XXXV. FLOWER GARDENING 



THE laying out of the flower garden is an important matter, 

 but it rarely receives the attention it deserves. 



A good way to lay off a flower garden is to follow a nrtural 

 arrangement as far as possible. Do not fill the lawn up closely 

 with bushes and shrubs, but leave the space in front of the house 

 almost entirely open. 



The lawn should be set in blue grass or Bermuda grass and white 

 clover, and a border of low flowering plants along the walk may 

 prove attractive. Shrubs should be planted along the fence and 

 near the walls of the house where they will not obstruct the view 

 from the windows. All unsightly objects should be screened by a 

 cover of tall shrubbery or vines. The honeysuckle, the crimson 

 rambler, the Cherokee rose, and the purple wistaria will be found 

 useful for this purpose as well as for the shade they make. The 

 appearance of the shrubbery will be greatly improved if the shrubs 

 are bordered with flower beds of attractive design. 



Morning glories or four o'clocks give a pleasing effect when 

 planted along the fence. Chrysanthemums may be used to good 

 advantage along the sides of the house to cover up and screen 

 unsightly foundations. The trees should be grouped along the 

 sides of the yard and in the rear. The view from the front lawn 

 should in general be left free and unobstructed. 



The flower garden should be made in the back yard or at the 

 side of the house. The plants selected should be hardy and self- 

 reliant and of such a nature that a constant succession of flowers 

 may be had from season to season. Among the early spring 

 flowers are the jonquils, sweet violet, Japan quince, peri- 

 winkles, early narcissus, daffodils, blue hyacinths, bridal wreaths, 

 wistaria, snowball, white iris, and some of the early varieties of lilies. 

 Among those that grow during the warm dry season are the 

 hollyhocks, four-o'clocks, larkspurs, mallows, phlox, bachelor's 

 buttons, and black-eyed Susans. Among the fall flowers are the 



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