GARDENING IN HEAVY SOILS 29 



among rocks, such as Aubretia, the creeping Phloxes, 

 and many kinds of Pinks, including Carnations. 

 Such a border is not difficult to make, especially if it 

 is enclosed by fairly large rocks shaped like tiles and 

 driven firmly into the ground; and it is one of the 

 easiest means of providing drainage, especially for 

 shallow-rooting plants. In a light soil it is well to 

 plant, if possible, in the autumn, so that the plants 

 may be thoroughly established before the summer 

 droughts; but in a stiff clay many plants should be 

 planted in the spring, since winter damp is a greater 

 danger to them than summer drought. This applies, 

 perhaps, even to Roses, unless the soil can be thor- 

 oughly prepared for them beforehand, and to all ex- 

 cept the hardiest shrubs. It is true, of course, that 

 with a favourable winter Roses will survive even in 

 the stiffest clay, and that in such a case they will do 

 much better their first summer than if they are planted 

 in the spring; but if the winter is very severe they 

 are likely to go off wholesale. If the gardener likes to 

 take that risk, he can plant in the autumn, but not 

 later than the beginning of November; if he prefers 

 safety, he will plant in early spring, as soon as all 

 danger of severe frosts seems to be over. Most her- 

 baceous plants can be safely planted in the spring, 

 and some, in a stiff clay, can only then be safely 

 planted. Larkspurs and phloxes, for instance, are very 

 apt to go off if planted in autumn. 1 Even plants 



1 Exception must be taken to the application of this statement to American 

 gardens; Phloxes do well in the United States when autumn-planted, 

 Larkspurs also when on well-drained soil. L. Y. K. 



