ON LAYING OUT. 35 



hepaticas, saxifrage, &c., must be attended to, and propagated, 

 by dividing the roots, before October closes. November is the 

 season of fogs and severe frosts : if a lady is prudent, she will 

 perform all these needful operations in October, and November 

 will have no alarms for her. 



All the double-flowering plants, such as double sweet-william, 

 double rockets, double scarlet lychnis, &c., should be placed in 

 sheltered situations in October, to weather out the storms of 

 winter. Double flowers are very handsome, and deserve a little 

 care. 



The most charming little perennial flower which can adorn a 

 lady's garden is the scarlet verbena, but it is very difficult to pre- 

 serve through the winter. Its beauty, however, repays the care 

 which may be bestowed upon it. This tender plant the only 

 really tender root which I admit into my work is not only de- 

 sirable from its fine, full scarlet blossoms, but it blooms from 

 April to November. The scarlet verbena loves a rich, light, dry 

 border or bed, in a sunny situation ; they delight also in rock- 

 work, where they have been known to exist through the winter. 

 Plant the roots about six inches apart in the middle of April, and 

 keep pegging down the shoots as they throw themselves along 

 the bed. A profusion of flowers and plants are produced by thii 

 means. A bed or border sloping to the south is the best situa- 

 tion frr the scarlet verbena. 



