A PERENNIAL BORDER 45 



that the soil must be well broken up as the trenching is in 

 progress. If the soil be heavy, mix in plenty of sand 

 and road grit and good rotted horse dung, but no manure 

 must come within 12 ins. of the surface. If the soil is 

 light and sandy, dig in lawn mowings and plenty of cow 

 manure, which will help to strengthen it. If the digging 

 be done early in the winter for spring planting, light soils 

 may be " marled " or " clayed " in the manner described 

 in Chapter XXIV. A period of fourteen days or better 

 still three weeks should elapse between the digging of the 

 soil and the planting of the perennials. 



Strong roots should be obtained. These may be 

 bought from any Nurseryman stocking perennials at 

 prices ranging from ^d. to 8d. each. Special sorts of such 

 as Paeonies, Pyrethrums and Verbascuins may be is. 6d. 

 to 2s. each or more. Buy good strong roots ; don't be 

 tempted by cheap lots from advertisements. I have 

 tried many of these " lots," which though cheap were dear 

 in the end. 



If the weather is not suitable for planting when the roots 

 arrive, " lay them in " in the garden. It is useless to plant 

 in November or March if the soil is too wet to work properly. 

 But if the day is bright and the soil as dry as it is likely 

 to be, get to work at once. 



Dig holes deep and large enough for the roots to go in 

 without being bent or doubled up, and hold the plants 

 straight up as you fill in the soil. Firm the soil round the 

 plants thoroughly with your hands, and do not set them 

 deeper than they were originally. The distances apart may 

 vary ; i-i | ft. is enough for small growing plants, but 

 2-4 ft. is not too much for bigger plants such as Lupins, 

 Anchusas, and Delphiniums. It is not necessary to give 

 these bigger plants all this space to themselves if it is so 

 arranged that when they have been cut down the plants 

 near them are such as come on later. 



The subject of planting for colour effects is dealt with 

 at length in Chapter VIII on Colour Borders. What I 

 have already written in Chapter III on the arrangement 



