THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 49 



tiana acaulis, London Pride, daisies or primroses, each of these will 

 make a very neat edging, and flowering in their season will look 

 very pretty. Tliey may be planted in the same manner as box, but 

 the usual mode is to plant them with a dibber ; having made the 

 ground firm by treading, of a proper height, and exactly level, make 

 a mark where the edging is to be, then take divisions or offsets of 

 any of the above, and plant them about six inches apart, either in 

 one row, or one each side of the mark in zigzag fashion. It is a 

 common practice to make edgings of deal boards ; this is decidedly 

 objectionable, because they are not durable, and they present a stiff 

 and formal appearance, which is anything but pleasing ; slates or 

 tiles are more durable, but not more ornamental ; a row of flints, or 

 large pebbles are better than either. Where burrs are obtainable 

 they make a good edging on which alpine plants may be allowed to 

 trail ; cuttings of ivy or Cotoneaster microphylla, planted after the 

 same manner as box, will strike root and make a fine bold edging, 

 but require judicious pruning to keep them within bounds. As we 

 before observed, a few inches of soil from the path should be thrown 

 on the border ; the hollow thus left should be filled with brick rub- 

 bish, or any coarse material ; to within a trifle of the height the path 

 is to be, make this firm, and if gravel can be obtained to finish off 

 with, nothing better can be desired. It is only necessary to level 

 the gravel, tread it well, and smooth it off with the back of a rake, 

 when a roller will finish it ; but as every one does not possess a 

 roller, it may be trodden and smoothed again and then finished with 

 the back of a spade. If, as it sometimes happens, gravel is not to 

 be got, the next best thing is to pave the path with pebbles ; having 

 prepared it as for gravel, lay the pebbles close together, and run sand 

 or fine earth between them. Next to pebbles we believe burnt clay 

 makes the best path, although we never tried it ourselves ; road 

 sand will be better than nothing, and common garden soil worst of 

 all. If the weather should be dry, see that the edging is well 

 watered, for much of the success in planting depends on everything 

 being settled in at first ; care should be taken that the paths are so 

 that no water can rest on them ; they should be slightly higher than 

 the border, where the water is more necessary. 



Having accomplished this much in laying out the garden, we 

 must next consider the subject of planting. To describe all the 

 various modes by which a garden may be kept fresh and lively 

 during the twelve months of the year would fill a large book 

 indeed ; nor is it necessary here to give more than one or two of 

 the least expensive. The plan whereby a little garden may be kept 

 neat and tidy, at the least possible outlay and with the least amount 

 of labour, is to plant it with dwarf compact young evergreens, 

 which may be procured in abundance and at a cheap rate at any of 

 the nurseries around London. Evergreen shrubs may be made to 

 yield a most lively and interesting appearance, if they are kepi 

 dwarf and within bounds, and are allowed sufficient room. The 

 following are the names of such shrubs as are most easily procured, 

 and will thrive in almost any soil or situation: — Aucuba Japonica; 

 Alaternus ; Box, plain and variegated ; Berberis ; Sweet Bay ; 



February. 4 



