Small gardens, and how to make the most of them

The best garden as a rule has the fewest insects, indeed, no foe is allowed to lodge for any length of time without means being taken for its extermination. Some enemies are more easily got rid of than others; for instance, green fly, or aphis (to give it the scientific name), rarely attacks healthy plants to any extent; it goes for the sick ones, therefore good cultivation will speedily reduce their numbers. When any is seen, a strong syringing of soapy water will generally dislodge them, or, if this is impracticable, a dusting of tobacco-powder is a very good substitute. Tait and Buchanan’s Anti-blight, to be had of most seedsmen, is a reliable powder; it is also efficacious in preventing mildew in potatoes, chrysanthemums, etc.

In some gardens, especially those inclined to be damp, slugs are very troublesome; their depredations are usually carried on by night, so that it is rather difficult to trap them; many things are sold for this purpose, but hand-picking is the surest method. In the evening, sink a saucer a little way in the border, and fill this with moist bran; it is irresistible to the slugs, and when twilight comes on they will steal out from their hiding-places and make a supper off it. Then comes man’s opportunity. Armed with a pointed stick and a pail of salt and water, they must be picked off and popped into the receptacle, there to meet a painless death; one can squash them under foot, but where they are plentiful this is rather a messy proceeding. Snails may be trapped in exactly the same way; salt or sand should be placed in a ring round any plant they are specially fond of, or else in a single night they will graze off the whole of the juicy tops. Young growths are their greatest delicacy, hence they are most troublesome in the spring.

Wireworm is another tiresome enemy well known to carnation growers, and more difficult to get rid of than the slug, owing to its hard and horny covering which resists crushing; salt again, however, is a splendid cure. It should be well mixed with the soil though not brought too close to the plants. Earwigs are horrid insects to get into a garden; they often come in with a load of manure, simply swarms of them imbedding themselves in such places. Dahlias are the plants they like best, and, if not kept down with a watchful eye, they will completely spoil both flowers and leaves. Hollow tubes, such as short straws, put round will collect many, or the old plan of filling an inverted flower-pot with moss is also useful, though somewhat disfiguring, if perched on the tops of the stakes supporting the dahlias.

Mice are dreadfully destructive, too, especially in the country, and being so quick in their movements they are troublesome to catch. Traps must be baited with the daintiest morsels, to make them turn away from the succulent tops of the new vegetation. Owls and other large birds are most effectual in doing away with these troublesome little animals, a fact which should be taken into account. Many people from ignorance destroy birds or insects which may be urgently required to keep down annoying pests—take, for instance, ladybirds—the pretty creatures are invaluable where there is much green fly, yet how often are they doomed to death by some well-meaning gardener, and it is the same with birds. A robin or sparrow will eat hundreds of aphides in one day, so that, unless there are many fruit-trees in the garden, it is most unwise to shoot the dear little songsters; and even in the latter case, if protection can be afforded, by all means save the birds! A while ago some farmers had been so enraged by the devastation made by the sparrows and starlings that they determined to kill all the old birds. The consequence was that they were so over-run the next season by insects of every description, that they had to import birds at great trouble, to take the place of those they had killed. Foes are often mistaken for friends, but occasionally the reverse is the case!

CHAPTER IX

The material may be either slabs of grey stone as at Kew, or the more easily obtained “clinkers.” Clinkers are really bricks spoiled in the baking, having all sorts of excrescences on them which unfit them for ordinary building purposes; they should always be ordered from a strictly local contractor, as carriage adds considerably to the cost.

The soil should be a mixture of peat, sand, and loam; no manure should be incorporated, the “pockets” for special favourites and plants that have individual wants can be filled in at the time of planting. One advantage pertaining to a rockery is that many plants which quite refuse to thrive in a border will grow and flourish there, and the attention they need is less troublesome to give; in fact, it is a delightful form of gardening, especially for a lady, as there is no fear of the feet getting dirty or wet, and a trowel, not a spade, is the chief implement used. A small piece of turf, just a few feet wide, at the bottom of the corner style of rockery, is a great set-off, and a vast improvement on a gravel path.

SUITABLE PLANTS FOR A ROCKERY. The following are some of the best flowers for a rockery. The aubrietias are very pretty little plants, having creeping rosettes of greyish-green leaves, and a perfect sheet of mauve or lilac bloom about April. The effect is greatly enhanced when planted so as to fall over a stone or brick; indeed, it is for those things which are so easily lost sight of in a border that a rockery comes in; they can be closely inspected there without much stooping.

