GOOD COLOUR FROM THE ROCK-GARDEN. 203 



Beauty of 

 Grouping. 



true colour effect, which is the most 

 subtle charm. 



In the rock-garden at 

 Swayland s in Kent, made 

 by Mr. Drummond in a 

 very spirited way, we saw much that re- 

 minded us of good rock-plant colour 

 lately, and there were some very impres- 

 sive effects from the Gentians, Rocky 

 Mountain Phlox, Purple Rock Cress 

 (Aubretid)^2fs\A rock-shrubs that flower 

 at this season. No other plants specially 

 put out for their show of colour could 

 have given such brilliant effects, and 

 we feel sure that owners of rock-gar- 

 dens might get far more enjoyment from 

 them if they adopted these simpler ways 

 of grouping. We do not say that only 

 one kind of plant should be used in a 

 given spot, for two kinds sometimes 

 intermingle with pretty effect — as they 

 often do in their native haunts — but the 

 great thing is to get broad groups of 

 each plant, whether it 

 be Alpine Heath, or the 

 Purple Rock Cress which flowers for 

 three months in the spring,or such plants 

 as the common Woodruff, which group 

 themselves if we let them. Ten kinds 

 well used are more effective than a hun- 

 dred species as commonly set out. The 

 plants that may be used are numerous, 

 and their colours refined and beautiful 

 in the highest sense. Beside the true 

 rock-plants there are many dwarf shrubs 

 like Helianthemums,some of the smaller 

 Roses, and mountain shrubs generally, 

 that lend themselves to fine effect in 

 colour. 



It is not only beauty that 



Other Advantages. . J . i 1 r i 



we get, but also helpful 



Broad Groups. 



simplicity in cultivation ; for, clearly, if 

 we have to make changes when a plant 

 gets tired of the ground or for any other 

 reason, it is far easier to deal with visible 

 masses than with scattered dots. Another 

 point is, that with the feeble dotting 

 system in use, the weeds take posses- 

 sion of the bare ground, whereas many 

 of these mountain plants, if allowed to 

 spread into groups, unite to keep the 

 enemy out. In every way, therefore, the 

 rock-garden is much more easy to man- 

 age where the dotting system is set aside. 

 There remains the question of getting 

 enough plants to secure this effect, and 

 happily most things in common use are 

 readily increased by cuttings or division. 

 Rockfoils, for example, which are so 

 useful, are easily increased to any extent 

 by division ; the little American Phloxes 

 also. The Aubretias come freely from 

 seed or cuttings. It is only the rareties 

 which may be diffiult of increase ; most 

 things of free growth, as rock-plants, are 

 of quick increase by simple means. 



Coarse plants are too often 



Coarse Plants. n 1 



seen, nowerless, too vigo- 

 rous, or without beauty of colour; these 

 should be removed to the herbaceous 

 borders and the wild garden, or else- 

 where — not only because of their ugli- 

 ness, but as being apt to exhaust the 

 ground near fragile plants, robbing them 

 of moisture and light, or actually over- 

 growing and killing them — a common 

 sight on neglected rock-gardens . Plants 

 growing upon moraines or cliffs are not 

 overfed, but at least they have not to 

 fight with the vigorous herbs one too 

 often sees on rock-gardens. These also 

 help to mar the colour of the rock- 



