1879.] HARDY WINTER GARDENING. 35 



a clean, straight cut, about half an inch from the line up to where 

 your foot is on the line ; and then, before lifting your foot, place the 

 edging-knife across the line to keep it in its place, while you move 

 your foot back another yard upon the line. This process is quite 

 necessary when there are any irregularities in the edging, if a straight 

 edge is wanted; and it is safe to adopt it even when the edge is quite 

 smooth. R. Ixglis. 



HARDY WINTER GARDENING. 



I have been much pleased with your article on "Hardy "Winter 

 Gardening " in ' The Gardener ' for December ; and as I have been 

 for some years creeping on on the same lines, I think some of my 

 experience may interest you. 



For some years I took great pains to fill my beds, after the Pelargoni- 

 ums, &c, were removed in October, with plants destined to bloom in 

 spring, such as Nemophila, Silene, and other early annuals; and as they 

 came in too late, and lasted so short a time, I subsequently adopted 

 the new Violas, which made a brilliant show, but had to be removed 

 just when in greatest beauty. The centres of the beds were occupied 

 by permanent patterns in the form of dwarf hedges of the Golden 

 Holly, Silver Holly, Golden Yew ; and latterly the Golden Euonymus 

 latifolius occupied a good space in the winter, but was removed to 

 the kitchen-garden in the summer. I plant largely and permanently 

 the Euonymus radicans as borders : but the latifolius albo-marginatus, 

 of which I had a large quantity, was apt to die, and even if it lived, 

 to turn green ; it is therefore discarded. I have now thrown aside 

 all idea of a movable garden, which, in most places where it exists, is 

 filled up with branches of Firs, Hollies, &c, and has the disagreeable 

 effect produced by all shams. I have continued the marking out of 

 the centres of scrolls and round beds with the Euonymus latifolius 

 aureus ; Thuja elegantissima, which is of a brilliant yellow all spring 

 and summer; and Retinospora aurea, which always retains a deep 

 gold colour. The Golden Yew looks very pale, except in summer ; but 

 I think Barron's variety Elvastonensis will be an acquisition. 



I have all the Cupressus Lawsoniani you mention, and one more, 

 the Pigrucea, which makes a fine dark spot in the midst of white 

 Pelargoniums such as Bridal Wreath. 



Now, my idea has long been that masses of scarlet, white, and pink 

 Pelargoniums in this climate, although brilliant objects when the 

 weather is fine, are too easily blackened and thrown about by a heavy 

 shower to be depended upon, and that a few dozens of good plants in 

 small clumps amid the tracery of permanent shrubs, if not so dazzling 