The arabis is a pretty plant, somewhat like the aubrietia in habit and time of flowering; hence, where only a small selection can be made, it might be left out, as it is a trifle coarse. Such a term could never be applied to the androsaces, which may be numbered among the élite of rock plants; they are evergreens, and do not exceed six inches in height; they bear tiny but very bright flowers, varying from rose in some species to lavender in others.

APENNINE GEMS. Some of the alpine anemones are lovely, notably A. appennina, which has sky-blue flowers that open out flat on very short stalks, surrounded by pale green denticulated foliage. A. blanda is much the same, save that it flowers a month or so earlier; they are spring-blooming plants, and like moisture and shade, and will not do at all if subjected to much hot sun. These and many similar plants can often be planted on a rockery facing south-east (which aspect suits so many sun-loving plants), by arranging bricks, stones, or small shrubs, so as to shelter them from its hottest rays. Aquilegias, mentioned in the list of border plants, look quite as well on a rockery, if moisture can be given them, as their flowers are so delicate, and the leaves so fragile and prettily coloured, especially in the early spring. The blue and white A. cærulea, from the Rocky Mountains, is a gem, and the scarlet kinds are very effective.

For forming close green carpets, arenaria balearica is most useful; it creeps over rocks and stones, covering them completely with its moss-like growth, and hiding any hard, unlovely surfaces. The campanula family is a host in itself, many of the smaller varieties looking better on a rockery than anywhere else. Some of these tiny bell-flowers have, however, the very longest of names! C. portenschlagiana, for instance, is only four inches high, and a charming little plant it is, and flowers for months, beginning about July. The blossoms are purple-blue in colour, and continue right into November, unless very hard frosts come to stop it. C. cespetosa is another variety well suited to rock-work, as it is even smaller than the last.

The alpine wall-flower, cheiranthus alpinus, is a very choice little plant; it has creamy-yellow flowers, borne on stalks a few inches high, and, though each individual plant is biennial, they seed so freely that they are practically perennial. A light, dry soil and a sunny situation suits them; they will even grow on old walls, and very picturesque they look perched up on some mossy old ruin.

An attractive rock plant, though rarely seen, is chrysogonum virginianum; its flowers are creamy-yellow, and grow in a very quaint manner; this plant blooms the whole season through. Plants of this character should be noted carefully, as they help to give a rockery a well-furnished appearance, so that one always has something to show visitors.

For warm, dry, sunny nooks rock-roses are the very thing; where other plants would be burnt up, the cistus flourishes, for it requires no particular depth of soil. C. florentinus (white) and C. crispus (dark crimson), are two of the best.

One of the most exquisite and interesting rock-plants I have ever seen is clematis davidiana, a plant only introduced of recent years, but noticeable wherever seen; it is not a climber, as its name might lead one to suppose, for it only grows two feet high, and generally trails along the ground; the flowers are curious in shape, and of a metallic blue-grey colour; the foliage is very neat and pretty; it blooms about July, and should be planted so that it can be examined closely.

The fumitories are elegant plants, and nearly always in flower; the blossoms are small, yellow, sometimes white, and borne in profusion amongst the finely-cut foliage, which, the whole summer through, is a bright clear green. With one plant of corydalis lutea a stock can soon be obtained, as this variety seeds freely. All the fumitories prefer a light soil and a sunny position.

Dwarf evergreen shrubs greatly improve the appearance of the rockery in late autumn and winter, especially when they add berries to their attractions. The cotoneasters are evergreen, and when about a foot high are very suitable for such a position. C. horizontalis and C. micicrophylla bear scarlet berries, and are altogether very choice; they must not be allowed to get too large, but taken up when little over a foot high, and others substituted for them.

