Chapter 1. The Rock Garden

There are few features in the garden that provide such a variety of interests in so little space as a well-planned and carefully planted rock garden. The smallest plot may contain a rock garden which will house a representative and charming collection of alpine plants; but, on the other hand, there are few features in the ordinary garden that are so neglected and so ill-understood.

It must be remembered that the chief function of the rock garden is to provide the plants grown in it with conditions, so far as possible, similar to those existing in their natural haunts.

The alpines and high alpines are the most typical of all rock plants and are mostly natives of the high mountain crags and screes of the Alps and Himalayas. The ideal rock garden, therefore, should, so far as possible, provide the soil and natural conditions pertaining in these regions. During the short alpine summer the plants are subjected to fierce and baking sun; many of them, therefore, have thick leaves covered with down or hair to protect them from its shrivelling rays. The roots, too, at this time need ample moisture, and this is provided by the melting of the snows on the mountain tops, whence it permeates through the scree of the moraine; it will also be seen that to live in their natural haunts they require to be very deep and strong rooted, very often with a much greater root run than the foliage and flowers which their roots support. (See The Moraine Garden) In winter, this downy foliage, which rots very rapidly if there is excessive moisture overhead or round the crowns of the plants, is protected by a blanket of snow until spring and summer again come round. It is obvious, therefore, that the two essential requirements of alpine plants, especially high alpines, are ample cool drainage for the soil in which they grow, where their roots can penetrate to a good depth, and protection from damp in winter. The former can be obtained with a little care during the construction of the rock garden, and the latter essential can be provided by the use of panes of glass and hand-lights placed over these downy-leaved plants (it is not necessary with glossy-leaved species) in winter. It is against damp and the atmospheric pollution of many of our low-lying areas, not frost, that these plants need most protection.

As already mentioned, most of the alpines have to withstand considerable drought during the short, but parching, summer months. For this reason, and because there is often but scanty surface soil, the majority of them have long, running roots that can penetrate deeply into crevices among the rocks and thus draw moisture and nourishment from below. Deep crevices, packed with a rich, well-drained mixture of soil suitable to the plants, are, therefore, of primary importance in the rock garden.

The horrible mass of shiny, glazed lumps of brickwork in the cracks of which half-starved ferns and plants struggle for existence is nothing but a disfigurement.

The chief uses of the rocks and stones in a rock garden are the provision of coolness for the roots and the provision of moisture in crevices for the use of the plants when required, and this is not in winter when water would rot the plants and not grow them. But the idea that rock plants grow best in practically nothing but rock is a mistaken one. As pointed out before, a generous allowance of good soil between, amongst, and beneath the stones is essential for the healthy growth of the plants. As the function of the rocks is to provide shelter for roots, it is clearly useless to plant slabs of rock or stone perpendicularly in the soil unless by so doing the stones are very close together and tightly packed where possible with the mixture as previously mentioned. The stones should not be planted like monuments in a cemetery. The roots must get down beneath them, or otherwise they do not preserve any moisture.

For the beginner, the easiest way is to use large masses of stones, two or more feet in length and six to twenty-four inches in depth, where possible, and they should be sunk well and firmly in the earth in a slightly slanting direction tilted backwards, not forwards, so that the rain may trickle down to the roots of the plants and quickly get away.

If the rocks lean forward, over the plants, the roots will be sheltered from the rain and probably parched. Although the visible portions of the rocks in the garden should be as pleasing as may be to the eye, and should all slant in the same direction to represent a natural outcrop or stratum of stone, it should never be forgotten that they are not there for the sake of picturesque effect only, but to protect the roots of the plants growing among them.

Fig. 1. Making Crevices between the Rocks

A shows a vertical crevice; B a horizontal fissure. The small stones C C give space for soil between the rocks.

