96 THE CHRONICLES OF A GARDEN. 



bloom early, sucli as crocuses, snowdrops, or winter aconite, 

 or of some low-growing plant that, even when out of flower, 

 would remain as a green edging. This is a matter of taste, 

 as I believe many j^eojile dislike any mingling of difl'erent 

 kinds of flowers in beds ; but to those who like to have 

 always something coming into blossom, and who have a 

 lingering love for the old-fashioned mixed border, this plan 

 might be agreeable. The edging should, if possible, flower 

 at a different season from the plants bedded out, and be of 

 a compact growth ; double daisies, early-flowering heath. 

 Phlox frondosa, Saxifraga hypnoides or oppositifolia, 

 gentians, or stonecrops, might all be used advantageously 

 in this way, as these would leave their foliage when the 

 flowers faded, while in those beds where snowdrops and 

 crocuses made the early edging, their places would have to 

 be filled up by early-sown dwarf annuals, such as Silene 

 pendula or Virginian stock. 



Too much attention cannot be paid to tying-up and 

 training w^hile the full growth of summer is on our garden ; 

 keeping plants in their places is as necessary as keeping 

 people in theirs, and by means of small sticks put in 

 amongst some of the low -growing plants, and pegging 

 down the rambling shoots of others, while the taller plants 

 are tied to proper supports in time, the beauty and order 

 of the borders are greatly increased. In tying uj) bushy 

 plants, use several stakes, if necessary, so as to avoid the 

 sheaf-like look they acquire when tied u}) tightly to one 

 stake, and do not wait till a stormy day comes ere securing 

 the Canterbury bells, snapdragons, lychnises, and such like, 



