Rock Shrubs

Though much is written about the various families of Alpines and herbaceous rock plants, it is seldom that we see attention drawn towards the   evergreen and other shrubs which rightly belong to that part of the garden we are now considering. Not only are we depriving ourselves of a very beautiful and interesting class of plants, but without shrubs, a rock garden of any size is bound to present a confused or dreary appearance.

Rock gardens are often tame and dull, partly because the foliage and flowers of most Alpines is light in color, but mainly owing to the fact that in such places there is nothing very definite to hold the eye.

A small group of evergreen shrubs comes as a welcome relief, connecting scattered units so that they form one consistent collection and making the color and form of the smaller rock plants more vivid and distinct by contrast.

The ability to grow plants is a wasted opportunity if no attempt is made to display them to the fullest advantage.

In the true Alpine garden our choice of shrubs is necessarily limited, and any we use must be kept on the lower slopes and approaches. In the mixed rock garden no such restrictions apply, and the heights may be crowned with the fiery spikes of Gorse and Broom, whilst patches of Rosemary and Lavender will act as a foil to bright colonies of herbaceous flowers.

The family of Heaths contains several beautiful varieties, many of them especially suited to the rock garden. These delightful shrubs from mountain and moorland are among the best possible plants for the rough grass and boulder strewn approaches, and when strongly massed among herbaceous flowers create a welcome note of soft color.

The Alpine Forest Heath (Erica carnea) is perhaps the hardiest of all, and thrives in practically any class of soil. On the mountains of Europe it is snow-covered throughout the winter, bursting into a multitude of rosy blooms in the early days of spring.

The white variety should not be forgotten. In warm districts the Tree Heath (E.arborea) may be planted in the lower sections of the rock garden. A native of Southern Europe and the Canaries, it is found in oak woods, where its snowy flowers produce a charming effect. In favored spots it reaches the dimensions of a tree, but with us it is shrub like. Slightly peaty soil suits the Bell Heather (E.tetralix), which flowers freely in late summer.

The Scotch and Dorset Heaths (E.cinerea and E.ciliaris) are both dwarf kinds, covering the ground with spreading masses of graceful foliage, and blooming as early as June. The Cornish Heath (E.vagans) and the Common Ling (E.vulgaris) should be freely planted in rough meadow land or woodland clearing.

Similar to the Heaths, and equally desirable, are the dwarf Menziesias, tiny Alpine shrubs with dark tufts of evergreen foliage and clusters of white and rosy bells. M.coerulea, M.empetriformis, and M.polifolia are the best known, and thrive in the higher ledges in a sandy­ peat soil. Near these we would place a clump of Pernettyas (Prickly Heath) whose claim to distinction lies in their large berries in all shades of scarlet and purple. During the winter their bright appearance is particularly welcome.

The Skimmias, spreading evergreens from China and Japan, are precious rock garden shrubs, their small size and adaptability to varying soils render them valuable almost anywhere. Their bright shining leaves are much like those of the Garland flower (Daphne), whose delicious fragrance rivals that of any other flower. Such gems as these, far too small and dainty for the mixed shrubbery, and quite unnecessarily grown in pots, are best placed in the rock garden, where their beauty can be readily appreciated. D.cneorum, with dense terminal umbels of pink flowers, blooms twice in the year, a small bush but a few inches high, flooding the air with its perfume.

The Rock Daphne (D.rupestris) is a little more difficult to grow, and demands slightly peaty soil with free drainage and abundant moisture. If a slow grower, it is very free blooming, the whole plant being densely covered with waxy pink flowers. The old fashioned Mezeron, the joy of cottage gardens, blooms before winter is past, though, unlike the others, it is deciduous. A white­ flowered kind, D.blagayana, is also worthy of notice.

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