Various bulbs, which we generally plant in the border, find a prettier background in the rockery; here each bulb is made the most of, and, where very small, is seen to greater advantage; even if ever so insignificant, it cannot get buried away under a spadeful of soil, nor get splashed with mud. You must often have noticed how crocuses get blown over and spoilt by the wind, but in a cosy nook of the rock-work, planted fairly close together, and in a “pocket” surrounded by bricks, they find a happy home, and can be inspected without any difficulty. Personally, I do not care for crocuses in a line; one cannot see their pure transparency, and only get an idea of a broad band of colour; close at hand, their dewy chalices, exquisitely veined and streaked, seem far more beautiful, particularly where the finer sorts are selected. All crocuses do not flower in spring; some of the prettiest species bloom in autumn, though many people, seeing them at that time, imagine they are colchicums; the latter, though certainly very decorative when in flower, are followed by such coarse leaves that the crocus is decidedly preferable.

The hardy cyclamen are very suitable for a rockery, as, being beauties in miniature, they are apt to get lost in a mixed border. C. neapolitanum has marbled foliage and pretty pink flowers, and C. europeum (maroonish crimson) is also well worth growing; they must be placed in a shady part, yet where the drainage is perfect; stagnant moisture kills them.

The hardy orchids should be tried too, especially the cypripedium; it is not generally known how handsome some of them are; they like shade and moisture; indeed, through the summer the peat they are growing in should be a regular swamp, or they will fail to produce fine flowers.

Another plant that likes peat is the little daphne eneorum. This is an evergreen, and produces its pink fragrant flowers every spring; it will not do in very smoky places, but, like the heath, must have a fairly pure atmosphere.

The alpine pinks are treasures for the rockery, and do well in town gardens; they flower nearly all the summer, and are not particular as to soil and position, though they prefer plenty of sun.

The gentians look very well on rockwork, but like a stronger soil than most alpines, loam suiting them best. Water should be generously given during spring and summer. G. acaulis is the best for amateurs.

The red shades found in the geum tribe are very uncommon, being neither crimson, scarlet, nor orange, but a mixture of all three, with a dash of brown thrown in. They flower continuously, and have dull green woolly foliage, which sets the flowers off well. They need a light, well-drained soil. Geum chilense, or coccineum plenum, is a good kind, and so is G. miniatum; both are about two feet high, but require no staking whatever. Of course, it will be understood that sticks, except of the lightest kind, are quite inadmissible on a rockery.

Helianthemums, or rock roses, are charming little evergreen plants, with wiry prostrate stems, and small flowers, which are freely produced all the summer. They may be had in white, yellow, pink, scarlet, and crimson, and either double or single; the variety named Mrs. C. W. Earle is a very effective double scarlet, and quite a novelty.

Iris reticulata is a very fascinating little bulbous plant, well adapted for a rockery; it blooms in the early spring, and very beautiful the flowers are, being rich violet-purple, with gold blotches on each petal; they are scented, too; when in blossom, the stems reach to about nine inches in height.

One of the most lovely plants that can be imagined for a rockery is lithospermum prostratum, and yet how rarely one sees it; the glossy green leaves always look cheerful, and the flowers are exquisite, they are a bright full blue, and each petal is slightly veined with red, it is not difficult to grow, a dry, sunny position being all it requires; it is of trailing habit and an ever-green. Everyone knows the creeping jenny, but it is not to be despised for rock-work, especially for filling up odd corners where other things will not thrive. It blooms best where there is a certain amount of sun.

St. Dabeoc’s Heath is a pretty little shrub, very neat and of good habit; its flowers are the true pink, shading off to white, and of the well-known heath shape. Somewhat slow-growing, it prefers peat.

Plants that flower the whole season through are most valuable on the rockery. Œnotheras may be depended on to present a pleasing appearance for several weeks, especially if all dead flowers are picked off. The dwarf kinds are the most suitable, such as Oenothera marginata, missouriensis, linearis, and taraxacifolia. The last-named, however, is only a biennial, but has the advantage of opening in the morning, while most of the evening primroses do not seem to think it worth while to make themselves attractive till calling-hours.

The most fairy-like little plant for filling up narrow crevices in sunny quarters is the dear old wood-sorrel. It has tiny leaves like a shamrock in shape, but of a warm red-brown colour, and the sweetest little yellow flowers imaginable; they are borne on very short stalks, and only come out when the sunshine encourages them; the whole plant does not exceed three inches in height; it spreads rapidly, seeds freely, and thrives best in a very light soil; it will also do well on walls.

