A SUSSEX ROC K-G ARDENb 
279 
Beech- fern (fig. 48), brought by us from Scotland, and in chinks in 
the rock above it Asplenium viride thrives, whilst opposite grow 
Asplenium Trichomanes and Asplenium Adianlum-nigrum. 
Matthiola rupestris, a fine species of Stock found round the coast of 
the Mediterranean, is also in the ravine. It is very sweet-scented, and 
attains to a large size ; with us it appears to be biennial. 
The ravine is very beautiful when Saxifraga Cotyledon is in flower. 
It forms enormous rosettes in the wide natural vents in the- rock. 
When planting, it is of course necessary to fill the vents up with suitable 
material for the plants to grow in. Immediately beyond this Saxifrage 
is the entrance to some long caves formed by our tunnelling into the 
hill for more stone required for completing the upper portions of the 
Rock-garden. 
In several of the vents Primula Forrestii thrives wonderfully. 
The large-leaved Magydaris tomentosa grows just below. Passing 
round the bend in the ravine, we come on a vent planted with Primula 
' J. H. Wilson,' a very handsome plant, and one that is easily grown 
in such a situation. 
We have now turned the last corner in the ravine, and come in 
sight of the great chasm, or quarry, that we made in the hill. A 
beautiful plant of Saxifraga nepalensis hangs from the rocks on the 
right. Just below this will be seen three steps which are the begin- 
ning of a flight of fifty-three steps, which lead up between the rocks 
to the level of the ground before we made the excavations. If the 
picture of ' Banky Meadow ' with the cows be recalled to mind, it will 
be seen how great a transformation has been wrought in a piece of 
ground which, when we came to Brockhurst, we did not know to 
contain any rock at all. Opposite the flight of steps on the right is a 
still higher flight of steps passing up the left bank and behind the bold 
rock, which was purposely left standing, and which for convenience 
we designate the " pulpit " rock (fig. 49). 
Before passing to these steps, we may notice the planting on the 
right side of the ravine. Here is Saxifraga nepalensis, whilst to the 
right is a crevice filled with S. Burseriana gloria, which, this year, was 
in full flower before the end of January and during the month of 
February. To the right of this again is Gypsophila repens rosea, and 
below this native plants of Myosotis alpestris, brought home with us 
from Scotland from the Ben Lawers range in Perthshire. 
Our native Vetch, Vicia sylvatica, which we collected from the 
northern side of the Malvern Hills, also grows well here. Last year 
we saw this plant growing in great beauty and profusion on the 
cliffs at Melvich, in Sutherlandshire, whence we could see the Orkney 
Islands. It is a plant well worthy of cultivation in our gardens. 
Pursuing the main path to the large chasm, and turning the corner 
abruptly to the left, brings us to the deep pool which we excavated ; 
the dripping well will be seen (fig. 50), and to the right of it a natural 
vent in the cliff with fine plants of Saxifraga lingulata superba grow- 
ing in it and to the right again a few plants of S. Cotyledon (fig. 51). 
