ROCK GARDENS

Rock Gardens Overview - 8

The selection of plants for the rock garden gives rise to the very vexed question of what are really suitable. Should only high alpines be included? Are all herbaceous perennials worthy inmates? What about the dwarf trees and shrubs? Are annuals allowable? Ask half a dozen rock-garden enthusiasts these questions, and you will get a different answer from each of them. As to herbaceous perennials and shrubs, height is a deciding factor, except in large rock gardens, where some of the taller of them will not come amiss in the more remote and out-of-the-way spots. Dwarf annuals, as a whole, would appear to be allowable as temporary subjects in new and sparsely-furnished gardens, while certain species are so charming and appropriate that they might well become permanencies. However, it is impossible to dogmatize on such a subject, and the final decision can quite well be left to the personal likes and dislikes of the owner of the rock garden. There are, however, several other points to be borne in mind. We should aim at having bloom over the longest possible period of the year. In this connection some of the smaller-growing bulbs which bloom in the winter and early spring are invaluable, while those later autumn-flowering alpines, such as Lithospermunt diffusurn, syn. prostraturn (Gromwell), Erigeron mucronatus, and Zauschneria californica, furnish colour long after the great majority of rock plants have finished flowering. Some of the stronger growers soon overrun the rock garden and smother other plants less luxuriant, perhaps, but more beautiful and useful. These vigorous plants must, therefore, be limited in number and those of this nature that are chosen must be sternly cut back and kept in check. To add interest to the rock garden, as many of the various genera as possible should be selected, but the garden must never be overcrowded. Bulbs are often overlooked when planting the rock garden. This should not be, for few sights are more lovely than some of the smaller-growing bulbs blooming above a carpeting of Accena rnicrophylla, Globularia nana, Arenaria balearica, or other dwarf trailer.

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