,,making ,a ,,rock ,,garden ,,the ,,house ,,garden ,,making ,,books ,it is the intention of the publishers to make this series of little volumes1 of which ,making a ,rock ,garden is one1 a complete library of authoritative and well illustrated handbooks dealing with the activities of the home-maker and amateur gardener4 ,text1 pictures and diagrams will1 in each respective book1 aim to make perfectly clear the possibility of having1 and the means of having1 some of the more important features of a modern country or suburban home4 ,among the titles already issued or planned for early publication are the following3 ,making a ,rose ,garden2 ,making a ,lawn2 ,making a ,tennis ,court2 ,making a ,fireplace2 ,making ,paths and ,driveways2 ,making a ,poultry ,house2 ,making a ,garden with ,hotbed and ,coldframe2 ,making ,built-in ,bookcases1 ,shelves and ,seats2 ,making a ,garden to ,bloom ,this ,year2 ,making a ,water ,garden2 ,making a ,garden of ,perennials2 ,making the ,grounds ,attractive with ,shrubbery2 ,making a ,naturalized ,bulb ,garden2 with others to be announced later4 ,illustration3 ,a nearly buried boulder is easily converted into a beautiful little rock garden4 ,fill in depressions with soil and plant there and around the edges of the boulder ,phlox subulata1 sedum1 arabis1 etc4 ,,making ,a ,,rock ,,garden ,by ,h4 ,s4 ,,adams ,decoration ,,new ,,york ,mc,b,r,i,d,e1 ,,nast ,,company #aiab ,,copyright1 #aiab1 ,,by ,,mcbride1 ,,nast ,,co4 ,published ,may1 #aiab ,,contents ,,page ,,the ,,rock ,,garden #a ,,the ,,choice ,,of ,a ,,site #f ,,the ,,work ,,of ,,construction #ac ,,planting ,,the ,,garden #bd ,,plants ,,for ,a ,,rock ,,garden #cb ,,the ,,wall ,,garden #de ,,water ,,and ,,bog ,,gardens #ej ,,the ,,illustrations ,,an ,,outcropping ,,boulder ,,converted ,frontispiece ,,into ,a ,,rock ,,garden ,,facing ,,page ,a ,,flight ,,of ,,steps ,,through ,,rock ,,work #h ,,an ,,example ,,of ,,good ,,rock ,,gardening #af ,a ,,small ,,bit ,,of ,,rock ,,work ,,where ,,two ,,paths ,,diverge #bf ,,foam ,,flower ,,and ,,one ,,of ,,the ,,smaller ,,ferns #cd ,,the ,,rock ,,garden ,,built ,,along ,a ,,main ,,curving ,,path #db ,a ,,wall ,,garden ,,planted ,,in ,,colonies #df ,a ,,fountain ,,in ,a ,,wall ,,garden #ej ,,making ,a ,,rock ,,garden ,making a ,rock ,garden ,,the ,,rock ,,garden ,in ,europe1 particularly in ,england1 the rock garden is an established institution with a distinct following4 ,the ,english works on the subject alone form a considerable bibliography4 ,on this side of the ,atlantic1 the rock garden is so little understood that it is an almost unconsidered factor in the beautifying of the home grounds4 ,there are a few notable rock gardens in this country1 all on large estates1 and in more instances some excellent work has been done on a smaller and less complicated scale either by actual creation or by taking advantage of natural opportunities4 ,but for the most part ,america has confined its rock garden vision principally to the so-called rockery4 ,now a rockery1 with all the good intentions lying behind it1 is not a rock garden4 ,it is no more a rock garden than a line of cedars planted in an exact circle would be a wood4 ,a rockery is generally a lot of stones stuck in a pile of soil or1 worse yet1 a circular array of stones filled in with soil4 ,a rock garden1 above all else1 is not artificial2 at least1 so far as appearance goes4 ,it is a garden with rocks4 ,the rocks may be few or many1 they may have been disposed by nature or the hand of man2 but always the effect is naturalistic1 if not actually natural4 ,the rock garden's one and only creed is nature4 ,rock gardens are of so many legitimate--in other words1 natural--types1 that there is not the slightest excuse for a rockery4 ,even that commonest of excuses1 finding a use for stray stones1 falls to the ground4 ,any close observer of nature is familiar with these types4 ,the natural rock gardens range from the patches of alpine plants above the timber line in high mountains down the lower slopes and through defiles to fields on or near sea level4 ,not infrequently they come down to the very sea1 while sweet waters commonly define and1 what is better1 are now and then incorporated in1 them--here a pool1 there a brook4 ,the bog1 too1 the heath and the desert1 they take unto themselves1 though perhaps only the nearer edge4 ,and does man1 by ponderous effort1 raise up massive masonry in orderly fashion2 one day disorder comes and nature makes things look natural by another kind of rock garden4 ,rome's ,coliseum and the ruins of ,kenilworth ,castle are only two of the unnumbered examples of this4 ,here1 in a nutshell1 are not only the natural variations of the rock garden1 but the inspiration4 ,no rock garden worthy of the name has ever been created by man that did not depend upon a study of those that nature has given the world in prodigal abundance4 ,there were the why and the how of it all1 and man simply saw and made use of his observations4 ,the advantages of a rock garden are1 primarily1 an element of picturesqueness that nothing else can provide1 and the possession of a place in which can be grown some of the loveliest