ROCK GARDENS
Dwarf Flowering and
Ornamental Shrubs and Trees for Rock
Gardens 1
Dwarf shrubs play a very
important part in the composition of the
rock garden, but many people neglect them,
for they fail to realize the value of a few
well-placed specimens. Dwarf shrubs are planted
in the rock garden for several reasons; they
may be used as a background and to break
the skyline; they serve to accentuate the
appearance of height or depth: for this purpose
they are generally placed on a summit, on
a ridge, or in some other prominent position.;
in exposed situations they may be used to
provide shelter; by no means their least
useful function is to relieve drabness and
monotony in winter. Happily there are dwarf
representatives of almost all genera and
species, both evergreen and deciduous; and
we have ample choice of colour, form, and
flower. Especially adapted to this use are
the dwarf conifers, in view of their beauty
of form, most noticeable when they stand
out almost alone in winter. Another class
extremely valuable for the rock garden are
the small micaceous, or heath-like, shrubs.
Many are prostrate or of trailing habit and
will furnish a variety of beautiful colour
throughout the year. In spring, summer, and
autumn we may choose from these dwarf shrubs
may be divided into two main classes: those
of a prostrate and trailing nature that are
used as ordinary rock plants to clothe the
rocks, and those of rounded or pyramidal
growth that serve, as explained above, to
bring variety and contrast to the contours
of our rock gardens.
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