42 THE PRACTICAL GARDEN -BOOK 



border, a hardy border for native and other hardy plants, 

 a vine border, and the like. As a rule, the most effective 

 planting is that which is thrown into masses, for one plant 

 reinforces the other, and the flowers have a good setting 

 or background. Very striking displays of foliage and flowers 

 and plant forms can be made when massed together. As a 

 rule, plants are more easily grown when planted in a border, 

 since the whole area can be kept cultivated with ease ; and 

 if a plant becomes weak or dies, its place is readily filled 

 by the neighboring plants spreading into it. Planting in 

 masses is also essential to the best arrangement of the 

 yard, since the basis of any landscape is 

 a more or less continuous greensward (see 

 Lawn). The house occupies the central 

 part of the area, and the sides are heavily 

 massed or planted so as to make a frame- 

 work for the whole place. The border 

 may be mixed, that is, composed of a great 

 variety of plants, or it may be made up of 

 one continuous thing. In long and very 



Planting by the steps . *.*. i_ L v. J.T. 



striking borders, it is often best to have the 

 background that is, the back row of one general type of 

 plant in order to give continuity and strength to the whole 

 group. In front of this a variety of plants may be set, if 

 one desire. 



The land should be rich. The whole ground should be 

 plowed or spaded and the plants set irregularly in the 

 space ; or the back row may be set in a line. If the border 

 is composed of shrubs, and is large, a horse cultivator may 

 be run in and out between the plants for the first two or 

 three years, since the shrubs will be set from 2 to 4 ft. 

 apart. Ordinarily, however, the cultivating is done by hand 

 tools. After the plants are once established and the border 

 is filled, it is best to dig up as little as possible, for the 

 digging disturbs the roots and breaks off the crowns. It is 

 usually best to pull out the weeds and give the border a 