The slopes of the mounds in which the boulders are set must be as natural in appearance as possible; there should be miniature ranges' and mountain peaks and, dividing them, valleys into which spurs from the hills project. Winding paths, eighteen inches to two feet in width, with stepping-stones, should be cut through these gorges so that every part of the rock garden may be easily accessible. The pockets in which the alpines are to be planted should be irregular in shape and may vary from a few inches in diameter to as many feet across. Their surfaces must not be flat, but sloping to afford drainage. They must provide ample root-run and should be from a foot to eighteen inches in depth, and so constructed that the soil will not wash out of them. If there is any chance of the soil in the pockets becoming sodden, six to twelve inches of clinker and rubble drainage must be provided.

Fig. 2. Sectional view of the construction of a rock garden showing the clinker and rubble drainage that is necessary if there is any chance of the soil in the pockets becoming sodden.

A Word About Grass

One final suggestion for the real lover of beauty is to pay a visit to one of the more rocky slopes of our national parks, and where the garden is large enough he should endeavor to complete the picture with the aid of the lawn running up or down between the knolls of outcropping stone. When in the heart of some of our more smoky cities only use the indigenous grasses of the area, don't sow seed used for the hayfield, or the garden lover will find that he spends most of his time cutting grass in summer to lose it completely in the frosty fogs of the winter months. The seed of the dwarf-growing grasses is more exclusive and effective, about one to one-and-a-half ounces to the square yard is required, and the money spent is fully repaid. I find a pinch of dwarf wild white clover seed to the pound is often a great help in establishing the turf; better still, select some turf from the immediate neighborhood and lay it over the surface, then remove the coarser weeds, for whilst one does not require a bowling green surface, the evenness of the surface is of considerable aid when the time comes to mow the area. A covering of pit or sea sand on one or two occasions, brushed in, will gradually secure this surface, if there is not sufficient room to use a small garden roller effectively. One may lay turf throughout the milder periods of our autumn and winter months and sow the seed from March-May or in September.

There are, of course, a number of proprietary articles on the market for removing dicotyledonous weeds; I advise the reader to follow the prescriptions fully when daisies, clover or any other weeds become a nuisance; some of these weed-killers are dangerous, so care should be taken.

I find the construction of the rock garden equal in interest to the painting of a picture to the artist.

Soil

The great mass of rock plants, particularly the alpines, like a rich soil, even where they need little of it. It should, above all, be well drained so as to be light and porous in winter, but at the same time it must be moist and cool in summer. A soil full of coarse sand or grit, leaf-mould, and other decayed vegetable matter, mixed in some cases with old spent manure from a hotbed, is excellent for rock gardening. As a whole these plants are not faddy as to soil and most thrive well in the compost mentioned above, but some grow best in certain soils. (See the chapter on the cultivation of individual plants.)

For those requiring special soil conditions it is quite easy to scoop out a hollow and to substitute a little special compost.

Alpine plants in their native habitat receive a yearly top-dressing of vegetable matter from the material carried down by the melting snows, and alpines in a rock garden are all the better for a top-dressing artificially applied in imitation of this natural process.

Where rock plants are studied in their natural conditions, it will be found that in most cases the soil around the roots is completely covered by the stalks and leaves, each plant touching its neighbours, and that practically no soil is left exposed. This arrangement is of the greatest use to the plants, as by preventing the exposure of the soil to the action of sun and wind, its natural moisture is preserved, so that, so far as we can, we should provide this protection. This is, however, rather difficult to do at first, as while the plants are still small and most need protection, they are unable to cover the surface of the ground, and to plant them closer together would merely mean starving and overcrowding them. In such a case the best thing to do is to cover the immediate surface of the soil with chips of stone, small enough to be easily pushed aside by a shoot, but sufficient to prevent the over-drying of the earth.

In a suitable soil and situation the plants should soon spread and clothe the entire surface.

Mesembryanthemum In General View Of The Rock Garden

Situation And Suitable Stone Situation

As regards the situation of the rock garden, it should, where possible, have an open, sunny position, away from walls and trees. The latter will prevent the circulation of fresh air so necessary to alpine plants and, in addition, the roots will soon find their way into the soil provided for the rock plants, and rob it of its nourishment. The rock garden always looks best where it has not to bear contrast with any formal arrangement of garden or shrubbery; a wild and "natural-looking" site, and, where possible, one where the natural rock of the district crops up here and there, is the most favourable.