flowers on earth that1 if they flourish at all1 will never do as well in the ordinary garden as in conditions more or less approximating their natural habitat4 ,also it may be made a pleasance of extraordinary attractiveness4 ,occasionally--and here is one of the most important things to be learned about the rock garden--it is the veritable key to the garden situation2 there are small places where no other kind is worth while1 if indeed it is possible4 ,,the ,,choice ,,of ,a ,,site ,the best site for a rock garden is where it ought to be4 ,that is a sad truth1 for it eliminates some homes from the game2 but useless waste of time will be saved if this is recognized at the outset4 ,first cast your eye about and see if you have a spot where a rock garden would look as if it belonged there2 that is the supreme test4 ,if one does not seem to belong there1 give up the idea philosophically and take it out in enjoying the rock gardens of other people4 ,as a rule a rock garden should not be near the house2 it is something savoring of the wild that does not fit in with most architecture4 ,exceptions are when the house is on a rocky site that makes such planting desirable1 if not imperative1 and a slope from the rear or one side of a house that seems decided enough to permit of a sharp break in the general landscape treatment4 ,save in these circumstances1 it is better that it should not be in sight of the house4 ,this is not so hard as it sounds2 even on a small place1 the spot is easily concealed by a planting of shrubbery4 ,nor should the rock garden1 any more than the rockery1 be in the lawn unless it is depressed and therefore out of sight1 or mainly so1 from the level4 ,the depression may be a natural or an artificial one1 it may be a brook with high banks or it may be a sunken pathway4 ,the edge of a lawn is better1 a corner of it is better yet1 and preferable to either is a bank sloping down from it4 ,the bank on either side of steps leading from one lawn level to another is also a possibility to be considered4 ,trees need not be altogether avoided2 sometimes they are essential to the pictorial effect4 ,it is not well1 however1 to place a rock garden near very large trees4 ,the drip is bad1 especially for alpines1 and the greedy roots not only rob the plants of nourishment but are very apt to dislocate the stones4 ,somewhere just outside the real garden is the best place2 then it is only a step from one little world into another that is altogether different4 ,if the rock garden leads to a bit of wood1 either directly or through a wild garden1 there will be all the more to rejoice over4 ,the more irregularity the site has1 or suggests1 the better2 a rock garden not only should have no straight lines1 but it is not well that all of it should be comprehended in a single view--no matter whether the area be large or small4 ,illustration3 ,wherever possible make the entrance to the rock garden a rough flight of steps4 ,excavate if necessary4 ,plant the step crevices as well as those of the side walls ,what constitutes a good site is well illustrated by one of the existing ,american rock gardens4 ,the place is large1 and in the rear of the house the grounds are level for a considerable distance and then drop with a fairly steep bank to a driveway1 below which another terrace leads to a meadow4 ,instead of being continuous1 however1 the bank above the driveway is broken by a little glen1 seemingly leading nowhere1 but actually an entrance to both the rear lawn and the formal garden4 ,in this glen is the rock garden1 or rather the main part of it4 ,though bounded on the north--it runs east and west--by the formal garden and on the south by the lawn1 the rock garden can be seen from neither of these1 nor from the house4 ,it is conveniently near all three1 yet distinctly apart from all4 ,a thin planting of evergreens screens it on the south and east sides1 and there is a low hedge between it and the formal garden4 ,the rock garden overflows the glen and runs along the bank on either side1 the shady section being devoted to an extensive collection of hardy ferns4 ,across the driveway there is more rock garden and then a short stretch of dry wall garden4 ,such a site as this does not have to be found all made4 ,given any grounds with a bank1 and a little imagination1 and a glen is a mere matter of shoveling soil4 ,call it a gorge1 if you prefer4 ,either1 in miniature1 is a favored rock garden form2 so are hill and crest4 ,thus far the assumption has been that the rocks have to be gathered up from various parts of the place or brought in from the outside4 ,but many grounds1 especially those of country places1 have the rocks2 often more than are wanted4 ,although sometimes this is the best of luck1 now and then the trouble of blasting and rearranging is about as great as if all the stone had to be found4 ,it does1 nevertheless1 make easier the choice of a site2 where rocks are naturally1 there they ought to be4 ,occasionally the rocks are so disposed that there is no choice2 the site settles itself and it is up to you to make the most of it4 ,a single boulder1 a few scattered rocks1 or a rocky bank can