206 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



For an example of what is meant by a reserve garden we take 

 an oblong piece of ground having the walls of the kitchen garden 



for two of its boundaries, and a Yew hedge shelter- 

 Reserve garden, ing it from the east winds, while the other is 



screened by evergreen trees, with which are inter- 

 mingled hardy plants of tall growth. The plants are set in beds 

 without reference to the general effect, and the borders, being 

 edged with stone dug on the place, give no trouble after the 

 stones are properly set ; when old and moss-grown the stones look- 

 better than anything else that could be used the dwarfer plants 

 being allowed to run over them and break the lines. Every year 

 the plan of such a garden may be varied as our tastes vary and as 

 the flowers want change. A similar garden ought to be in every 

 place where there are borders to be stocked and maintained in 

 good condition, and particularly where there is a demand for cut 

 flowers. 



Such a garden may be made in any shape which is convenient for 

 cultivation, for access, and for cutting ; but some general throwing of 

 the ground into easily worked beds is desirable. The more free and 

 less hampered with gravel, permanent edgings, and the like, the 

 better it will be for future work. The gardener is often hindered by 

 needless impedimenta in the flower garden, but in the reserve garden, 

 where only the cultivation of flowers has to be thought of, he 

 should be able to get to work at any time with the least possible 

 difficulty, and in dry and good soils it would not be necessary to 

 have much more than a beaten walk for the foot. It would be 

 possible to do without edgings ; but where edgings are used they 

 should be of a kind that might be removed at any time, the best for 

 this being of natural stone. The drainage should be good, and, 

 if possible, the place should be not too far to the manure heap, while 

 the soil should in all cases be good, as very often it has to give two 

 crops a year ; in the case of bulbs that perish early it is easy to get 

 after crops of annuals or ornamental grasses. 