The alpine poppies are so delicate and graceful that they seem made for the rockery. They only grow six inches high, and continue in flower at least four months; they may be had in a great range of colours, and are easily brought up from seed. Nice bushy plants can be had of these poppies for about four shillings a dozen, and it is needless to say they require plenty of sunshine. The word phlox conveys to many people the idea of a tall autumn-flowering plant, with large umbels of flowers, individually about the size of a shilling. But these are not the only species; the alpine varieties are just as beautiful in a different way, though some are not more than a few inches high, and each flower no bigger than a ladies’ glove-button. In spring and early summer they become perfect sheets of bloom, so that the foliage is completely hidden; when out of flower, they are soft green cushions of plants, and serve to cover bare bricks well.

The alpine potentillas are pretty, and keep in flower for a long time. P. nepalensis is a good one, but the merits of p. fruticosa are much exaggerated, its dirty-looking yellow flowers are by no means prepossessing.

No rockery is complete without several specimens of the family of saxifrages. One cannot do better than make a beginning with them, as they are so fine in form and diverse in style. S. aizoon compactum is one of the best rosette species, and S. hypnoides densa of the mossy tribe; other kinds well worth growing are S. burseriana, which has pretty white flowers on red hairy stems in early March; S. cunifolia, with charming fresh pink blossoms, and of course S. umbrosa, the sweet old-fashioned London pride. A dry sunny situation suits the saxifrages best.

The House leeks are somewhat similar in appearance, but like drier situations than the last-named plants. The sempervivums delight to creep along a piece of bare rock, and one marvels how they can derive enough sustenance from the small amount of poor soil in which they are often seen growing. The cobweb species, called arachnoideum, is most interesting, and invariably admired by visitors; it has greyish-green rosettes, each one of which is covered with a downy thread in the form of a spider’s web. A kind more often seen is sempervivum montanum, and certainly it is a very handsome species, with curious flowers supported on firm succulent red stems. It is to be seen in broad clumps at Kew, and very well it looks.

There are no better carpetters than the dwarf sedums, or stone crops. S. glaucum has blue-grey foliage, and spreads rapidly; S. lydium is the variety most in use, and can be had very cheaply. The tall, old variety, sedum spectabile, has been improved upon, and the novelty is called S. s. rosea. Another novelty is shortia galacifolia; it is a native of North America, and has white, bell-shaped flowers supported on elegant, hairy stems, the leaves are heart shaped, and turn almost scarlet in autumn; thus, the plant has two seasons of beauty, as it blooms in the spring. A peaty soil, with a little sand added, suits it well, if the drainage is good; and it likes a half-shady position.

Plants that are sadly neglected are the airy-fairy Sea-lavenders or Statices, with their filmy heads like purple foam; S. gmelini and S. limonium are two of the best. When cut, they last a long time, and are very useful for giving a graceful appearance to stiff bouquets.

The dwarf thalictrums are good rockery plants; they are grown for their foliage, which bears a striking resemblance to the maidenhair fern. T. adiantifolium and T. minus are very pretty; their flower-heads should always be cut off, so as to promote the production of their fine fronds, which have the property of lasting well when cut.

The aromatic scent of thyme is very pleasant on a rockery; not only should the silver and golden varieties be grown, but also those bright kinds which give us sheets of purple, pink, and white blossom during summer; to thrive they must be exposed to full sunshine, when they will attract innumerable bees. The new kind, T. serpyllum roseus, is splendid, the tiny flowers coming in such profusion as to completely hide the foliage. All are low-growing, having the cushion habit of growth.

Veronicas are not often seen, yet they are exceedingly pretty, and continuous bloomers. Amateurs should not begin with the shrub tribe, as these are somewhat tender, but if V. incana, V. longifolia-subsessilis, and V. prostrata are obtained, they will be sure to please. The first and last are low-growing, but the other is two feet high, and has long racenes like soft blue tassels, which hang down in the most charming way.

A few words on some more bulbs that look well on rockeries, besides the crocus and dwarf iris before-mentioned, may not be amiss: the winter aconites are most appropriate so placed, and show to greater advantage than in the level border. Their golden flowers, each surrounded by a frill of green, come forth as early as January, if the weather be propitious.

The chionodoxa, called also glory of the snow, is very fresh and pretty, with its bright blue flowers having a conspicuous white eye. If left undisturbed they will spread rapidly, and come up year after year without any further trouble; they are very cheap, and will do in any soil.

Snowdrops are charming on rock-work, and may be placed close to the chionodoxa, as they bloom almost together.

