FERN POTS, PANS, EOCKWORK, ETC. 
53 
Formality, however, must he guarded against, and space left 
between the masses for the eventual planting, which should 
not be done immediately, but after the mound has been well 
watered and the surplus drained away. When all is ready, 
work some specially good compost into the pockets and chinks, 
and plant the Ferns, watering them well. 
With a rockery built in this fashion there is no danger of 
finding a number of fine plants mysteriously vanished, and 
gaping chinks occupying their place — a not uncommon experi- 
ence when the wrong method is adopted. Any good porous 
Fig. 14.— Small Fern Frame and Alpine Rockery Combined. 
stone will answer the same purpose; but hewn pieces are to 
be avoided, for appearance’ sake, and so are those abomina- 
tions in connection with rockeries of this class — shells, corals, 
and similar ornaments, which, however beautiful in themselves, 
are utterly out of place, since the only ornaments should be 
the Ferns, which, under proper treatment, should alone be 
visible. 
To grow Ferns in gardens where there is little or no shade 
would appear a hopeless task; but here their culture can be 
combined with that of sun-loving Alpine plants in a very 
satisfactory way. Let a trench, running from south-east to 
