36 
The Fern Garden . 
any more sunny position. In the cut the house is 
shown with a stage for flowering plants, as originally 
constructed. In the course of time, some building and 
planting took place a little way off towards the west, 
and the nice gleam of sunlight that enlivened the house 
from 2 p.m. till sunset was effectually blocked out, and 
the house became unfit for flowering plants. Instead 
of bringing an action against the neighbour who de- 
voured my sunshine, I brought an action against myself, 
and the verdict was, that the shady house should be 
forthwith converted into a fernery. The stages were 
removed, and in their place a rockery was built upon a 
very simple plan, and which, considering the smallness 
of the house, proves delightfully effective, as affording 
at all seasons a beautiful scene, and very serviceable 
arrangements for the growth of plants. I employed a 
skilful bricklayer to do all the solid work, and, under 
my direction, he faced the back and end walls of the 
house (1 and 2) with a rugged mass of burrs from the 
brick-field, rendering it somewhat like the interior of a 
cave. The work was commenced at some little distance 
from the wall, and gradually brought nearer and nearer 
as it proceeded upwards, occasional large blocks being 
firmly cemented to the wall, and strengthened with 
holdfasts ; and between the walls and the burrs good 
loam was rammed in from bottom to top. Next the 
front wall (4) and the end (3) a low border was formed 
with a facing of burrs, this border consisting of good 
loam. No special device for drainage was resorted to, 
and it has never been wanted ; a layer of broken bricks, 
about six inches deep, was put upon the tiles, and the 