The grape-hyacinths have very quaint little flowers of a bright dark-blue colour, on stalks about five or six inches high; they flower for some weeks, and must be massed together to get a good effect.

The early-flowering scillas resemble the chionodoxas, but last much longer in bloom. They are very easy to manage, and rarely fail to make a good show. S. siberica is the best-known variety, and can be obtained very cheaply.

The miniature narcissus is the sweetest thing imaginable; N. minus, is only a few inches high, and when in the open border is apt to get splashed, but amongst stones in a sheltered position on the rockery they are charming. All these dwarf bulbs look so well in such positions, because their purity remains unsullied.

Here I will leave the rockery, merely intimating that early autumn is the best time for planting, and that if pains are taken to construct it properly at first, a great amount of trouble will be saved in the end. Most of these plants and bulbs may be had of Messrs. Barr & Sons, 12, King Street, Covent Garden. Their daffodil nurseries at Long Ditton, near Surbiton, Surrey, are famous all the world over, but they also go in a great deal for hardy perennials and rock plants, of which they have a splendid stock; their prices are very reasonable, too, when you take into consideration that everything they send out is absolutely true to name. Their interesting catalogues will be sent post free on application.

CHAPTER X

SOMETHING BESIDES IVY. Trees must be divided into two broad sections, deciduous and ever-green. Very few plants will do well under the latter, but as regards the first, ivy is not by any means the only thing that will grow, though it is often a good plan to use it as a foundation, and work in plants here and there afterwards. There is no need to choose the large kind; those elegant varieties with long pointed leaves are more ornamental and just as easy to grow. Their roots must be restricted when other plants are near, or they will soon take up all the room. Ferns will do very well under trees, if they are plentifully watered during the dry season. Here also a few of the choicest kinds should be grown, for though some of them may not do so well as in a shady open spot, most of them will give a fairly good account of themselves. Always plant them with the rhizome above ground, not forgetting that when each fern has its full complement of fronds, it will take up a considerably larger space than it does at the time it is set out.

If the Osmunda regalis is tried—the royal fern—it is necessary to get a good established turf of it; strong clumps cost about 1s. 6d. each; plenty of water must be given it in the summer. I have seen it in splendid form under a tree in a very small garden.

Perhaps the St. John’s worts come next to ivy and ferns in their usefulness for planting under trees, as they are always decorative, being ever-green. In the spring, the foliage is a most lovely soft apple-green, and in summer when the golden cups filled with anthers issue forth from the axils of the leaves, the effect is beautiful. Hypericum calycinum is the Latin term for these plants, and though they will do on the dryest bank and in the poorest soil, being very tough and wiry, if they are grown in good loam and manure is occasionally given them, they will repay with far finer flowers, which will be produced for a longer season.

A good breadth of woodruff makes a very pretty picture for several weeks, and has a delightful scent; here and there bulbs can be planted amongst it, neither being harmed by this plan. The aubrietias flower with unfailing regularity under trees, even when the aspect is north, and no gleam of sunshine reaches them; their greyish-green rosettes resist drought splendidly, and though these plants do not give us so much blossom in unfavourable positions, still they make a very pretty show. Aubrietias can be easily propagated by division; every morsel grows.

BANKS UNDER TREES. The white arabis also does well under similar conditions; both are useful for draping perpendicular surfaces, such as the steep side of a bank or hedge. A raised border, with facing of bricks, is rather a nice way of growing plants under trees, and the work of tending them is pleasant, less stooping being required.

The mossy saxifrage droops over the edges, and mingles well with the arabis, but it must be more carefully watered, as it is apt to die out; pieces should constantly be taken off, and dibbled in so as to fill up any gaps. The periwinkles meander charmingly over the roughest stones, and in the most dreary spots; their glossy ever-green leaves, and fresh bright little flowerets always looking cheerful whatever the weather. They creep quickly, rooting every few inches as they grow; on the perpendicular face of the rock, succulent plants like echeverias can sometimes be made to grow (those little green rosettes, having each leaf tipped with red, which can be bought so readily in May for about twopence each).

Many things will do for a time, that want renewing each year, even if hardy. Cowslips, primroses, polyanthus, wallflowers, all will make a fair show if planted out just before flowering, but, unless a few hours’ sun daily shines on them, they will not retain enough vitality to produce seed, and being biennial soon die out, leaving not a trace behind.