be converted into a simple rock garden without moving a stone4 ,a little judicious planting and the transformation is complete4 ,a rock garden with water is a rock garden glorified4 ,wherever possible1 without injury to the main scheme1 the garden should be brought to the water4 ,failing that1 bring the water to it1 if this is practicable2 which can be determined when the site is picked out4 ,,the ,,work ,,of ,,construction ,spring is the best time to make a rock garden4 ,when the important matter of the proper site has been put in the past1 a definite scheme must be planned4 ,upon the definiteness of this scheme1 much of the success of the rock garden will depend4 ,here desire will have to be subservient to the situation4 ,it is not so much what you want as what is best in the circumstances4 ,do not attempt slavishly to copy the rock garden of some one else4 ,all the money in the world would not create an exact duplicate for you1 since nature has made no two rocks precisely alike4 ,study them1 of course2 get all the ideas you can4 ,but study first1 and most1 nature--more particularly its ways in your own neighborhood4 ,anywhere there is abundant opportunity4 ,take a leaf or two from the book of the ,japanese gardeners4 ,they are past-masters of the art of making rock gardens1 with a bit of water thrown in4 ,they make use of comparatively few blossoming plants1 but their example is invaluable in the disposition of rocks with simple effectiveness1 in the simulation of height and distance1 in the proper employment of turf1 and in the planting of such small trees and shrubs as are suitable for a rock garden scheme4 ,measure carefully the space at command1 and then lay out the plan on cross-ruled paper4 ,call each of the little squares a square foot and the labor will be made easy4 ,next1 figure out a good entrance1 and1 if possible1 an equally good exit--the one invisible from the other4 ,then outline the main path1 which should be as devious as the situation allows1 and1 if byways cannot be added1 provide for bays1 or more pronounced recesses4 ,remember that you are not merely to simulate nature2 you are1 by a process of compressing much in little1 to epitomize it4 ,then comes the selection of the rocks4 ,usually the rock close at hand1 perhaps on the very grounds1 will answer every purpose4 ,if you are not fortunate enough to own any1 very likely there is more than one townsman who will be glad to give you all the boulders and smaller rocks that you want1 if you will only remove them from spots where they are not desired4 ,the cost of removal1 even in the case of boulders of fair size1 is not great4 ,barring quartz rock1 which does not look well1 almost any kind of natural stone may be made use of to the best advantage4 ,artificial stone should be shunned like the plague4 ,limestone and sandstone are good materials2 granite is better4 ,granite1 however1 does not stratify1 and if stratified effects are desired1 another stone must be selected4 ,a good plan is to use more than one kind1 but to keep them properly apart4 ,weather-beaten granite is excellent material1 and1 in general1 it is well to have the rock look anything but newly quarried4 ,pick out some rocks with a growth of lichen on them1 and be sure that this is not disturbed by the moving4 ,illustration3 ,good rock garden planting4 ,each of the principal species has a soil pocket to itself4 ,note the effective background and irregular crevices ,boulders may run up to several tons in weight4 ,where none is readily obtainable1 one can be simulated by ingeniously combining a few small ones and concealing the joints by the planting of such things as stonecrops in earth--which1 save in rare cases of sheer necessity1 is always used in the construction of a rock garden in place of mortar4 ,if the site is level1 the next step is to change all that--first on paper4 ,unless the lay of the land is all right at the outset1 the configuration of the rock garden must not depend wholly upon the upbuilding2 there must be some excavations1 but no depressions deep enough to catch and hold water just where you will want to walk4 ,aside from the path levels1 building begins with the rocks1 not with the soil4 ,this is a highly important point4 ,place the boulders first2 they are the big effects4 ,aside from that1 the heaviest work will be out of the way4 ,then start in with the outlining base rocks4 ,these should be placed with the largest surface to the ground and should vary in size4 ,it is not essential that the lowest rocks should be slightly buried in the ground1 but that course is preferable4 ,when the paths and outer margins have been thus defined1 scatter more rocks over the intervening surface1 placing them fairly thick but not close together4 ,next1 fill in with soil1 packing it firmly and ramming it hard into every crevice4 ,if it fits in with the day's work1 it is not a bad plan to water the rock work well in order to pack the soil1 and when resuming the labor on the morrow1 to add more soil1 well pressed down1 before proceeding with the second layer of rock4 ,this second layer should have the rocks placed with the front edge slightly back from