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done with an eye to after-effects, bearing in mind that variation in 

 height is desirable, so as to avoid the necessity of having the same 

 height of background behind a tall vigorously-growing plant, which 

 in itself needs little or no background, as behind a much smaller and 

 more slender-growing specimen. 



There are many ornamental shrubs which will serve this purpose 

 with excellent effect, but in the case of some of them which root rather 

 too vigorously it will be found necessary to keep the border itself free 

 from the encroachments of their roots, which would otherwise deprive 

 other plants of the goodness of the soil, by periodically cutting them 

 back. These roots are the great drawback to what is perhaps the best 

 and most effective means of forming a background, i.e. one of hardy 

 ornamental shrubs. Such subjects as Buddleias, Skimmias, and 

 Berberis are all suitable, whilst the tallest Rambler Roses, or Forsythia 

 suspensa, trained upon larch supports, are also plants which would aid 

 in forming an attractive backing to a border. 



Next comes the very important question of planting and all its 

 details. In the case of hardy herbaceous perennials this operation 

 may be carried out, I believe, any time during autumn, winter, or 

 early spring, always provided, of course, that the ground is not in 

 a frozen condition, nor the soil sticky from recent rain, as plants 

 take more freely to the ground if the soil works freely at the time 

 when they are put in. Another point worth consideration is to spread 

 out the roots well when planting. This applies more especially to such 

 subjects as the Hellebores, the young and brittle roots of which would 

 be badly damaged if rammed in anyhow when planting. 



Some authorities recommend that, when planting a border, it 

 should be done with the idea of avoiding the necessity of digging over, 

 or renovating the plants, for many years. 



In general practice, however, it will undoubtedly be found better 

 to lift the majority if not the whole of the plants at the end of three 

 years at the latest, and re-dig and manure the ground thoroughly. 

 Unless this is done, the stronger-growing plants encroach on their 

 weaker and less vigorously growing neighbours, and may ultimately 

 even kill them outright. To avoid this by cutting round the clumps 

 with a spade is detrimental to the plants themselves, as it destroys 

 all the younger and more healthy parts of the plant in favour of the 

 older and more weakened. 



Such plants, indeed, as Lychnis, Monardas, and Achilleas are the 

 better for being treated as annuals ; by this I mean, it is better to 

 lift the clumps every year and divide them, replanting only the youngest 

 parts, which are in reality new plants. On the other hand, again, 

 there are those which are best left undisturbed, as they are impatient 

 of root disturbance and receive a severe check if interfered with. 

 Some such as this are Paeonies, Phloxes, Hellebores, and Dictamnus. 

 Another point to be avoided is having all the tallest plants at the 

 back and the remainder sloping down to a foreground of the dwarfest. 

 This tends to give a rather painful air of symmetrical arrangement 



