140 
THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
shrubs of old-time is Rosemary, which also carries 
through, but this is better close to a wall in a dry position. 
Each of these shrubs must have a well-drained soil. 
* :;; ^ 
The successful gardener is usually spoken of as a 
"practical" man. Usually the implication is that he is a 
bone and muscle fellow — a sort of Jeffries-Sullivan- 
Fitzsimmons individual (I admit I am away behind on 
my pugiHstic favorites, begging young Mr. Willard's 
pardon). But it is much nearer the truth, very much 
nearer the truth, to say that they are dreamers. They 
have to possess the mind of a painter; albeit they may 
not be good executionists as artists with palette and brush. 
They must be dreamers, able to see a finished scheme as 
to its color and form before it exists. This qualification 
is not sufficiently appreciated by gardeners nor by those 
who employ them. It accounts for some awful composi- 
tions and some appalling garden scenes — scare-crow 
planting, shrubs that are "exclamation marks" on the 
lawn and an olTense to the eye of taste. Coupled with 
the lack of the imaginative faculty, if a planter and 
planner also only half understands his plants, particularly 
the conditions in which they grow in their natural habitat, 
he can make some woeful blunders and atrocious mix- 
tures. To see Senecio cliorum or Spiraea palmata frizzling 
in a border where only the rhizomatous Irises should be, 
is to give one the creeps, or, on the other hand, to see a 
row of big Agaves in pots plunged along the side of an 
ornamental pond, is enough to condemn our gardener 
friend to the ranks of the untutored and incompetent. 
Happily such instances of bad taste or want of technical 
knowledge are rare indeed, although I have seen both. 
The imaginative gardener, fortified by correct knowledge, 
is a master in his profession. All he then needs is a free 
hand and a fair stock of energy. Such a man will make a 
beautiful wild garden out of the odds and ends that an- 
other man would throw away. 
* * * 
One of the best artist-gardeners this writer has been 
privileged to know spent one winter scooping out what 
appeared at first to be merelv big irregular trenches in a 
piece of neglected woodland lying between two parts of 
the real flower garden. He had a vision. He also knew 
that the powers that held the money bags would have 
been frightened at what would have seemed to them an 
expensive undertaking had he gone to them with his 
project. By a little management of his stafT, by accumu- 
lating some necessary material in the shape of stumps 
and roots of trees, boulders, large flatfish stones, hardy 
ferns, Polygonums, Honeysuckles, Clematis and other 
necessary plants, he was ready early in the Summer to 
open up pathways leading across the wood lot to his 
"surprise garden" — a cool wilderness garden or retreat 
which eventually became a much frequented spot on hot, 
sunny days. The trenches were trenches no longer. 
TJiey were flag-stoned paths with irregular sides which 
were banked and here and there studded with the roots 
and stumps already mentioned in and around which were 
the colonies of ferns and over which the rambling Roses, 
Grape vines, Eulalias, Foxgloves, Primroses, Funkias. 
Violets, Hypericums, Day Lilies, Oenotheras, Mulleins, 
stately Lilies, Dame's Violet, Summer Snowflakes and 
other semi-shade lovers, revelled. By loops, and bays, 
and knolls and prominences ; with steps down here and 
an ascent there : by placing seats about in a shady recess 
or in the more open, sunny corners ; by winding the one 
circumambient path in and out with a skill that the good 
practitioner alone can exercise, he made a charming 
garden feature. When he took his employers there and 
introduced them to it they were as pleased as they were 
surprised, probably more so since it all looked like a fine 
free gift. In any case, as he remarked to me, "it was 
made and they couldn't very well veto it." One thinks 
how much better it is, however, when owner and gardener 
can do their planning and their gardening together in 
perfect trustfulness, and with mutual pleasure and satis- 
faction. :(: :;; ■.;■. 
Do not let us get too far into dreamland — no ; but 
before we quit speaking of the desirability of z'isions, 
may a plea be registered for such dream gardens as 
liacon described and which others, too, have fancied for 
themselves? — scented gardens of all the sweet smelling 
herbs, annuals and perennials ; or a garden of many 
kinds of hardy Liliums, or an Iris garden, a Primrose 
garden (this would go well by the water side), gardens 
with hedges of roses, borders of roses, arches of roses ; 
|)aved gardens with benches and wins set about, bird 
Ijaths, sundials, fountains and little plants creeping and 
growing among the stones. Yes, such are our dream 
gardens. I do not lay such stress on Japanese gardens, 
so-called, nor on grand bedding schemes of the re- 
splendent old-time sort. Japanese gardens may be fine 
in Japan, but neither in Europe or America have we much 
use for them. A series of these "special gardens" could 
be linked to each other by the rose hedges and grass paths 
— if one only had money enough to realize the dreams. 
But failing a series of gardens, one well-appointed gar- 
den area of roses and hardy flowers combined is greatly 
to be desired, and happily many splendid examples exist. 
At this season we are busy making, altering, finishing 
or planting the rockery. Too many have a very limited 
selection of plants and it is largely because of the won- 
derful variety of plants that can be had in the rock 
garden that they are so deservedly liked. The following 
is about as complete a list of plants for the rock garden 
as the average grower will desire, at least to start with. 
The list has been compiled from collections seen by me in 
New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania 
gardens and nurseries. Some of the subject are but little 
known ; some may only be obtainable from British or 
I'rench nurseries : 
Andromeda floribunda Cotoueastei' lnu-izontalis 
.\iidrosacea carnea Campanula carpatica 
Arabis albida Campanula carpatica alba 
Arabis albida flore plena Campanula glomerata 
Anthyllis moiitana Chrysogonum virginicum 
Aster linaris Calystegia sepia 
Aethionema grandiflora Coronilla varia 
Antirrhinum asarinum Crucinella stylosa 
Aster alpinus Campanula rotundifolia 
Aster alpinus albus Campanula rotundifolia alba 
Asperula odorata Campanula sarmatica 
Acaena argenta Campanula alliariaefolia 
Aconitum Lyeocotonum pyre- Campanula punctata 
naieuni Corydalis lutea 
Arenaria balearica Cerastium Biebersteini 
Aubrietias (several) Cotoneaster buxifolia 
Aljyssum saxatile Draba cuspidata 
Abyssum saxatile fl. pi. Dianthus eaesius 
Abyssum saxatile Wierzbiski Dianthus phimarius 
Ajuga metallica crispa Dianthus barbatus 
AdeMO]>1iora Potanoni Dianthus deltoideus 
Armeria formosa Dianthus japonicus 
Arnieria cephalotis Diantlius neglcctus 
Arenaria caespitosa Diantlius Napoleon III. 
Anemone Pulsatilla Daphne Cneorum 
Al.vssuni nrsenlnm Draba Corsica 
Al.vss\ini prosti'atnm Draba aizoou 
Biscutella laevigata Draba verna 
Campanula muralis (syn. C. Draba frigida 
Portenschlagiana) Dryas octopetala 
Calluna vulgaris Dicentra formosa 
Calluna vidgaris allja Dicentra eximia 
Calluna stricta Doronica caucasicum 
(Continued on /'i/.cr 160.') 