A great many bulbs do admirably under deciduous trees, especially those which blossom before the new leaves on the branches above them have reached any appreciable size.

Scillas bloom in the same place year after year; snowdrops also do fairly well, and lilies of the valley ring out a few of their dainty bells every spring (a rich vegetable soil suits them best). Tulips only do well when planted afresh every autumn; but, as they are so cheap, that is not a great matter. The megaseas, mentioned in another chapter, give forth many of their fine leaves, but they refuse to turn colour, owing to the want of sun. Fox-gloves, also, grow and flower, seeming to enjoy their position.

If the aspect of the space to be filled is a cold one, such things as geraniums will only give a few poor flowers, and then succumb. Even pansies wilt and gradually fade away under trees, for their soft, weak stems and leaves soon get drawn up for want of light, though they will do well enough on an open border, facing north.

Hard-wooded plants will be generally found to do best; indeed, some of the shrub tribe succeed very well, particularly barberry, pernettyas, the early daphnes, whortleberries, gaultheria shallon and cotoneaster.

While on the subject of shrubs, it may be as well to mention several attractive kinds which may be planted in place of the eternal box and Portugal laurel; of course, these two have almost every good quality; they will do in any soil, are ever-green, and resist smoke, dust and dirt well; but, in places where poor soil and a soot-laden atmosphere are absent, substitutes might occasionally be found for those shrubs, which will have the added charm of novelty. One of the nicest for small gardens is cotoneaster microphylla; this is a joy to look at, all through the winter months, when it is at its best; the branches grow in an uncommon manner, and are of somewhat prostrate habit; they are thickly clothed with dark, small leaves the whole way up the stem, and shining amongst them are the pretty crimson, almost transparent berries. It is quite distinct from the ordinary berry-bearing shrubs, as there is nothing stiff about its gracefully-curving sprays, which look well cut and wedged in the Japanese fashion. Shrubs of this variety may be had as low as sixpence, but it is better policy to get a larger one, costing about eighteen pence, as they will sooner be of a presentable size; they are shrubs, too, that do not altogether show their capabilities when at a very youthful stage.

A GOOD ALL ROUND PLANT. Berberis aquifolium is another shrub which has a great deal to recommend it; it is ever-green, and will do in almost any position; it bears lovely yellow flowers in spring, purple powdered berries in August, and the foliage turns a rich red in October. Always ornate, it is one of the easiest shrubs to grow, and just the thing for a small garden.

The myrtle, though liable to be killed in a very hard frost, can often be grown to a great size in a sheltered garden; I have seen bushes eight yards round, in an exposed position near the river Thames, which must have been braving the storms for many a year past. They should not be planted out till March or April, though November is the month for most other shrubs. The old pyrus japonica makes a good bush, though most often grow on a wall; its bright flowers, carmine-scarlet in colour with yellow anthers in the centre, appear early in April, a week or two later than the climbers, which of course are protected. When grown in bush form, it is sometimes pruned out of all recognition; this is especially the case in public gardens, and is quite an affliction to any one who knows how lovely it can be! The knife should be restrained, allowing the pyrus to take its own shape as much as possible; it is often sold under the name of cydonia japonica, as that is really its rightful title.

One or two of the araucarias make very good shrubs for a small garden; they should not be grown in cold, wind-swept places, as their branches soon turn brown if exposed to continued frost and furious blasts. There is a magnificent specimen in the nurseries of Messrs. Veitch, Kingston Hill, Surrey, planted about 1865; its ornamental appearance is greatly due to the number of young branches springing out from the main trunk and almost completely covering it; they nestle under the larger branches, and produce a very picturesque effect. Small plants of this variety may be had for three or four shillings.

Messrs. Veitch have a splendid selection of shrubs, all in the best of health; their hollies are well grown, and include all the good sorts; a variety that bears fruit when quite young is ilex glabrum, of which they have a large stock; these trees are such slow growers, that it is advisable to get one that will look attractive almost at once.

Pernettyas are ornamental little shrubs, not so much grown as they deserve; in winter, when most things look drooping and unhappy, these American visitors to our gardens are bright and cheerful. The dwarf erica carnea, both pink and white, show their buds as early as November, and at the turn of the year present a very pretty appearance; they look well as edgings to rhododendron beds; their price is about sixpence each.

