The Rock Garden in Spring

With the first breath of spring bright patches of color will fleck the slopes of the rock garden, and with the lengthening days the flowers from mountain   and hill clothe themselves in summer garb. Quite early, though the keen winds check all tender vegetation, the Alyssum and Rock Cresses shake out their banners of purple and gold.

A little later the Cushion Pinks and snowy Arabis mantle the ledges with rosy blossoms and cascades of white. Now the rock garden is at its brightest and best. After the barren grayness of winter, when the flowers in garden borders have scarcely roused themselves from sleep, here is the fullness of life and color.

To which class of spring flora are we most indebted for the freshness and charm of the rock garden at this season. Surely our chief cause of thankfulness is to be found in the myriad bulbous plants, the Alpine Irises, the Fritillaries and Muscari, the Narcissi from mountain pastures, the Snowdrops, Chionodoxa, Snowflakes and Scilla. If rock gardens were formed for these flowers alone, they would still be worthy of our care, and in this section only bulbous plants will be considered.

There is no comparison between the stiff lines of Snowdrops and Crocuses used so frequently as border edgings, and the same flowers grown in drifts and colonies among the stones in the rock garden. There is, too, so much variety among these bulbous plants that they may be used with certainty of success under almost any circumstances.

Before the winter snow has disappeared, the narrow leaf spikes of Iris Reticulata begin to show above the ground. A small colony of these flowers produces a beautiful effect in the rock garden. There are several varieties, but none can exceed the gold and violet splendor of the common Netted Iris. I.r.cyanea is a dwarf blue form, and Purpurea with rich purple flowers is adapted to warm sheltered corners.  The Netted Irises prefer a sandy soil. Grown in bold clumps, with a ground­work of small Ferns and Mossy Saxifrages, they are among the best of early bulbs.

Another good dwarf Iris is the Armenian variety, I.bakeriana. It is much like Reticulata in color, but possesses a distinctive charm in its violet like scent. The Iberian Flag (I.iberica) is worth growing if only for the singular beauty of its flowers, the contrast between the purple veined falls, with their sheen of gold, and the violet pencilled standards is very striking. A warm, well drained soil is necessary, as the Rhizomes decay unless they are kept dry during the winter.

When planting, the roots should be surrounded with sand. Iris Cristata (Crested Iris) is a gem for the rock garden, where it may be grown on sunny ledges with a carpeting of small leaved Alpines. It is only a few inches high, with broad leaves and pale blue flowers, pencilled with darker markings. In the border, this exquisite little flag would be lost, but a sunny corner among the rocks offers a charming alternative to growing it in pots.

Quite the best dwarf Iris for color effect is I.pumila, which, owing to the size of its flowers, forms compact masses of violet or pale blue. It grows about six inches high, and from the sturdy character of its leaf growth, smaller plants are not required to hide the soil.

Most of the early flowering bulbs produce but few leaves, and therefore look best rising from sheets of dwarf evergreen foliage. This gives a far better effect than the bare earth, furthermore, in the latter case the blossoms are liable to be stained during rainy weather.

There are many other Irises for the rock garden, and it is a never-ending pleasure to experiment with new kinds, supplying suitable soil and trying the effect of a few bulbs in sunny corners. In addition to those already mentioned, Korolkowi, rosy-lilac; Balkana, claret and white; and Cengialti, light-blue, should be remembered.

The Narcissi are another large family of bulbous plants, and to them we owe an everlasting debt of gratitude for many precious garden pictures. The larger kinds should be naturalised in grass, in woodland vistas, and among choice shrubs, but the smallest and daintiest varieties are best in the rock garden.

Most of the dwarf Daffodils prefer a slightly peaty soil, all demand good drainage and sharp sand around the bulbs. A light top dressing is an incentive to fine bloom, and the delicate kinds, which are liable to injury from spring storms, should be afforded the warmest and most sheltered positions.

The Hooped Petticoat Daffodil (N.bulbocodium) is found growing wild in many of the southern European countries. It cannot be considered a hardy variety, but is worthy of a good position. There are various forms all having rush like leaves. Conspicuus, with large yellow leaves, is very early, as also is Citrinus, the pale sulphur French kind.

The White Hoop Petticoat (N.b.monophyllus) is an exquisite variety from Algeria. N.Triandrus (Ganymede's Cup) and its sub-variety Albus (Angel's Tears) are among the daintiest of the race, but must be carefully sheltered from high winds. The Rush Jonquil (N.juncifolius) is sweetly scented and not difficult to establish. Though somewhat expensive, a small clump of the Queen Anne's Jonquil (N.odorus minor) well repays the outlay; on warm soils the pale yellow double flowers are very striking.

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