44 JOTTINGS OF A GENTLEMAN GARDENER 



given it a fillip again. Thus we have two very popular 

 gardening features hardy annuals, and summer bedding. 

 Some say that they are too popular, but I do not, although 

 sometimes the excess of hardy annuals is rather marked. 



But here I make a plea for the perennial. It is a mistake 

 to let the other kinds of garden features crowd out the 

 perennial. Every garden should have a perennial border, 

 except perhaps small villa gardens in which summer bedding 

 looks best. Have a small perennial border if you cannot 

 have a big one, do not leave it out altogether, unless you 

 have no border in a sunny part of your garden 4 ft. wide. 



Perennials are most interesting plants, they are nearly 

 all free flowering, and from many of them useful flowers 

 for table decoration can be obtained. There is no doubt 

 that perennials are the finest of all garden flowers, and as 

 they continue year after year they are also economical. 



Many perennials succeed in town gardens, producing 

 gay colours in the summer. It is said to be difficult to 

 get a perennial border to bloom throughout the summer, 

 but it is not really so. 



Management of a Perennial Border : The best site is 

 a border facing due South, but if such a position is not 

 available, then the next best position with good sunlight 

 should be chosen. A border of very hardy perennials may 

 face East if it gets a certain amount of South sun ; but 

 few perennials will grow well in a border facing North, or 

 for that matter due West either, for perennials want sun 

 to enable them do their best. 



The season for planting lasts from November to March. 

 In exposed districts March is much the best, but elsewhere 

 November planting gives excellent results. For autumn 

 planting the soil should be got ready as early in October as 

 possible, and for March planting it should be prepared early 

 in February. 



If possible the soil should be trenched 3 ft. deep, or if 

 not, worked to at least 2 ft. deep, for many perennials have 

 very long roots. I shall describe trenching in Chapter 

 XXIV, and explain how it is best done, here I will only say 



