4S8 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ December 1, 1892. 
has yet to explain the nature of his experience in Grape growing at 
Warwick Castle, and I suspect that Mr. Ward grew good Grapes before 
he saw Mr. Dunkin, and no doubt will do so now that he has left him. 
If Mr. Dunkin can invite me, through the Editor, to join Mr. Iggulden 
in the inspection of his produce, I will, in return, invite both to view 
mine, and entertain them with the greatest of pleasure. They will see 
we follow no rule-of-thumb practice, but we have some Grapes left, 
and Peaches have turned the scale at 10 ozs. Has Mr. Dunkin yet told 
us all he knows about Grape growing at Warwick Castle ? I trow 
not.— Warwick. 
[We think the time has arrived for Mr. Dunkin to tell the public 
what he told us at the commencement of the discussion. He seems to 
have purposely left an opening for critics, and can now carry out his 
original attention.] 
ROCKERIES AND ROCK PLANTS. 
In reference to your note on page 214 anent the presentation of rock 
plants to the Royal Horticultural Society by the Kew authorities, I am 
glad to see that public taste is still turning in this direction. I am sure 
that no class of plants give so much pleasure to people who appreciate 
hardy flowers as those which are suitable for the rockery. They are even 
more interesting and useful for making a display in a limited space than 
those which are confined to the border as herbaceous plants for 
the reason that they do not require nearly so much attention in 
the matter of staking and keeping the ground clear of weeds. I fear 
gardeners in general do not pay so much attention to this class of plants, 
or, indeed, to hardy plants in general, as they might and ought; but 
probably the day is not far distant when they will find it imperative to 
do so. In conversation with specialists who are large and frequent 
exhibitors at exhibitions held at various times of the year I have been 
told how little notice the average gardener appears to take of such 
collections, while those who do are always on the look out for anything 
new or rare, or improvements on older forms in any way. More than 
once 1 have been told by those in charge how amusing it is to hear the 
names which are sometimes given by gardeners to simple and common 
plants when inspecting the collections. 
It is surprising what a number of varieties can be accommodated on 
a small rockery by a proper method of planting and attention. I know 
that in many gardens there is not the slightest semblance of a rockery, 
nor even perhaps a suitable place for one, but one can generally be 
found if two persons, employer and gardener, are in the right mood. 
It is not necessary that a costly arrangement should be undertaken in 
making an interesting rockery, provided that there be stone on or near 
the place ; but where suitable material is not to be had for some hundreds 
of miles it is different. It is not necessary either that elaborate details 
of arrangement should be carried out before the stones are placed ready 
for the plants. The main object should be to provide all available space 
for plants rather than what is sometimes termed “ artistic grouping” (?), 
for after all, how much of the artist’s handiwork is seen after the plants 
are firmly established ? The bulk of the stones are hidden, or they 
should be, by suitable creeping plants. Who would think of exposing a 
considerable part of overhanging stones, and do without such effective 
and interesting plants as Arenaria balearica, Aubrietia Campbelli, or 
some of the Mossy Saxifrages ? The arrangement which provides the 
greatest amount of surface planting room is that which meets with 
most favour amongst plant lovers, if not amongst professional rockery 
builders. 
Everyone having a particle of experience of rock plants prefers the 
natural stone, even if it be but flint, to that which is got up as 
imitations and composed of broken bricks, clinkers, or flint stones 
broken into small pieces, the whole being faced with cement. For years 
after being built it is difficult to coax anything to live on the latter, 
even Herniaria glabra has refused to associate itself with the sham-built 
rock and has preferred death. Some chemical influence connected with 
the cement is, I presume, the cause of the non-growth of plants which 
come into touch with it. The rockery which is fully exposed to the 
sun all day is not in the best site for successfully growing the greatest 
number of plants. That which is situated on the north side of trees 
giving some shade, but which are far enough away to prevent dense 
shading is better. The north side of the rockery should not be wholly 
exposed to the full blast of biting winds from that quarter and the east, 
although plants which are subjected to a little of such conditions are 
more reliable than those which are huddled up in an oven-like situation. 
Rockeries should be made longer than they are wide, and are better 
if running east and west. The northern side provides an opportunity 
for the growth of plants which object to the glaring sun, such as 
Ramondia pyrenaica, for instance, and the Ladies’ Slipper Orchids, also 
Trillium grandiflorum. For the purpose of comparison, classification, 
and effect, all families, such as Anemones, Saxifrages, and dwarf 
Campanulas ought to be massed together. This is much better than the 
“higgledy piggledy ” system sometimes adopted. 
