The Garden Magazine, August, 1921 
377 
A KNOLL IN THE JAPANESE GARDEN 
The little god pensively ensconced under a tree from his own land, the Japanese Red Pine (Pinus densiflora), 
adds a convincing touch to this exotic planting in the older of the two Japanese gardens at Compton 
successfully placed Cryptomeria japonica, Juniperus excelsa 
var. stricta, and Sciadopitys verticillata. A few of these trees 
are supported by wicker frames, which at infinite trouble have 
been made to hold up the branches and train them in the 
direction desired. In the newer part of the arboretum a still 
more remarkable Japanese garden is found, where large upright 
slabs of rock carved with Japanese votive figures have been set 
up. At flowering time the rock pockets are filled with the bloom 
of Phlox subulata, Azalea lutea, Alyssum saxatile, Bleeding 
Heart (Dielytra spectabilis), enhanced by Japanese Maples of 
all colors and the spreading, lustrous Cotoneaster horizontalis. 
Undoubtedly this rock garden is one of the finest near Philadel- 
phia. 
The flower garden is below the house on the southeast slope of 
the hill. The beds are outlined with trim Box hedges, and 
are gay with Hollyhocks, Larkspurs, Columbines, Foxgloves, 
and glorious masses of Phlox; many varieties in season. 
The newest introductions have been placed beyond a high 
iron fence, marking the original southern boundary of Compton. 
Here have been placed in systematic sequence numerous recent 
acquisitions from China and Japan. In this part of the arbore- 
tum there are several noteworthy architectural garden feat- 
ures; but it will take some years for the growth of the trees, 
shrubs, and herbaceous plants to remove the appearance of 
newness from these. 
The foreground is marked by a series of marble steps in the 
form of a fountain over which the water runs in a shallow sheet, 
reflecting in gold the sunlight which strikes the falling water. 
Following the road to the right, a rocky ford, or watering place, 
is crossed and immediately above is an arched rustic bridge 
built of natural logs. The dominant architectural feature is, 
however, an open garden house which affords hospitable shelter 
to a bronze figure of mythological import. The trees and shrubs 
are too small yet to relieve the rigid lines of this attractive 
building. Ten years will show a marked difference in this 
newer portion of the Compton arboretum. A hurried visit will 
not suffice to give any adequate notion of the botanical and 
horticultural riches of the place. A whole day of roaming about 
barely acquaints one with the general character of the 
plantations and the many rather unusual garden accessories 
which adorn this earthly paradise. 
This article completes the series, prepared for us by Doctor 
Harshberger describing “The Old Gardens of Pennsylvania,” 
which made its initial appearance in The Garden Magazine, 
October, 1920. 
