Rock Gardens* 
By Marcel M. Twinney, Illinois 
TO obtain a rock garden that is beautiful and artistic, 
one must thoroughly absorb the idea that a rock 
garden is a construction of infinite pains, labor 
and skill, to provide for rock and alpine plants an ideal 
place for their natural ability to thrive and luxuriate. 
The first effect in building such a garden, whether large 
or small, is to attempt as nearly a copy of nature, as the 
experience, skill and means of the maker are capable of — 
A General Vicii.< of a Notable Roek Garden of a Massaehusetts 
Country Estate. 
as natural eft'ect and natural laws are very essential in 
this work. 
Secondly, an indiscriminate planting of all and any al- 
pines that come to the makers' hands, is sure to end in 
failure, as each individual plant must have its own special 
corner and attention ; otherwise it will simply balk at any 
attempts to grow it. where it is not "at home" so to speak. 
Oftentimes small and valuable specimens of rock 
plants are thus lost, and in most cases, the cause is given, 
that it will not grow, no matter where planted. This is 
erroneous, as, though some alpines are difficult to estab- 
lish and seemingly will not res]iond to careful attention, 
it is a known fact that an overwhelming majority of such 
plants readily adaj)t themselves to new environment 
when it resembles their home quarters, relative to soil, 
position and climate. 
It is generally thought that rock plants will subsist in 
practically nothing, but this is a great mistake, as a great 
depth of soil available to the roots must at all times be 
within the reach of the plants, from small weaklings at 
*First Prize Essay in ex-President W. N. Craig's Prize Contest. 
the time of planting, to maturity, after years of growth, 
to inunense rambling and climbing clusters. It is well 
to mention at the point the danger of overcrowding, as 
when there has to be a wholesale chopping of? of subjects 
that are simply stifling each other, the natural elTect is 
utterly spoiled, and this must be the ideal of a rock gar- 
den natural effect. 
In considering the site for a rock garden one must 
carefully chose a place that is naturally suited to this 
work. "Exposure" is a great word to remember in the 
construction of a rock garden, as primarily rock plants 
are used to "roughing" it under all and any conditions. 
From this it is to be deduced that a high elevation is 
necessary for good results, as a sunless, airless damp 
situation will surely result in failure. Select as near as 
possible an area where outcropping rocks are in evidence, 
with mounds and ridges to break up the flat expanse hav- 
ing a tendency to conceal and expose, at different views, 
the full extent of the rock garden, and the close prox- 
imity of large trees and shrubs is also to be avoided as 
they decidedly impoverish the soil, as well as causing a 
lack of sunshine and exposure. Avoid anything that is 
at all formal, straight lines, walls, buildings and select 
in preference a wild spot pertaining to a miniature moun- 
Anothcr View of the Same Roek Garden Showing Phlox Subulata 
in Flower. 
tainous region, slight dips, throwing into relief sharp 
inclines which will make a promising natural site and 
should artificial construction be necessary, such a plan 
must be kept in the foregrovmd. In selecting rocks, 
should any occur naturally, it is always desirable that 
"brought in" rocks should resemble the originals, and 
better still procure rocks from the same stratification. In 
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