HENDERSON’S PICTURESQUE GARDENS 
1 16 
ROCKERIES AND ROCK GARDENS 
Rockeries are ancient institutions, and were constructed osten- 
sibly to enable strictly "rock plants” to be grown under condi- 
tions similar to those in their natural environments. When these 
congenial conditions can be supplied artificially, many rare and 
beautiful plants that otherwise would not thrive on the home 
grounds may be grown there. 
Typical rock plants are found in the mountainous regions 
growing in the fissures, crevices and pockets of soil among the 
rocks. Some kinds will cling to almost bare rock and grow 
with little soil; but the great majority are deep -rooting plants 
that prefer deep soil- pockets, where their roots can follow the 
sides of rocks for a long distance, thereby securing coolness and 
moisture. Typical rock plants are mostly of small stature, some 
of them, in fact, being very diminutive, thus enabling a rockery 
of comparatively small extent to maintain a large variety of these 
charming little plants. During later years, however, in addition 
to the little alpine and mountain plants, other dwarf -growing 
hardy plants are utilized and also small - flowering hardy bulbs. 
The latter, when through flowering, may be succeeded by certain 
annuals without removing the bulbs. 
A well-constructed rockery, tastefully planted, forms a delight- 
ful garden scene. The site, if possible, should be against some 
sloping bank on the outskirts of the lawn or garden, with a 
background of trees, shrubbery or against a vine-covered wall, if 
the situation would afford sufficient sun, as well as a little shade. 
A rockery can be made so that it will be a permanent 
source of pleasure, and require but little attention if it is prop- 
erly constructed and if the plants are suitably selected to give 
a succession of flowers through the season, which is easily done 
by planting spring-, summer- and autumn-flowering sorts. 
Rock gardens are usually constructed boldly and arranged so 
as to produce a picturesque landscape effect, differing from 
"rockeries” as popularly understood. A rock garden, properly 
placed and artistically arranged and planted, is a very charming 
and continuously interesting style of gardening, — a living picture 
of nature’s wild beauty, imperceptibly enriched and strengthened 
by the hand of art. Lovely starry flowers appear from the cran- 
nies and partly veil the rugged rocks ; bolder plants stand forth 
from the ledge pockets like sentinels ; other sections are mantled 
with unique alpine flowers and verdure ; all formality is gone 
and picturesque freedom reigns alone ; for a rock garden should 
be placed away from visual contact with any formal garden- 
ing or architecture, the object being to simulate the natural. 
The celebrated rock garden at Kew was made to imitate the 
rocky course of a Pyrenean stream. The zigzag path, over 500 
feet long, represents its dry bed ; the irregular hilly and rocky 
banks — in miniature, of course, — hold the numberless soil-pockets 
for the picturesque grouping of alpine and other appropriate 
plants and bulbs. In constructing a rock garden situations should 
be provided for both shade- and sun -loving plants. The stones 
should be placed so as to form very deep soil-pockets of irregu- 
lar size and outline all the way from the base up the irregularly 
sloping bank to the top, where a background of shrubbery and 
trees would be effective. If a streamlet is available, and can be 
made to fall in a series of little cascades from the upper to 
the lower level, the picturesque effect of the rock garden may 
be heightened charmingly. 
A rock garden can, of course, be constructed on level ground, 
but is seldom so effective in contrasts as when a side -hill, little 
ravine or steep slope can be utilized. On level ground it is 
