TO BE DONE IN THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 349 



open ground, sheltering them for a day or two by turning a flower-pot 

 over them. The greenhouse plants standing in the open ground, which 

 were protected during winter, are now uncovered. The Lobelias, Ver- 

 benas, Salvias, Petunias, and other half-hardy plants that were in pots, 

 are now planted out ; the hardy annuals sown in March and April are 

 thinned out, and transplanted ; and the stems of the Phloxes and other 

 coarse -grov^dng herbaceous plants are cut in, taking away about a third 

 part ; as, when they are sutiered to have too much herbage, it weakens 

 the flowers. The gravel walks must now be carefully attended to, sweep- 

 ing and rolKng them frequently, and the turf must be mowed once a-week. 

 Pots of Ixias and other summer-flowering bulbs are now plunged in the 

 borders. 



JUNE. 



The Dahlias are planted out in this month in beds, the plants being 

 four or five feet apart every way. The cuttings of greenhouse plants, 

 Avhicli were intended for planting out, are now removed to the open 

 ground ; and the Pelargoniums, Heliotropes, and other greenhouse plants, 

 are planted out. The Aphides now begin to appear on the Rose trees, 

 and they should be destroyed by dipping the tips of the shoots into clear 

 water, and shaking them gently in the water. All the insects may be 

 thus removed without disfiguring the tree. A brown grub (the larva of 

 a kind of saw-fly) now appears in the Rose buds, and it should be 

 removed by hand-picking. Many good flower-gardeners jDrefer cutting 

 their box-edgings in this month, just when the plants have nearly com- 

 pleted their annual shoots, as they afterwards push out a few leaves ; 

 and thus the edging does not show the mark of the knife, which it does 

 when cut later. 



JULY. 



The withered Roses and other flowers should be cut off as soon as they 

 fade, as nothing disfigiires a flower-garden more than dead flowers. 

 Some of the herbaceous plants that have done flowering should be cut 

 down, and the pots of summer bulbs should be removed to give place to 

 Pelargoniums, German and Russian Stocks, &c., which will continue in 

 flower till October. The annual plants from the May sowing are now 

 thinned out ; and cuttings of greenhouse plants are put in the open 

 border under hand-glasses. Pyramids and pillars of Roses should now 

 be trained carefully, and tied in so as to present a mass of bloom. The 

 turf should be mown every week, and the broad-leaved grasses, and 

 other wild plants, such as Daisies, should be removed, where their 

 appearance is objected to. 



AUGUST. 



The flower-borders must be frequently weeded during this month, 

 great care being taken to prevent the weeds from ripening their seed. 

 The vacant places made by plants that have flowered, and nave had their 

 stalks cut down, may be now generally supplied by greenhouse plants. 



