The Fascination 
Of Rock Gardening 
Rock gardening, well done, is the roost subtle 
expression of the ancient garden art. But at the 
outset there should be a warning. The culture of 
alpine or high mountain and saxatile or rock 
plants is decidedly different from the cultivation of 
most garden plants. Many of them require special 
care, though this care is not difficult, and consists 
largely of the proper preparation of the soil and the 
selection of the site. Now, if the blooming of some 
coarse, cabbage-like plant is to you the acme of gar¬ 
den endeavor you will do well to read no farther' 
But let us wander, in imagination, up into a high 
meadow in the western mountains. There are 
spread vast acres of golden-yellow glacier lilies with 
a scattering of the exquisitely white blossoms of the 
chalice cup. Let us continue up t:o the rock ledges 
and find there banks of saxifrages, beds of Dryad 
with its lovely white blossoms, low cushions of car¬ 
pet pink ablaze with a profusion of flowers. If there 
stirs within yojr the desire to reproduce this beauty 
in your own ga'rden, even on the most modest scale 
then you have the soul of a true rock gardener. 
The Cultivation Of 
Alpine & Saxatile Plants 
It will be encouraging to you to hear that the cul¬ 
ture of most rock garden plants is not difficult. It 
is well,though not essential, to build a rock garden. 
Most true alpine plants need good drainage which 
means sand and gravel together with peat or leaf 
mold, and ordinary loam. They should be watered 
from below rather than directly on the surface. 
The more particular ones, especially in the south¬ 
ern parts of the country, will do best with partial 
shade. 
Best results are secured by planting alpine seeds in 
fall or in early spring so they may be frozen. This 
facilitates germination. Start them directly in the 
rock garden, or, preferably, in pots or boxes with a 
mixture of sand, loam, and peat. A few alpines 
are very slow to germinate, and in extreme cases re¬ 
quire tw ? elve months, so do not become discouraged 
if your plants do not show as soon as you think 
they should. When your rockery blooms, and you 
have the satisfaction of beholding the exquisite 
