THE ROCK GARDEN

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 232, 28 June 1935, Page 18

THE ROCK GARDEN

Prepare For Spring Display

In the rock garden particularly, an early start in the year makes a great deal of difference to the nature of the spring and summer display. The null winter appearance of the rockery quickly passes, and a little time spent on the plants now will mean rapid new growth and an increasing number of early blooms. ' "inEarly July should see the completion of all alterations, improvements and additions to the rock garden, so that everything may have a good chance to settle down before early spring. If the overhaul is left until later, the appearance of the garden during spring and summer will be more or less spoiled by the comparative bareness, thinness and newness of the part where work has recently been done. In the best Of rock gardens, despite unceasing care, winter will leave in its track some damage. Repairs should, therefore, have first attention, and the rule for their carrying out is to do them thoroughly while about it. Patchingup is never economical or satisfactory. It means that you will probably have to return repeatedly and at less suitable times of year to the patched-up part to repair it temporarily. The combination of winter rain, wind and frost, means, for instance, some loosening of rocks, displacement of soil, and dislodgement of stones. These troubles may not be noticeable until you have had a careful look round, as you should do now, testing boulders for possible looseness, also stones in the walls and flags in the steps. The wrong way to effect repairs is merely to push the individual loosened rocks or stones back into place. Every rock or stone depends for its position and security on at least two of its nearest neighbours. You cannot, therefore, make one secure again without reference to them. The right Way to do it is to pull down the whole portion surrounding the loose member and rebuild.

The washing away of soil, especially in walls and on steep banks on the rockery, is a frequent source of trouble which should be remedied at once.

Do not merely go round with the barrow or bucket and throw on a quantity of loose soil wherever there is a depression or hole. You must first fork up the solj which has probably been left in a flattened kind of slide owing to the washing down, then add new soil, ‘ a little at a time, ramming it into every corner and crack, until the level has been raised as far as necessary.