Such plants as the Gentian family can be managed successfully if 
they are planted on the sunny side of a block, although many persons 
fail to grow G. acaulis to perfection. I have been fortunate enough to 
obtain as many as twenty-seven fully expanded blooms of this variety 
on a patch 12 inches square ; it was a veritable sheet of blue, and the 
flowers remained in perfection a long time. A thin soil, composed of loam 
and old lime rubble, is all that is required, but the great point is to 
provide water at the roots in quantity while new growth is being made 
after flowering is past. During very hot weather some shade is essential; 
I afford that by laying a few common Laurel twigs on the top of the 
plants, removing them at night and during dull or wet weather. Where 
the roots are burnt up by powerful sun and no water is given it is not to 
be wondered at if this plant refuses to succeed. I mention these facts to 
show that to be successful with all rockery plants it is something more 
than a question of simply planting them and expecting them to 
grow and flourish. Another instance of a “ miffy ” plant under ordi¬ 
nary treatment is that magnificent blue-flowering perennial Litho- 
spermum prostratum, which almost rivals the Gentian in intensity of 
colour under satisfactory conditions ; or take again the brilliantly 
coloured Californian Fuchsia, Zauchneria californica, which will grow 
like a weed where the conditions are favourable. 
Rockeries should not be limited to strictly rockery plants, but with 
a view to make them interesting over a longer season such plants as 
Spirrna callosa alba, S. brumalda, various low growing Heaths, and 
Hypericum caprifolium, which is attractive both in flower and when 
bearing fruit, should be added. Even bulbous plants go a long way to 
embellish the rockery. What could be more effective early in January 
than a clump of Galanthus Elwesi, with from 100 to 200 blooms 
expanded at once ? It may be followed by various Narcissi, Scillas, and 
Chionodoxa Lucilise. I could give a list of suitable plants for rookeries 
to bloom at various periods as a guide to intending planters, with a note 
on their peculiarities of growth if any, but fear the Editor is thinking 
I have already said enough.—E. Molyneux. 
JOTTINGS ABOUT FLOWER BEDS. 
Mr. Dunkin says, in the Journal of Horticulture for February 25th 
of the current year, that he is strongly in favour of using old Zonal 
Pelargoniums. I am of the same opinion, so much bo that I have 
followed a system of my own since I came here over seven years ago, 
and which has proved in every way a success. I lift all my Pelar¬ 
goniums, which are in pots, the first or second week in October, and 
place them in a vinery that is started about February 1st. They 
receive no water, unless they are inclined to shrivel, until February 1st. 
They are then cut down to one eye on each shoot, and syringed daily 
until they break. When they have started into growth freely all the 
soil is shaken from the roots, and if there are any very strong roots they 
are shortened back. The plants are then potted into the same sized 
pots. The soil I use is what Chrysanthemums have been grown in, and 
this is rubbed through a coarse sieve ; the pieces of sods and bone dust 
that have been used form a lasting compost for the Pelargoniums. The 
plants are placed back in the vinery until growth has fairly com¬ 
menced, and then they are removed to a Peach house, started about 
March 1st. They remain in this house until severe frosts are passed, 
and then put into cold frames. They are planted or plunged in the 
beds the first week in June, so close that no soil can be seen. They 
are in bloom when planted, and continue so until October. The plants 
being put in the beds in the pots prevents them making too much 
growth in a wet season.—T. C., Leeds, 
An Attractive Flower Bed. 
Before the useful jottings on this subject, which have appeared lately 
in the Journal are finished, I should like to add a short note on a 
combination which is admirably suited for filling large beds in 
prominent situations, such as the centre bed in a large flower garden. 
This is a mixture of Lobelia cardinalis and Calceolaria amplexicaulis ; 
the bright red flowers of the Lobelia and the lemon yellow Calceolaria 
blend admirably together. The Lobelia should be planted in small 
clumps over the bed at about 18 inches apart, and the Calceolarias 
dotted amongst them. When the latter have made good growth peg 
them evenly over the surface of the bed, and it is advisable to support 
their flower stems with neat stakes. When cut down by frost the 
Lobelia roots should be lifted and placed thickly in boxes, wintering 
them in some light position where frost alone is excluded. The 
Calceolaria mentioned is more tender than the other bedding varieties, 
and is best preserved during the winter in boxes, treating the plants 
the same as bedding Zonal Pelargoniums. Plant into rich soil outside 
when all danger from severe frost is over.—O. C. 
Antirrhinums for Bedding. 
In the near future this class of plants will play a prominent part in 
the embellishment of our gardens during the summer and autumn 
months now that distinct colours can be obtained true by propagation 
from cuttings. In some instances they come very well from seed, but 
propagation from cuttings is the most satisfactory way of obtaining a 
true stock. Although the striped kinds may be novel in point of colour¬ 
ing, I prefer the self colours, which can be employed so much 
more in harmony with other things in the garden than can the 
striped varieties. 
As late as the middle of October we had some hundreds of plants 
of an exceptionally fine type of a white-flowered kind, which were 
smothered with blossom, and had been since the end of May, with one 
exception during a long spell of dry weather, which in addition to the 
plants growing at the foot of a Holly hedge, gave them a check. The 
mention of their being in flower at that period is made to show what a 
length of time Antirrhinums can be had in bloom. In addition to the 
white above named I have a splendid soft yellow and three shades of 
dark coloured sorts, in all five distinct colours, which if judiciously 
employed can be made to give a gool display next year. Antirrhinums 