Suitable Stone

In making the garden the stone of the district should always be used where possible, although it is advisable in the dry districts in the east and south of Great Britain to use a porous sandstone, as this provides a kindlier home for the roots and a cooler stone for the foliage in the long sunny days. The more rugged limestone of the Cheddar and Lancashire hills has a most natural weather-worn appearance and the cracks and crevices provide a cool root-run for the plants in the wetter areas of the north and west coasts. In the industrial areas where there is considerable atmospheric pollution the natural lichen and mosses are quickly removed, leaving a somewhat grim appearance to what should have been a very harmonious picture. The stone chosen should be porous so as to be able to absorb ample moisture: hard, impermeable rocks, like granite, should, therefore, be avoided unless arranged with skill, except in the wetter regions. Any natural rock formation should be used as a basis, the garden being constructed round and among it, the knolls or banks required being built up, not on heaps of stones, but on good soil, with big stones set in outcropping groups here and there, the surface being set fairly thickly with stones of varying sizes, but all of the same kind. Let the stones be rugged and as massive as the size of the rock garden and one's means will warrant. Here and there set in larger stones, sometimes touching and forming ledges and knolls so that, when these are filled with plants, they give the whole the appearance of solidarity and the bold outlines of natural stratification. It is essential that there shall be no spaces and dry hollows amongst and around the stones, and that the earth shall be well bedded round them.

The Paths

The paths through and near the rock garden should not be too formal, and their edges should blend softly with the surrounding vegetation. This may be done by making the path of flat rocks or broken paving-stones set in good soil, with small plants at the edges placed actually between the stones, and encouraged to spread over all those parts of the path not habitually walked upon. Even upon the edges of gravel walks this softening process may very well be carried out, if suitable plants are chosen. The alpine toadflax will do well in such a position, on gravel, as will most of the dwarf sedums or stonecrops, campanulas and the like. The great thing to aim at in the rock garden is the complete covering of the space with plant life, the only bare spots being a few actual rock projections.

Crazy Paving. Crazy paving, which is one of the most satisfactory types of path for the rock garden, must be well and evenly laid, otherwise it is very unpleasant to walk on, and will always be giving trouble because of the loosening and rising of the stones. The course of the path must be first marked out with stakes and the surface soil removed to the depth of from nine to twelve inches, if there is no lack of materials to fill it; the wider the path, the deeper the excavation necessary. The nature of the soil also affects the depth of excavation; in heavy clay at least twelve inches should be removed, in light soil nine inches will suffice.

There is a point that must be stressed here, and that is the importance of eradicating all perennial weeds, especially those with long, creeping roots, from the soil at the bottom and sides of the path. If this is not done, all kinds of weeds will soon make their appearance in the new path, and will be very difficult to get rid of. Weed-killer will kill these perennial weeds, but it takes three or four years to effect a thorough clearance. From one-third to one-half the depth excavated for the path must be filled up with rough stones, brickbats, clinkers from the brickfields, slag and scoria; from the ironworks, or any coarse, hard rubbish that can be gathered together; the greater part of the remainder must then be filled up with coarse gravel, shingle, etc., which may be mixed with a little earth to give consistency to the whole. The correct level for the crown of the path can be marked by wooden pegs driven in to the right depth. Allow the path to set for a few days before using it.

The one great aim is to afford a sound and level surface for the paving, and the straight-edge will, therefore, be constantly in use with a view to this. The foundations must be rammed and rolled absolutely firm; if there is the slightest fear of any settlement in the base, as may well happen in clay, a two to three inch layer of cement in which to lay the paving had better be put down. Over the hard core spread a two-inch layer of sand or ashes, if cement is not used. Make this quite level and then lay down the paving, fitting the pieces carefully together and filling up the gaps with the smaller fragments. No crevices of much more than an inch in width should be left between the stones, or the path will not remain firm. Where there is likely to be much traffic, the main stones, and all those at the sides of the walk, should be set in mortar. This will keep it firm. Fill the interstices with sandy loam, so that rock plants, such as saxifrages, thymes, and other creepers and trailers, may be planted. {See The Paved Garden.)

