E D G 



E D G 



Globe Thistle; 3. E. strigoms, Annual Globe 

 Thistle. 



The first has a perennial root. The stalks 

 many, four or five feet high. The leaves long 

 and jagged, divided into many segments almost 

 to tfle midrib, the jags ending in spines; they 

 are of a dark-green on their upper side, but 

 woolly on their under. There are several glo- 

 bular heads of flowers on each stalk. The florets 

 are commonly blue, but sometimes white. These 

 come out in July, and the seeds ripen in Au- 

 gust. It is a native of France, &c. 



It varies with white flowers. 



The second species has a perennial creeping 

 root, sending up several strong stalks two feet 

 high, and branching. The leaves cut into many 

 fine segments to the midrib. Each branch is ter- 

 minated by a globular head of flowers, smaller 

 than those of the first, and of a deeper blue, but 

 sometimes white : they come out in July. It is 

 a native of the South of France. 



It also varies with white flowers. 



The third is an annual plant, with a stiff white 

 stalk two feet high. The leaves divided, ending 

 in many points, which have spines; their upper 

 side green, covered with brown hairs, their 

 under side white and woolly : the stalk is ter- 

 minated by one large head of pale blue flowers, 

 appearing in July. It is a native of France, &c. 



Culture. — These plants are readily increased 

 by sowing the seeds in the autumn in the places 

 where the plants are to grow. When they are 

 come up in the spring, they should be properly 

 thinned and kept free from weeds. Some of the 

 strongest plants may likewise be removed to 

 other situations. In the third sort the seeds are 

 better sown in the early spring. 



They are well suited to afford variety in the 

 large borders of gardens or pleasure-grounds, as 

 they succeed in almost any soil. 



EDGING, a range of small, dwarf, evergreen 

 plants, as box, thrift, &c. closely planted on the 

 side of borders or beds, for use and ornament. 



They are particularly necessary to such bor- 

 ders as immediately verge walks or alleys of 

 gravel, sand, shells, or other loose materials; 

 to preserve the earth from being forced out upon 

 them. They are likewise neat and useful as 

 divisions in,the flower-garden between the beds. 



The first of these is the most effectual ; easily 

 kept in order, and the most durable ; retaining 

 its leaves and full verdure at all seasons, pro- 

 spering in all soils and situations, being never 

 hurt by any weather, and enduring many years 

 close and regular, with the culture of merely 

 clipping once or twice every summer at the top 

 and sides. 



The latter also grows very close, low, and is 

 in verdure all the year; flowering beautifully two 

 months in summer, but is apt to spread out of 



bounds, requiring to be reduced by cutting in 

 considerably on esch side, or by replanting it 

 afresh every two or three years. It is necessary to 

 trim it a little with garden-shears on the sides and 

 tops every summer as soon as it has done flow- 

 ering, cutting off and removing all the withered 

 flower-stalks, which is best performed during 

 moist weather. 



There are several other plants of low growth, 

 such as daisies, pinks, chamomile, London- 

 pride, catchfly, evergreen flowery perennials, 

 that are sometimes employed as edgings, which 

 have a pretty effect when in flower; hut as in 

 one year they spread greatly out of compass, 

 they should be taken up and re-planted every 

 spring or autumn, particularly the daisies. 



Dwarf bushy annuals are also sometimes sown 

 for summer edgings in small gardens, such as the 

 dwarf virgin-stock, heart's-ease, candy-tuft, and 

 several other low, bushy, annual flowers ; but 

 he first is the most suitable, as it grows low, 

 Diishy, and does not ramble; is very flowery, 

 and continues long in bloom. Some sorts of 

 shrubby aromatics are likewise used — as thyme, 

 savory, hyssop, sage, lavender, and rue, all of 

 which are evergreen, and may be kept low by 

 close shearing ; but then they are liable to be- 

 come woody, stubbed, and naked. 



Parsley is also a good evergreen edging for 

 the edges of the quarters and borders of kitchen 

 gardens: and strawberries are occasionally plant- 

 ed for this purpose ; and where the runners in 

 summer are kept trimmed in close, the plants 

 have an agreeable appearance when in blossom 

 and fruit. 



In the planting or forming edgings — if box, 

 the plants are generally placed in small, perpen- 

 dicular trenches, close together, so as at once to 

 form a complete edging. Thrift, daisies, pinks, 

 &c. are commonly planted by dibble, at about 

 two or three inches distance in the line, though, 

 to form a compact edging at once, they may be 

 planted so close as to touch each other. Pink- 

 edgings may be formed by sowing the seed in a 

 drill along the edge half an inch deep, suffering 

 the plants to remain; and annual flower edgings 

 are formed in the same manner : thyme, savory, 

 and hyssop edgings may either be formed by 

 sowing the seed, or by plants or slips; sage and 

 lavender, chiefly by planting young slips ; and 

 rue in the same way, or by seed. 



All the shrubby kinds of edgings should be 

 neatly shorn or clipped with garden-shears, at the 

 top and sides, every year in summer ; and some 

 sorts require it twice in that time, to preserve 

 them perfectly neat, such as box. 



These should never be suffered to exceed two 

 or three inches in width, nor above three high ; 

 and those of thrift and the other herbaceous 

 plants are not to get more than three or four 



