THE BORDER CARNATION 25 



borders, the flower garden in those days being filled 

 with Verbenas, Pelargoniums, and Lobelias in beds. 

 All the flowers fit for cutting, such as Pinks, Car- 

 nations, and Roses, were crowded into the kitchen 

 garden, but the soil was deep, well manured, and well 

 tilled, with the result that the Carnations were excellent 

 and worth a whole garden of bedding plants. This 

 was in the county of Roxburghshire. 



" A year or two later I was in Fifeshire, and delighted 

 to have charge of Carnations again. There was an old 

 garden within half a mile of the Firth of Forth, a part 

 of which was sacrificed to the almost universal ap- 

 preciation of bedding plants, but two long rows were 

 reserved for Carnations. In summer, when the plants 

 were in bud and full bloom, nothing could equal them 

 in beauty, and in winter the grey foliage had a quiet 

 charm. Since those days I have grown Carnations in 

 the open garden, in pots, and in all ways, but am satis- 

 fied that success may be assured in any district and 

 in any class of soil if care is taken to give the plants 

 the necessary attention. The Carnation cannot fight 

 successfully for itself in an ordinary mixed border. 

 Planted within half a yard of a Phlox or Pyrethrum, 

 it would soon be overpowered, but given a chance 

 among plants of equal vigour, it will do well in a 

 border of this kind. I have grown such delicate 

 varieties as Painted Ladies in a mixed border in Essex, 

 but Carnations are worth a border to themselves, and 

 thousands of amateurs provide a border specially for 

 the flower. I often hear of failures, but this is usually 

 through some fault in culture or starting with a stock 