that of the lower row in order to form a slope1 though an occasional overhang may be fashioned if required for a certain plant known to abhor a drip from above4 ,the construction then proceeds as before1 until the desired height is reached4 ,the height is entirely arbitrary1 but some points should be at least as high as the line of vision1 as one of the great advantages of a rock garden is the pleasure of enjoying some of the typical rock plants without stooping4 ,the rocks used as fillers should overlap here and there to give strength1 but care must be taken to contrive plenty of long soil runs4 ,eighteen inches should be the very least4 ,a plant like the alpine androsace is a tiny rosette1 seemingly requiring no more than an inch or two of soil1 but its roots are likely to be found following an earth-filled crevice in the rocks to the depth of a yard or so4 ,it is because of this deep penetration of roots that the soil should be packed so very firm2 the roots must be in no danger of loose soil or of striking a hidden hollow4 ,illustration3 ,where a rock would bear too heavily on the one below it1 even with soil between1 the pressure may be relieved by the use of small stones4 ,the soil run need not be straight1 but it must be continuous1 so that the roots of the plant may find their way from ,a through to ,b ,at no point between two stones should the layer of soil be less than two or three inches thick after being packed hard4 ,if an upper stone is likely to bear down too heavily and crush the plant roots1 this may be avoided by placing small stones here and there in the layer of soil4 ,the roots will work between these stones1 but there must be a continuous1 though not necessarily straight1 soil run from the front of the rock work to the solid filling of earth4 ,the run should slope downward slightly4 ,rocks calculated to simulate a natural stratification ought to be laid on an incline for proper drainage4 ,such pieces of rock may also be employed sparsely in wedging1 and in the making of the so-called pockets4 ,these pockets are of prime importance in the construction of a rock garden4 ,they hold the only considerable spaces of soil and are the chief means of colonizing plants1 thus providing for pronounced color effects4 ,they should break the slopes and be irregular in size1 shape1 and distribution4 ,the large ones may be easily subdivided by small stones when the planting is done if a further separation of species is desirable4 ,the soil must slope a little from the top1 so that there will be no standing water4 ,illustration3 ,cross-section of rock garden construction1 showing shallow 7,a7 and deep 7,b7 soil pockets2 tilting and wedging of rocks 7,c72 bridging 7,d71 and perpendicular crevice soil run 7,e74 ,two to three inches of soil between all joints4 ,the lowest rocks are partly buried ,the drainage of a rock garden is of vital importance4 ,there must be plenty of moisture stowed away behind the rocks against the heat of summer1 but all excess must be carried away4 ,the garden should drain naturally1 as the hills do4 ,if any doubt exists1 make a drainage bed of eight inches of clinkers before starting to lay the stones4 ,the soil should be a good loam with a little peat1 and stones varying in size from a mustard seed to an almond4 ,a little manure may be used1 but it must be old4 ,,planting ,,the ,,garden ,there are two ways of planting a rock garden4 ,one is to do all the crevice planting along with the building1 and the other1 of course1 is to defer everything until the rocks are in place and the soil thoroughly settled4 ,the former plan is a singularly appealing1 as well as practical1 one4 ,there is something fascinating in finishing completely a part of the work as one goes along4 ,the practical advantage lies chiefly in the fact that by this method good-sized plants may be firmly established in crevices at the very outset4 ,the soil in that case should be put part way in the crevice and packed down4 ,then some loose soil sprinkled on top1 and the plant1 with the earth well shaken from the roots1 unless it has a tap root1 laid down horizontally with the crown just outside the edge of the soil4 ,next spread the roots to follow the soil run2 fill up the crevice with more soil1 packed well1 and follow with more plants of the same kind4 ,use small stones to wedge plants where it appears necessary4 ,plants that hang down should be placed in the higher crevices2 this must be all thought out beforehand4 ,as a matter of fact1 the planting plan cannot be too thoroughly thought out in advance4 ,at point after point it dovetails with the structural plan1 which must accord with the requirements of what may be called the more difficult rock plants--the alpines1 some of the ferns1 and those plants that fit in well with rock work but demand more than the ordinary garden moisture4 ,the best way is to decide what plants are most desirable in the circumstances1 omitting1 as a rule1 the difficult or finicky ones2 there will be plenty of time to experiment with those when you have more experience4 ,make a face plan of the several sections of the rock work and mark on it where the plants are