The Selection Of Plants

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 allowable7 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 (see List of Bulbs) which bloom in the winter and early spring are invaluable, while those later autumn-flowering alpines, such as Lithospermum diffusum, syn. prostratum (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 microphylla, Globularia nana, Arenaria balearica, or other dwarf trailer.

In a newly-constructed garden there are sure to be some bare spaces for a year or so. Here it is that some of the dwarf annuals can be made to play such a useful part in filling the unavoidable gaps. The profusion and brightness of the bloom of most of these little plants, in addition to their value as fill-ups, justifies their position in the garden.

The Rock Garden Planting

Like all other plants, rock plants vary in their characteristics, habits, likes and dislikes. Some have a rounded growth, others are prostrate; some love the sun, others the shade; a dry and sandy soil suits many when they can obtain a deep root run, others must have a moist, rich loam. In planting, therefore, the varying types should be grouped together according to habits and requirements, so that all shall have, as far as is possible, the conditions best for them.

It is always advisable to plant three or more specimens of a certain species or variety together, so as to form broad masses of colour rather than the patchwork effect caused by the indiscriminate planting of single subjects. The size of the groups naturally depends on the extent of the rock garden. In small gardens it may be wise to plant only single specimens.

There is yet another point to settle in this connection. It will be necessary to decide whether it is preferable to plant a comparatively limited number of fast-growing species that will spread rapidly over the bare spaces and quickly furnish the rock garden, or whether it is better to plant a greater number of plants, choicer in bloom, may be, but less rampant in habit. In the first case, a good show of bloom should be available in a year or so, but if the latter method is selected, patience will be needed for two or three years at least. The latter is the correct and better way, for the greater number of species planted will provide vastly more interest and pleasure. In any case, too many plants of the rampageous type should not be planted or they will soon choke the slower-growing specimens living among them.

Choice plants will need constant attention, or they are sure to be overwhelmed by their more vigorous neighbours.

Rock plants should be planted out either in the spring, or better still, in the late summer, but not later than September, since the roots make but little growth after that month, and the plants are liable to be washed out of the earth by heavy rain, or lifted from the soil by the action of frost. It is more usual to plant out alpines in the spring, particularly in or near our towns or cities, but, as already stated, it is better to do it in the summer, after they have bloomed, at which period their roots put forth new shoots and are more easily able to obtain a footing and to secure nourishment. If the plants are moved in spring, they are almost immediately subjected to the strain of flowering and get little support from their roots. This ought to be risked, however, in and around our larger cities, as many of the rarer alpines find a difficulty in withstanding the winter's fog and damp, even when well established. If care is taken, all alpines can be planted out at any time between early April and the end of August. They should be planted very firmly with the soil rammed well down around the roots, which should be carefully spread out; never should they be cramped. The plants must be thoroughly watered after planting, particularly in the spring. Specimens from pots may, of course, be planted at any time, provided a sufficient "ball" of soil from the pot is allowed to remain round the roots, and the weather is neither too dry nor too wet.

Humphrey and Vera Joel

Two Beautiful Examples Of rockgarden Construction

The Moraine Or Scree Garden

Do not plant out in very dry weather, as it will be extremely difficult to provide the roots with sufficient moisture; likewise, planting when very wet will make the soil become caked so hard that the fibrous roots will have difficulty in penetrating it and finding nourishment. After planting, especially in the case of the choicer alpines, small stone chippings should be spread over the surface of the soil around the plants. This will help to prevent excessive evaporation.

When planting in a crevice it is essential that there shall be no air-pocket at the bottom; this would drain all moisture from the roots and parch them. To avoid this, first ram plenty of good gritty soil deeply into the crevice and make sure that the bottom is well filled, then scrape out some of the mould at the top and set the plant in firmly, pressing the soil well down round the roots, and fix it in tightly by means of a smaller wedge of stone. Care should be taken that shade-lovers, like Aquilegias and Anemones, are given congenial situations; plants which prosper in the sun, as Alyssums, Arabis, Zauschnerias, etc., should be given the sunniest spots in the rock garden. Such plants as Saxifrages and Aubrietas should be planted in the crevices among the rocks; on the flat, lower-lying situations the larger Primulas and Campanulas will thrive; while an occasional dwarf evergreen shrub or conifer should certainly be planted.

