BORDERS OF HARD Y FLO WERS. 7 7 



of plants, and that desire to consider plants in relation to their sur- 

 roundings which is never shown by those who make a " dotty " mixed 

 border, which is the same all the way along and in no place pretty. 

 The presence of tree and shrub life is a great advantage to those who 

 know how to use it. Here is a group of shrubs over which we can 

 throw a delicate veil of some pretty creeper that would look stiff and 

 wretched against a wall ; there a shady recess beneath a flowering 

 tree : instead of planting it up with shrubs in the common way, 

 cover the ground with Woodruff, which will form a pretty carpet 

 and flower very early in the year, and through the Woodruff a few 

 British Ferns ; in front of this use only low plants, and we shall 



A flower-border at Fillingham Castle, Lincoln. 



thus get a pretty little vista, with shade and a pleasant relief. Next 

 we come to a bare patch on the margin. Cover it with a strong 

 evergreen Candytuft, and let this form the edge. Then allow a group 

 of Japan Quince to come right into the grass edge and break the 

 margin ; then a large group of broad-leaved Saxifrage, receding under 

 the near bushes and trees ; and so proceed making groups and 

 colonies, considering every aid from shrub or tree, and never using a 

 plant of which we do not know and enjoy the effect. 



This plan is capable of much variety, whether we are dealing 

 with an established and grown shrubbery, or a choice plantation of 

 flowering Evergreens. In the last case, owing to the soil and the 

 neat habit of the bushes, we have excellent conditions in which 

 good culture is possible. One can have the finest things among 