to go4 ,use numbers1 each corresponding to a species4 ,illustration3 ,where only a small effect is desired1 a tongue of rock work like this is an easy solution of the problem4 ,note the avoidance of straight lines ,the general idea is that all the soil shall be concealed1 not necessarily at the moment of planting1 but at the end of one or two seasons' growth4 ,unless you are a collector1 variety is of little importance4 ,the main thing is that there shall be beauty as a whole1 a few marked seasonal effects of color with massed bloom and some green the year round2 the garden must never be bare at any time1 as nature will show you4 ,plants clustered here and single there is a good planting rule4 ,colonies1 always of marked irregularity1 ought to merge into one another1 but they should not so overrun the rock work that no stones are in sight4 ,not infrequently some of the best effects are obtained where more rock than flowers is seen4 ,a boulder1 for example1 calls for the contrast of plants1 perhaps only a few low-growing ones in a natural pocket1 rather than a semi-eclipse4 ,as a rule1 plant one hundred of half a dozen or so suitable1 and easy1 species in preference to fifty or more kinds4 ,study at the same time the form of the plants that are to be used2 some quickly resolve themselves into a carpet1 some never get beyond mere tufts1 some always grow straight up1 some prefer to hang down1 and some have foliage that is evergreen or nearly so4 ,to be more specific1 one plant of ,saponaria ocymoides will spread out over four square feet of soil1 and thus fill completely a moderate-sized pocket1 whereas to conceal the same amount of ground three dozen auriculas might have to be used4 ,the same is true of the white rock cress 7,arabis albida74 ,so1 too1 with a crevice4 ,a single plant of one of the trailing stonecrops would fill it1 perhaps1 when a number of rosettes of the smaller kinds of house leek would be called for4 ,tall plants1 like the foxglove1 may sometimes be used1 in a small group1 at the end of a bay on the level of the path2 but they are best placed behind the rock work1 as a background1 or as dominating features of the entrance or exit of the garden4 ,at the entrance or exit such bold plants make a good bridge between the rock garden and the outer grounds4 ,spreading and trailing plants should be placed a foot or more above the path level and most plants with tufts or rosettes of foliage4 ,if the path is broad enough some of the wide-spreading plants may go at the base of the rocks1 but the rule there is to use those of moderate spread1 with a few tufted plants and some that grow upright1 but are not tall1 to lend variety4 ,when the path is of flat stones1 irregular in both size and placing1 this growth should fill all the soil space--even between the stones4 ,such a path will be found more than worth while1 and not as much of an undertaking as it may seem4 ,obvious considerations are that plants with a decided hankering after moisture or shade should be favored in the matter of location1 though it is astonishing how adaptive many of them are4 ,do not plant the weak next to the strong4 ,unless you are a gardener of eternal vigilance1 the weak will have the worst of it before you realize what a mistake you have made4 ,finally1 do not forget that planting is not the end2 it is only the beginning--of planting4 ,so long as the rock garden exists there will always be planting4 ,normal mortality will necessitate some1 there will be thinning out1 and time will suggest additions and more or less rearrangement4 ,and with the planting goes on the continual care1 much of which can be done in the course of the daily walk in the garden1 and therefore the loss of time will not be felt4 ,water in case of a real drought1 but use a sprinkler1 and do not stop until the ground has been soaked to a depth of a few inches4 ,mere surface watering is bad enough in the ordinary garden2 in a rock garden it is a fatal error1 as the growth of roots near the top of the soil leaves the plants in no condition to stand the full force of the summer sun4 ,go over the garden thoroughly once a year and all the time keep a sharp lookout for weeds4 ,if the soil is heavy1 top-dress with grit in the fall4 ,grit is good for rock plants4 ,stone chips placed around a plant will prevent too much dampness lodging about the collar in winter4 ,watch out for weak spots after very heavy rains4 ,,plants ,,for ,a ,,rock ,,garden ,so many plants are suitable for a rock garden that the range of choice is bewildering4 ,in this1 as in the laying out of the garden1 advisability takes precedence over pure personal desire1 though1 very fortunately1 it is often not difficult to make the two go hand in hand2 a little intelligent thought helps a lot4 ,to the beginner1 no better advice can be given than that which applies to the picking out of the rocks--use the material which is close at hand4 ,this is not1 by any means1 a mere suggestion to follow the lines of least resistance4 ,it is far more4 ,in the first place1 there is always an endless amount of beautiful and suitable plant life to be had without going far afield4 ,then again1 