its shade is welcome in hot weather. 



Moss-houses are simple wooden erections, the insides 

 of which are covered with mosses and lichens so as to 

 form variations and patterns of different colours. A 

 framework for the house may be made with young 

 pines or larches, the thinnings of plantations, and 

 covered wdth laths nailed over pretty near together. 

 Between these laths the mosses and lichens are thrust 

 in firmly with a flat bit of wood, or with a turnscrew, 

 the root end lowest. The moss should be so arranged 

 as to form a varied pattern ; and should quite hide the 

 laths. The following kinds offer good variety of colour: 

 for a glaucous green, Dicranum glaucum ; yellowish 

 green, Bryum liornmn ; a pink tinge, Sphagnum acuti- 

 jolium ; yellow white, Sphagnum obtusifolium. There 

 are also the tree lichens and the reindeer moss. 



Eoot-houses, made with pieces of roots of trees of 

 fantastic shape, and wood houses, made of branches of 

 trees with the bark on, and often ornamented with pines 

 of different sizes, are pretty and appropriate. For all 

 of these roofs of thatch harmonize well with the style of 

 the buildings, and they may be made simply arbour 

 shape, or more elaborately finished up with doors and 

 w^indows. 



Similar in character may be made baskets on lawns, 