The Moraine Or Scree Garden

Many of the more rare and fastidious of the alpines will not prosper in the ordinary rock garden. They require that the natural conditions under which they live in the wild state shall be copied as nearly as possible in the rock garden. The plants to which we refer grow on mountain slopes covered with loose stones, where the melting of the snow during summer provides them with plenty of ice-cold water and where a blanket of snow protects them during the winter. The conditions we must endeavour to reproduce are, therefore: adequate moisture for the roots in summer while the plants are growing, but at the same time good drainage; and secondly, protection from damp in winter. The moraine is intended to provide these requirements, and can be made quite cheaply anywhere in the rock garden. Plants requiring very diverse kinds of soil may thus, with great effect, be grown in close proximity.

Making The Moraine

An ideal and natural position for the moraine would be in the sun on the slope of a miniature valley between two rocky spurs, the gorge gradually expanding into a flat bed of scree with occasional boulders strewn over it. The extent of the moraine will vary in proportion to the size of the whole rock garden. If the latter is large, the moraine may cover an area of many square yards; on the other hand, it may be nothing more than a small, well-drained pocket or crevice filled with moraine mixture in which little more than a single specimen is grown.

To construct the moraine, dig out about two and a half feet of the soil and make the bottom of the basin or trench slope slightly towards the bottom: the slope must not be too steep or the moraine will become over-dry in summer. The lower ten inches of this basin must be made watertight by means of puddling with clay or by means of cement. Make an outlet in front, which when closed keeps about ten inches of water, but not more, in the lowest parts of the basin, while when the outlet is open no surplus water can remain in the basin. Cover the bottom of the trench with about six inches of rubble, stones, or material that will afford good drainage. Above this place another six inches or so of smaller stones roughly one inch in diameter; these will fill the gaps between the larger stones and will prevent the small grit above from sinking through and blocking the drainage and also assist the capillary action to lift the moisture on the warmer days. The hollow is then filled up with a mixture of stone chips and gravel. Over this again is thrown a covering, an inch or so in thickness, formed of a mixture of equal parts of ordinary garden soil, leaf-mould, and small stone chips similar to those used in frosty weather for sprinkling on wood-paved roads. Limestone or sandstone chips are excellent and easily obtained; flint chips should not be used, as they do not conserve moisture. Place a few boulders in the moraine to break up the surface and to give the plants some protection. A natural trickle of water may be led into the top of the moraine, or each day sufficient moisture may be given from a watering-can to cause an overflow from the outlet at the bottom. From November to May, when no additional moisture is needed in the moraine, the outlet should be left open.

The overflow from the moraine may be led into a small pool, which will add great charm to the rock garden, and is easy to construct while the garden is being made. In it may be grown rushes and small water plants, while the overflow from it will provide an excellent situation for bog plants or for any alpines loving plenty of moisture. When planting, the gardener should remember the conditions under which each plant lives in its native state, and should set it in the rock garden accordingly. Many plants that have proved failures in the rock garden proper will, on transplantation to the moraine, flourish.

The inhabitants of the moraine are not so rampant as many alpines grown in the rock garden proper, but for all that, the more vigorous should be kept in check. A light top-dressing of loam and leaf-mould, with an equal part of stone chips (1/4 to 3/8 inch) will be required in spring and again in early autumn.

Protection Of Plants In Winter

Plants whose leaves are covered with fluif or down are, when in their natural haunts, usually protected from damp during the winter by a coat of snow. When they are grown out of doors in this country, they must, therefore, be given a covering of glass during the winter months: that is, from the middle of October to the beginning of March. When the plant is a small one nestling in a crevice between the rocks, it is often possible to cover it with a sheet of glass resting on the surrounding rocks; but when this cannot be done, four pieces of stiff galvanized wire should be inserted firmly in the ground and bent over at the top to hold the glass plate securely in position over the plant. If the weather is especially severe or the plant very delicate, four additional pieces of glass may be set in the soil and supported by the wires so as to form four walls protecting the plant. Sufficient space between the glass roof and the tops of the four walls should be left for adequate ventilation (but not enough to admit the rain or snow) or the plants will be liable to damp-off. Hand-lights and bell-glasses may also be used, but in all cases adequate ventilation should be provided. The frost will often raise the plants from the soil, especially those planted the previous summer. In spring, therefore, each plant should be carefully scrutinized, and, if necessary, gently pressed down into the soil. Dead leaves must be removed from around the plants, and a top-dressing of fine chippings \ inch to dust with a little leaf-mould should be sifted round and close up to the crowns.