natural harmonious effects in your immediate neighborhood are pretty sure to be appropriate to your grounds4 ,finally1 you can see for yourself how things grow1 and as for the hardiness of plants1 you have it already tested for you4 ,this refers not alone to the natural conditions2 there is a second wide field in the gardens--the hardy gardens--of others1 where you can at once choose from the many and learn whether certain plants are too tender or require too much care for your use4 ,so far as plants native to the immediate neighborhood are concerned1 their value to the rock garden of the average person with limited time1 who is not obsessed with the idea of growing the rare and curious1 cannot be overestimated4 ,and they are so many2 more than most realize1 and often of an individual beauty not always appreciated in the bewildering profusion of the wild but plainly apparent when an individual1 or a little group1 is open to close study in a rock garden4 ,do not make the rather common mistake of thinking that they are too familiar to be interesting2 they are never likely to be4 ,and1 honestly1 can you say in your heart that they are8 ,for a ,connecticut rock garden the ,greek valerian 7,polemonium reptans7 must be purchased1 unless a neighbor can spare some from his collection of old-fashioned flowers2 there it belongs in that category4 ,but why should you of ,minnesota or ,missouri deny so beautiful a flower a place in your rock garden1 simply because you have only to go to the woods for it8 ,the ,english enthusiast brings home primroses from the ,himalayas1 gentians from the ,swiss ,alps1 and ,dryas ,drummondi from the ,canadian ,rockies for his rock garden1 but he does not fail to take advantage of some of the common things near-by--even the pale primrose and the cowslip4 ,illustration3 ,native plants are excellent material for the rock garden4 ,the foam flower 7,tiarella cordifolia7 at the top1 and one of the smaller ferns at the bottom ,from ferns alone1 or from only plants of shrubby growth1 a most beautiful native rock garden may be made4 ,and adding small flowering plants1 or excluding all else1 there are limitless opportunities4 ,it goes without saying that ,a's rock garden in ,maine will not be like ,b's in ,louisiana2 but there is no law compelling it to be4 ,among the common wild flowers of the ,east that take on unexpected new beauty when transferred to the rock garden are the celandine 7,chelidonium majus71 strawberry 7,fragaria ,virginica71 cranesbill 7,geranium maculatum71 toadflax 7,linaria vulgaris71 orange hawkweed 7,hieracium auranticum71 herb ,robert 7,geranium ,robertianum71 coltsfoot 7,tussilago ,farfara71 ,solomon's seal 7,polygonatum biflorum71 foam flower 7,tiarella cordifolia71 bloodroot 7,sanguinaria ,canadensis71 and some of the violets4 ,these are but a few names1 and random ones at that4 ,some of them1 the coltsfoot1 cranesbill1 celandine1 and toadflax1 spread too rapidly1 but by careful watching and not allowing the seed to ripen1 they may be kept within bounds4 ,there are many such plants that will take all the room in sight if they are allowed to1 and they must be watched closely1 or else discarded altogether4 ,some of them answer a good purpose by giving the rock garden a quick start1 after which they may easily be reduced or thrown out altogether4 ,there need be no compunction about discarding4 ,certain plants1 like certain friends1 you enjoy having for a visit1 but do not care to see remain forever and a day4 ,annuals as a class are not desirable for the rock garden2 for one thing1 the care of renewal is too great4 ,biennials are almost as much care1 but in each case there will always be exceptions that are a matter of individual preference4 ,few1 for example1 would have the heart to reject the dainty little purple toadflax of ,switzerland 7,linaria alpina71 just because it is a biennial4 ,the main dependence1 however1 must be placed on perennials--the plants that1 barring accidents1 last indefinitely4 ,these should be mostly species2 if horticultural1 do not use the bizarre--,darwin tulips1 for example1 or the ,madame ,chereau iris4 ,nor1 with rare exceptions1 should double flowers be used4 ,a double daffodil looks horribly out of place1 while the double white rock cress 7,arabis albida7 will pass4 ,the easy rock garden plants1 where the material is not taken from the wild1 are to be found in most of the large hardy gardens of the ,east4 ,some of them are natives of ,europe or ,asia1 and more than is commonly suspected are at home in other parts of the ,united ,states4 ,among the best of these for carpets of bloom are ,phlox subulata1 ,phlox amoena1 ,aubrietia deltoidea1 maiden pink 7,dianthus deltoides71 blue bugle 7,ajuga ,genevensis71 white bugle 7,ajuga reptans71 woolly chickweed 7,cerastium tomentosum71 creeping thyme 7,thymus serpyllum71 dwarf speedwell 7,veronica repens71 ,saponaria ocymoides1 alpine mint 7,calamintha alpina71 and pink1 white1 and yellow stonecrops 7sedum74 ,all of them fairly hug the ground4 ,there are other plants that form a carpet of foliage1 but the flower stalks rise higher4 ,these include white rock cress 7,arabis albida71 