THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



Edging of Foam Flower. 



it is important to get rid of all mere routine work with edgings of 

 Box and other things that want frequent trimming or remaking, 

 in which work much of the labour of gardeners has been wasted in 

 the past. 



NATURAL STONE is the best of all materials for permanent edgings 

 for the flower garden, or any garden where an edging is required, 

 and no effort should be spared to get it. In many districts it is 

 quite easy to do so, as in some of the home counties the refuse of 

 quarries (in Surrey Bargate stone, and in Oxfordshire and Gloucester- 

 shire the flaky stone used for the roofs of old time) is excellent for 



edgings. Much difference will 

 occur in stone in various districts, 

 and some will not be so good in 

 colour and shape as the stone 

 just mentioned, but the advan- 

 tage of natural stone in various 

 ways is so great that even in- 

 ferior forms of it should be 

 chosen before any other material. 

 In undressed, or very roughly 

 dressed natural stone, it does 

 not matter in the least if the 

 stones vary in size, as we have not to set them rigidly like the 

 cast tiles ; sunk half-way firmly in the earth, after a little time 

 they soon assume a good colour ; green mosses stain them in the 

 winter, and if we wish to grace them with rock flowers they are 

 very friendly to them, and Rockfoil, or Stonecrop, or Thyme 

 may creep over them, and make them prettier than any edging 

 made wholly of plants, like Box or Thrift, or Ivy. Unlike the tile, 

 stones are none the worse if they fall a little out of line, as they are 

 easily reset, and also easily removed by handy garden men without 

 expensive workmen, or any aid from mortar or trowel. In large and 

 stately gardens dressed stone may be used to frame a grass plot or 

 handsome straight border, but in most cases this expense would be 

 thrown away, as we get so good a result with the undressed stone. 

 But in a flower garden like that at Shrubland Park, the dressed stone 

 of good and simple form, and properly set as it should be in such a 

 position quite near the house, is quite rightly used. Near cities and 

 towns the removal of old or half-worn stone pavements, like the York 

 stone used in London, often gives us opportunities of securing it for 

 forming edging ; and being often got in large pieces, it requires rough 

 dressing to allow of its being firmly and evenly set in the ground. I 

 have used this largely for edgings, which will last as long as they are 

 allowed to remain. The beautiful green stone of Cumberland would 