Care Of The Rock Garden In Spring,Summer And Autumn

All through the summer months the rock garden must be periodically weeded and all dead flower heads should be cut away. Water the choicer species during dry spells, even in spring if very dry, and in May top-dress with a thin layer of gritty loam and leaf-mould to which a little well-decayed cow-dung has been added. By July most of the plants will have borne the best of their bloom, and many of the most vigorous, such as Arabis and Aubrieta for example will now be pushing forth new growth, and will commence to overcrowd the less rampageous inmates of the rock garden. These plants, including the shrubby subjects, should, therefore, be trimmed back, and at the same time the older portions of the plants and all dead stems and foliage should be removed. Do not, however, cut the plants back so evenly that they have the symmetrical and formal aspect of shrubs in a topiary garden; rather endeavour to foster the wild and natural appearance of the rock garden, and where a plant is not throttling its neighbour and has ample space, let it ramble over the rocks at will. The soil should be well hoed up between the plants and any vacancies filled. At this time, too, divide the roots of plants that are to be increased and set the little plantlets in their new positions; likewise transplant any subjects that have not done well during the past season, and give them another chance in some other position and in different soil or with a different neighbour, for alpines, even of the same genera, will not always thrive when given identical conditions, but will have their likes and dislikes which arouse one's interest and study, and they often flourish when given a change.

In an old rock garden it may be that plants are not doing well because the soil in the pockets and crevices in which they grow is sour or exhausted. In such cases the plants should be removed and fresh soil, of a composition to suit the plants, should be inserted. This may be done in early spring or after flowering, the latter time being preferable as the plants have then a better chance of becoming established before the flowering season. If a plant has grown too large for the pocket it occupies, it should be lifted and divided: the stronger outer crowns only being replaced.

It should be remembered that established plants, if the rock garden has been properly constructed, will need watering only after a long spell of dry weather. If in such a case watering is necessary, let the plants have a good soaking in the evening once a week rather than a mere sprinkling every day; this latter process merely draws the roots to the surface and does more harm than good.

The Propagation Of Rock Plants

It is always advisable to have a few young plants coming on to replace casualties, for some alpines, especially the more interesting, have a habit of dying off suddenly.

Rock plants may be increased by seed sown under glass as soon as ripe or in March, by cuttings, or by division of roots in April or late Summer. It is better to raise alpines from cuttings or division of roots, rather than from seed, which is a lengthy and, in some cases, a difficult process.
{See Propagation, Chapter 7.)

Some Good Rock Plants

(For Notes on Culture, Species, Varieties, etc., see Alphabetical List of Plants)

NOTE. The following is a representative list for furnishing a rock garden of moderate size. The plants marked with an asterisk form an ideal selection for a smaller rock garden.

NOTE. In addition to the flowers named in this list there are many dwarf varieties of annuals, which, though not rock plants in the true sense, deserve a position in the rock garden. They are invaluable for filling empty corners and for hiding the unavoidable bareness in a newly-planted rock garden. There are now rock plants too numerous to mention, I have taken but a brief selection.

It should not be forgotten that bulbs are a great addition to the rock garden. Almost all the more hardy species are suitable, but those specially adapted are shown in the list of Bulbs for the Rock Garden. Many ferns are also suitable, see Chapter 6. For dwarf shrubs for the rock garden.

* Denotes plants suitable for a small sized Rock Garden.

Some Plants That Thrive On The Moraine

NOTE. For Fuller Cultural Details, see Chapter 12, Alphabetical List of Plants for the Rock Garden.

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