the permissible double buttercup 7,ranunculus acris fl4 pl471 the also permissible double ,german catchfly 7,lychnis viscaria71 another double flower1 fair maids of ,france 7,ranunculus aconitifolius71 ,carpathian bellflower 7,campanula ,carpatica71 grass pink 7,dianthus plumarius71 ,iris pumila1 crested iris 7,iris cristata71 ,christmas rose 7,helleborus niger71 ,phlox divaricata1 ,phlox ovata1 ,phlox repens1 foam flower 7,tiarella cordifolia71 ,veronica incana1 ,alyssum saxatile1 ,saxifraga cordifolia1 and various avens 7geum74 ,several of the primulas give a like effect if the planting is close--as it should be in a pocket4 ,the best are the ,english primrose 7,primula vulgaris71 cowslip 7,p4 veris71 oxlip 7,p4 elatior71 bird's eye 7,p4 farinosa71 yellow auricula 7,p4 auricula71 ,p4 denticulata1 and ,p4 ,cortusoides4 ,similarly1 spring bulbs may be employed2 plant them1 for the most part1 under a ground cover so that the soil will not show when they die down4 ,of the tulips1 single ones of the early and cottage types may be used1 if in a solid color1 but most to be preferred are the species1 such as the sweet yellow 7,florentine7 tulip of ,southern ,europe and the little lady tulip 7,tulipa ,clusiana74 ,crocuses are also best in type forms1 and the small1 single1 yellow trumpet kinds are the finest daffodil material4 ,single white or blue hyacinths may be used1 but better than the stiff spikes of bloom of new bulbs will be the looser clusters of bulbs that have begun to run out in the border4 ,other valuable bulbs are the snowdrop1 ,scilla ,sibirica1 glory-of-the-snow 7,chionodoxa ,lucili71 guinea-hen flower 7,fritillaria ,meleagris71 grape hyacinth 7,muscari botryoides71 ,triteleia uniflora1 ,allium ,moly1 and the wood and ,spanish hyacinths 7,scilla nutans and campanulata74 ,taller plants that may be worked in1 oftentimes best with only a single specimen or small clump1 are autumn aconite 7,aconitum autumnale71 ,yucca filamentosa1 leopard's bane 7doronicum71 single peonies 7either herbaceous or tree71 ,german1 ,japanese1 and ,siberian iris1 as well as the yellow flag 7,iris pseudacorus71 single columbines1 ,anemone ,japonica1 ,hemerocallis flava1 ,sedum spectabile1 ,dielytra spectabile1 ,dielytra formosa1 ,jacob's ladder 7,polemonium ,richardsonii71 fraxinella1 ,anthemis tinctoria1 single ,campanula persicifolia1 ,campanula rapunculoides1 ,campanula glomerata1 globe flower 7trollius71 snapdragon 7antirrhinum71 platycodon1 lavender 7where it is proven hardy71 and musk mallow 7,malva moschata74 ,of the lilies1 ,lilium ,philadelphicum1 ,l4 elegans1 ,l4 speciosum1 and ,l4 longiflorum are all desirable1 and they thrive in partial shade1 though in ,japan ,l4 elegans will be found standing out from the rocks in full sunshine4 ,for peering over into the rock garden1 rather than being placed in it1 ,l4 ,canadense1 ,l4 tigrinum1 and ,l4 superbum are recommended4 ,illustration3 ,a rock garden merging into woodland4 ,a curved path is desirable1 as it affords a greater number of vistas ,the pick of the low shrubs are the charming ,daphne cneorum1 which flourishes better for being lifted above the ordinary garden level1 and ,azalea amoena4 ,the latter1 however1 should be so placed that its trying solferino does not make a bad color clash4 ,rhododendrons and mountain laurel fringe a rock garden well1 and with one trailing juniper 7,juniperus procumbens7 will provide a great deal of the refreshing winter green4 ,single roses1 the species1 fit in well where there is room for them4 ,good ones are ,r4 setigera1 ,r4 rubiginosa1 ,r4 ,wichuraiana1 all rampant1 and the low ,r4 blanda4 ,the roses would better be at or near the entrance or exit1 or far enough above the rock work not to ramble over small plants4 ,the plants in this list cover all seasons and vary somewhat in their soil and moisture requirements4 ,but the variation is nothing beyond the ordinary garden knowledge4 ,most will do better if their preferences are considered1 but none is apt to perish with average care4 ,alpines1 as a class1 would better be left to the amateur with the time1 money1 and disposition to specialize4 ,most of them take kindly to being transferred from a mile or more up in the air to sea level2 the edelweiss1 for one1 grows here readily from seed1 and the exquisitely beautiful ,gentiana acaulis thrives in ,american rock gardens4 ,but1 on the whole1 alpines do not do as well here as in ,england1 where the summer climate is not so hard on them4 ,when they flourish here1 it is at the cost of a great amount of professional care4 ,,the ,,wall ,,garden ,a wall garden is a perpendicular rock garden4 ,but whereas a rock garden is of all things irregular1 a wall garden has regularity4 ,the wall need not be a straight line2 it is better that one end should describe a curve1 and rocks at the base may give it further irregularity4 ,yet it can never quite lose the air of man's handiwork4 ,the prime object of the gardening on it is to reduce this air to a minimum4 ,the way to make a wall garden is to build a dry wall of rough stones--that is1 a wall without mortar4 ,instead use soil and pack it tight in every crevice as well as behind