How to manage a Garden 



engender disease and death ; and certain it is that the 

 plants will thrive better in a loose than in a sticky soil. 



If the lawn and the flower bed have both to be made it 

 is necessary to mark out roughly the shape of the beds 

 after the whole piece has been dug over, and then to lay 

 down the turf so that it will overlap the edge of the bed, 

 and enable a clean verge to be cut. This work of verge 

 cutting should not be undertaken until the grass has begun 

 again to grow. It is usually better to have beds raised 

 somewhat beyond the surrounding level, as it tends to show 

 off its occupants to greater advantage. There is of course a 

 limit which we sometimes find exceeded, so that the bed is 

 of such a slope as to make it very difficult to water it satis- 

 factorily, or even to easily plant it. Carpet-bedding cannot 

 be well exhibited unless the surface of the bed is even 

 that is, either flat or at a suitable angle without being 

 rounded. 



Borders require the same process in making as do beds. 

 The boundary must be marked out first, and a good trench- 

 ing given or soil taken out, and fresh put in. As to the 

 edging, where there is not grass it may be stones, tiles, box, 

 or whatever suits the individual taste. Whatever it may be 

 it should be so set down that deep and close digging will 

 not loosen it. 