Another charming winter shrub is cornus sanguinea; its beauty lies in the red glow of its leafless stems, which makes it visible some distance off.

Spirea Anthony Waterer is a fine plant in late summer, having pink umbels of flowers and a habit somewhat like the valerian. The snow-berry is good in autumn and winter, having large white berries which hang on a long time; it is deciduous, and likes a rich soil.

Messrs. Veitch have a splendid collection of conifers for all aspects and positions; their small junipers are most fascinating little trees, with flat spreading branches of the loveliest shade of green, and their seedling firs are well balanced. They sell a great variety of lilac trees too.

GRAFTED LILACS. A note on lilacs will not be amiss; if you notice that any lilacs you may happen to have flower sparsely, and are poor in size and colour it will be as well to examine the stems close to the soil, and you will probably find a fine crop of suckers; all these must be cut away as sedulously as those on your rose-trees, for nearly all lilacs are grafted, very few kinds being sold on their own roots.

The forsythias are pretty climbers or shrubs, according to the variety chosen, much like the yellow jasmine, with its golden stars on leafless stems. Just as the latter, however, is going out of flower the forsythias are coming on, and therefore give a succession of very pretty blossoms.

Originally from China, the wigelias have now taken a place in many English gardens, by reason of their fresh pink and white flowers and easy cultivation. They bloom late in spring, and should be placed by preference against a dark wall, as their flowers, being surrounded by pale-green foliage, do not stand out sufficiently on a light one.

THE DELICATE CEANOTHUS. The exquisite summer-flowering ceanothus has been mentioned before, but I notice it here again because it is one of those shrubs that should not be overlooked on any account; its leaves are somewhat like those of a heliotrope, and its flowers are bluish-mauve in colour and borne in trusses; it blooms for many weeks and has a most delicious scent, and should be planted out in the spring.

A neglected but really remarkable shrub is the rhus cotinus—the smoke plant. In early August it is a striking sight, with its curious inflorescence quite impossible to describe. At Hampton Court there are two or three fine species.

WINTER SHRUBBERY. It will be observed that shrubs presenting a decorative appearance in winter are made much of; this is because soft-wooded plants always look miserable then, whereas with a few berry-bearing shrubs and a nice selection of bulbs, we may have a pretty garden all the year round. Once planted, however, they should not be left entirely to take care of themselves; the soil must be enriched occasionally, if we wish for good results, and great care taken to train them in the way they should go, by pinching out shoots which would tend to give a lop-sided effect. Such things as firs must be unobtrusively staked till they are able to support themselves, as symmetrical growth is part of their charm, and we must remember that “as the twig is bent, the tree is inclined.” Standard rhododendrons require to be very carefully staked until they have a fair hold of the ground, or their big heads are caught by the wind, and this loosens the soil to such an extent that it is impossible for fresh roots to be made. Generally, some of the bush rhododendrons should be grown amongst the standards, and if these are dotted about with clumps of lilies the effect is very rich. Lilium tigrinum splendens is one of the best for this purpose, and is most brilliantly beautiful during August and September; they are six feet in height, and the flowers are a rich orange red, with black spots on each petal; they can be obtained for half-a-crown the dozen.

A lily suitable for placing amongst azaleas, as it is only three feet high, is lilium speciosum album; it has glistening pure-white flowers, and a graceful habit. The shade of the shrub is most beneficial to the lilies, as they dislike strong sunshine, and of course they are also protected from cold in winter. The same soil, a mixture of peat, loam and sand, suits both.

CHAPTER XI

PLANTING IN “PUDDLE.” “Puddle” is a very expressive gardening term, which signifies soil mixed with so much water as almost to have acquired the consistency of a paste. Operation 1—well water the plant to be removed; operation 2—dig the hole which is to receive it; operation 3—fill the same with water up to the rim; operation 4—carefully take up your plant with plenty of soil round it; operation 5—gently place it in hole prepared, the walls of which will then be thoroughly soaked; operation 6—fill in with the “puddle” above referred to; operation 7—tread gently but firmly down; and, lastly, scatter a little dryer soil on the top. Flowers planted in this fashion can be taken up even during June, July and August; and, if properly looked after, will scarcely flag at all.