the stones1 which should be tilted back a little to carry water into the soil4 ,this tilting may be accomplished with small stone wedges4 ,the best kind is a five-foot retaining wall1 as there is then a good body of soil behind to which the roots can reach out through the crevices4 ,but a double-faced wall may be made1 if the situation demands it1 by constructing parallel lines of stones and filling in solidly with soil4 ,illustration3 ,planting plan of dry wall1 the dark portions representing the chief earth-filled crevices4 ,the plants are3 #a--;,arabis albida2 #b--;,alyssum saxatile2 #c--;,house leek 7sempervivum72 #d--,viola tricolor2 #e--;,armeria maritima ,illustration3 ,a wall garden planted in colonies--the better way4 ,if not too vigorous of growth1 vines may be planted as shown here at the base ,although the face of the wall in either case may be strictly perpendicular1 it is better that each layer should recede a bit4 ,construct it after the manner of the rock garden1 laying the stones so that the top will be level1 or approximately so4 ,illustration3 ,dry wall for retaining bank4 ,cross-section1 showing crevices1 soil runs and tilting of rocks ,in planting also1 follow the same rules4 ,it is better to plant as the work progresses4 ,either plants or seed may be used4 ,if it is seed1 press carefully into the soil in the front of the crevices4 ,small seed may be mixed in thin mud and this plastered on the soil4 ,for a tiny crevice make a pill of the mixture4 ,illustration3 ,double-faced dry wall4 ,a few rocks are used with the soil filling and here and there one on top of it ,the range of reliable plants that do not call for special care is not great so far as the crevices are concerned4 ,all the stonecrops1 the house leeks1 ,arabis albida1 red valerian 7,centranthus ruber71 aubrietia1 ,alyssum saxatile1 snapdragon1 wallflower 7,cheiranthus ,cheiri71 ,kenilworth ivy1 ,viola tricolor1 ,dianthus plumarius1 and ,dianthus deltoides are all very serviceable4 ,behind the wall1 at the top1 a strip of earth should be left and there a wider variety of plants can be grown4 ,single ,marguerite carnations and grass pinks will form a sort of cascade of foliage and bloom there if planted close to the wall or in the crevices of the top1 and a similar effect1 but much bolder1 can be created with the perennial pea 7,lathyrus latifolius74 ,if the dry wall is already made1 the crevices can be plugged with soil if care and patience are used4 ,even a cemented wall is not hopeless2 here and there the mortar can be chiseled out and an occasional small stone should be removed4 ,a wall garden has these advantages over a rock garden2 it is more easily constructed1 it is of practical use1 and it is sometimes a possibility where the other is not4 ,,water ,,and ,,bog ,,gardens ,neither the water nor the bog garden is dependent on rocks4 ,either or both1 however1 may just as well be an adjunct of the rock garden4 ,they solve the wet spot problem admirably1 permit the culture of native water lilies1 orchids1 and numerous other beautiful plants1 and certainly contribute their share of picturesqueness4 ,if water is lacking1 it may often be introduced at little expense4 ,illustration3 ,a little grotto with trickling water makes a picturesque break in a wall garden4 ,if shady1 plant ferns generously ,in most cases it will be found that some cement construction is necessary1 but not a bit of it should show4 ,this is easily managed by building a cement shoulder on the sides of the pool or stream a little below what will be the level of the water1 and then setting rough stones on that4 ,a cement bottom for shallow water may be disguised by imbedding pebbles and small stones in the cement before it sets4 ,illustration3 ,to conceal the cemented bank of a pool or stream1 make a shoulder eight inches or so wide and about six inches below the water line4 ,then place small rocks on the shoulder ,dispose the rocks very irregularly1 but they may be so few as to be mere notes4 ,avoid stagnant water1 and if mosquitoes are feared introduce some goldfish4 ,they like mosquito larv4 ,water lilies and sagittaria--one plant will do if the pool is small--in the water and near it1 but not in standing water1 ,japanese iris1 yellow flag1 globe flower1 and ,lythrum roseum are good selections4 ,forget-me-not is one of the finest plants for the banks4 ,use the perennial kind 7,myosotis palustris semperflorens74 ,the bog garden simply reproduces bog conditions4 ,as a rock garden adjunct it may be a small spot with the perpetually moist and moss-covered soil in which the native cypripediums and pitcher plants flourish4 ,eighteen or twenty inches of suitable soil1 a mixture of leaf mold1 peat1 and loam1 in which has been stirred some sand and gravel1 must be provided4 ,if an artificial bog1 the bottom may be made of cement or puddled clay4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,two oe ligatures in the original book have been rendered as oe4 ,a spelling error in the original has also been corrected3 ,polemonicum to ,polemonium 7,page #da3 444 ,jacob's ladder 7,polemonium ,richardsonii7 4447 ,italics are rendered as underscores4