170 



GARDEN PLANNING 



Space and means may forbid a very ambitious 

 effort, and it may thus be necessary to confine 

 the rockwork to a single bank against the 

 boundary wall or fence. In that event it is 

 well to clothe the artificial background with 

 ivy or other creepers. 



The rock garden should not end abruptly. 

 It is better to let it gradually merge into the 

 general surface of the ground, some detached 

 pieces of rock being placed on the level beyond 

 the raised part of the rock garden, just as we 

 should find in nature. Many alpine plants 

 will thrive perfectly well on the level, if they 

 are protected from the encroachment of coarser 

 plants. Thus these outlying rock pieces may 

 be enshrined in masses of gentian, aubrietia, 

 or saxifrage, which, unconstrained by any 

 rocky limits, will spread into wide cushions of 

 colour. 



Learn to know your plants by sight and don't 

 label them. The appearance of a labelled rock 

 garden in the spring, before the plants have put 

 forward their foliage, is depressing, and 

 reminiscent of the auction room. 



Wall Gardens — Nature has shown us how 

 she can clothe an old wall with her treasures, 



