The Garden Magazine, September, 1923 
23 
A CALIFORNIA GARDEN 
Where natural rock is put to inter¬ 
esting uses which admirably set off 
the abundant year-round color of 
flowers and shrubbery 
The retaining wall makes a delightful set¬ 
ting for alpine and other small plants— 
Dr. Woodward’s garden at St. Martins, Pa.; 
designed by Mr. G. F. Dawson 
any garden. Several dwarf 
forms of Phlox, including 
the dainty Ground- or 
Moss-pink (P. subulata) in 
several varieties, and Lovely 
Phlox (P. amoena) with pink 
flowers, will thrive either in 
shady or sunny places. The 
Double White Rock-cress 
(Arabis alpina) and the 
closely related Rock-cress 
(Aubrietia), forming dense 
masses of silver gray foliage 
with flowers in delicate 
shades in a great range of 
colors—purple to pink—and 
quite drought-resistant, are 
among the finest of the rock 
plants blooming in spring. 
Among the many Campan¬ 
ulas the low-growing Hare¬ 
bell or Bluebells-of-Scotland 
(C. rotundifolia) and the 
larger C. carpatica with large 
blue or white, bell-shaped flowers can be used. The Cushion-pink 
(Silene acaulis), with rose, pink, or purple flowers, is sun-loving. 
The Rock Jasmines ( Androsace ), true alpines represented by 
many species and belonging to the Primrose family, are very 
desirable rock plants. The flowers are along the Primrose order, 
and the genus is represented by such species as A. primuloides, 
rosy lilac flowers, A. sarmentosa, pink flowers, A. lactea, white 
flowers, and A. lanuginosa, lilac-rose flowers. I have a few 
Androsace in my yard, and 1 find them very satisfactory. 
Then there are low forms of the Windflower (Anemone); the 
white or lilac-tinted Perennial Candytuft (Iberis); varied forms 
of Saxifrage, the daisy-like Chamomile (Anthemis montana); 
many kinds of Columbine (Aquilegia); several kinds of Statice 
(Sea-lavender) and the closely related Sea-pink (Armeria 
Laucheana), suitable for planting against large rocks; the 
shade-loving Velvet-lawn (Arenaria balearica) with tiny white 
flowers; the lovely Wood-lilies (Trillium); several of the Wood- 
sorrels (Oxalis). For very showy effects the Dianthus or 
Pink, represented by the Maiden Pink (D. deltoides), Sweet 
Pink (D. suavis), Garden Pink (D. plumarius), and Fringed 
Pink (D. superbus), the beautiful 
Alpine Poppy (Papaver alpinum), 
and the Iceland Poppy (P. nudi- 
caule), are all of value. 
Some of the Primroses (Primula) 
give very pretty effects when 
planted in half shade in the rock 
garden. A few of the best species 
include; P. hirsuta with rosy purple 
flowers; P. marginata with lilac 
flowers; P. polyantha in bright 
colors; and P. auricula with yellow 
flowers. Other interesting and dis¬ 
tinctive rock plants include: thecu- 
rious Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema 
triphyllum); the Alpine Cinquefoil 
(Potentilla alba); the blue Gen¬ 
tians; the delicate white and pink 
Shortias; the spreading Snow-in- 
Summer (Cerastium tomentosum), 
fine for sun-exposed walls; thefairy- 
like Baby’s-breath (Gypsophila 
paniculata); the blue Houstonia 
caerulea; the brilliant Campions 
(Lychnis); the trailing Saponaria; 
Dog's Tooth Violet (Erythro- 
nium). 