EFFECTS OF ASPECT. The influence of aspect on plants is an interesting study; we all know that a shrub on a south wall is practically in a different climate to a shrub on a north wall. One reason why tender plants do so well on a south or west aspect is because the sun does not reach it till some hours after it has risen and warmed the air. The sun shining on half-frozen buds often has a disastrous effect on plants climbing walls with an eastern aspect; consequently, a north wall is often better for a delicate plant, if the warmest aspect cannot be given it; camellias, for instance, when outside prefer it to any other. If a succession of one kind of flower is desired, a group facing each corner o£ the compass will often accomplish this, sometimes as much difference as a month being noted. Certain unimpressionable plants refuse to alter their season of blooming, but, as a rule, it is a sure method of attaining this object. Colouring is also vastly influenced by aspect; such things as pansies, for example, never show such rich markings under a hot sun, but require an east border to bring out their true beauties. Scotland suits them admirably, with its cool summer nights and moist atmosphere.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SHELTER. Shelter has a great deal to do with success in a garden; in the ordinary town garden, the builder has generally been only too obliging in this respect, but in bleak hilly spots it might almost be called the gardener’s watchword. Few things except Scotch firs and the like will stand a long-continued high wind with impunity; not only does it wrench the plants out of the soil, but, if it comes from a cold quarter, both flowers and leaves curl up at its approach and refuse to thrive; they become nipped in the bud, as at the touch of frost. Everyone has experienced the meaning of shelter when out in a cold nor’-easter; how it bites one, making the blood stand still with its fury! then, all at once, we round the corner, and hey presto! all is changed; the air is quite caressing, and the blood tingles to our very finger-tips from the sudden reaction. With due regard to shelter, then, climates can be “manufactured” without glass. In extensive grounds, these wind-breaks are made by planting lines of trees, but in smaller spaces it may be done differently. The construction of light fences, not over five feet in height, run up inside the compound, accomplish a good deal, as may be seen by any visitor to the nurseries of Messrs. Barr, at Long Ditton; they are not ugly if well clothed, and make an effectual break in a much shorter time than would be the case if fruit-trees were planted, though there is nothing prettier than a row of apple or pear trees, grown espalier fashion, if time is no object. Many things will nestle beneath them, and flower beautifully for months together, for, though these fruit-trees are deciduous, the force of the wind is considerably lessened by them, on the same principle that fishing-nets are such a protection from frost to wall-climbers; and this again may be compared to the veils which ladies use to protect their skin. Though of wide mesh, the fishing-nets will keep off five or six degrees of frost, and in certain cases are better than a closer protection, like tiffany, which sometimes “coddles” the trees too much.

A few words on the respective qualities of youth and age may not be amiss. Amateurs are so often disappointed in their garden purchases, because they will not allow the plants sufficient time to demonstrate their capabilities. Catalogues are much to blame in this respect; an enticing description of a shrub is given, and the confiding amateur orders it, believing that in a year or two it will fulfil its character. How can he be expected to know that that particular variety never bears any flowers worth speaking of till it is at least seven years old! In the long run, I think nurserymen will find it pay to tell the whole truth regarding each plant they send out, not merely in a negative way either. If an alpine, for example, like linnea borealis, is extremely difficult to grow and flower in this country, it is only fair to say so; to place it amongst a lot of easily-cultivated plants without a word of warning is not straightforward dealing, moreover is apt to make people disgusted with the whole thing. Some plants bloom much the best when in their first youth; this is the case with many of the soft-wooded plants, which soon give signs of exhaustion, especially in a light soil. When it is noticed that the outside flowering stems produce finer blossoms than those from the centre, it is generally a sign that division is required, and that the soil wants enriching.

THE CALENDAR. That there is a time for everything in gardening is almost a truism; the calendar is considered one of the most important parts of a technical book on this subject. It is advisable for an amateur gardener to have a note-book, in which he jots down what he has to do several weeks or months in advance; so often some fault easily remedied is left over from year to year, because perhaps it is only observed in the summer, and cannot be mended till winter. Recently, the calendar has not been given quite so much prominence; gardeners find out more and more that the weather is not governed by it, and that though one year it may be best to sow a certain seed at the beginning of February, another season may be so cold that it will have to go in at least a fortnight later. Nevertheless, taken roughly, this diary of events, as the dictionary calls it, holds good for most years, and it is wise to stick to it as far as possible.

CHAPTER XII