84 JOTTINGS OF A GENTLEMAN GARDENER 



Sandy soil, in fact any very poor hungry soil is also 

 unsuitable. Few rock-plants will thrive in it. 



Opinions differ, but I am convinced that the best soil 

 is good meadow loam. If this cannot be had, use rich 

 garden soil mixed with equal parts of leaf mould and plenty 

 of sharp silver sand. But meadow loam is the best. 

 Builders often want to sell turf, but do not think the soil 

 just below it so valuable. This meadow loam, however, 

 is what we need. When it arrives turn it over on to quite 

 a fresh piece of ground. Break up any big lumps, and pick 

 out every bit of weed root that is seen ; this is most 

 important. If the pasture was good there should not be 

 much to pick out, but it is important to remove all, for 

 every bit will grow, and if introduced into the rock-garden 

 it is hard to get it out again. Also keep a sharp look out 

 for wire- worms and other soil pests, removing and destroying 

 them as recommended in Chapter XVII on Garden Weeds 

 and Plant Pests. 



Arrangement of the Soil : If the site is a flat piece of 

 ground, the first thing to do is to make a rough plan of the 

 proposed garden, showing the main path (which should be 

 at least 3 ft. wide) and other principal features ; and having 

 then marked out the ground, to wheel on the soil, shooting 

 it up into hillocks. It is an excellent idea to make two 

 main series of hillocks, letting them run roughly North 

 and South, with a winding path between them. Shrubs 

 can be planted on the East to protect the plants from cold 

 winds. 



The hillocks should vary in size and steepness but the 

 height of a hillock when it has settled should not exceed 

 two-thirds of the width from the path to the centre of the 

 mound. For instance, if the greatest width of the hillock 

 be 12 ft., the width from the path to the centre of the mound 

 or hillock will be 6 ft., and the height of the hillock when 

 it has settled should not be more than 4 ft. The hillocks 

 will be separated irregularly from each other by " valleys " 

 through which little paths may meander, all joining the 

 centre path. Such an arrangement will give a variety of 



