82 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



equally adapted to covering walls, arches, and pergolas. There is a 

 white variety and also a double form of this charming plant, but the 

 type is the most beautiful. W. multijuga is a species much grown in 

 Japan ; it produces extremely long flower-racemes, but in this country 

 it is far inferior to W. sinensis. Wistarias may be propagated by layer- 

 ing the young shoots in the summer. When well-established the plants 

 make rapid growth, but cases often occur where they fail to make vigo- 

 rous shoots for some years, in which event their roots should be exposed 

 and afforded a dressing of rich soil. Prune by shortening back the 

 shoots in the early year. 



PLANTS FOR EDGING 



THE WAY TO AVOID HARD EDGINGS OF TILE, WOOD, 

 AND SLATE 



A hard, cold-looking edging will spoil the prettiest garden. 

 Tile, which frequently splits in winter, slates, and wood are 

 abominations, wood perhaps the least objectionable of all, but 

 this breeds fungi, and looks unpleasantly formal. Soft stone, 

 or stone from the district, makes, with plants planted between 

 or at the sides, a delightful edging. The plants, Cerastiurn, 

 Aubrietia, Gentianella, Saxifrage, Stonecrop, House-leek, or 

 whatever maybe used, cover the stone in time with their cushion- 

 like growth. One of the prettiest edgings is that composed of 

 the ordinary white Pink and Mrs. Sinkins, or any other variety. 

 I also admire the fringed Pink of the cottage garden. In a 

 description of a well-kept garden, where the Pink was used as 

 an edging, the writer says : " On entering the garden one is 

 struck by its neatness and order. What was taken at first 

 glance as well-kept Cerastium proved to be nothing but the 

 common white Pink. As a bordering I never remember 

 having seen anything more pleasing or neat, and it certainly 

 looked better than the sombre Box or formal red tiles." One 

 thoroughly enjoys the perfumed flowers in early summer, and 

 the silvery tufted growth at all times. The Pink is as charming 

 in winter as it is in summer. Spring is the time to form a 

 Pink edging. Plant the tufts thinly, sufficiently deep to bury 

 the stems, and then make the soil firm about them. 



Thrift or Sea Pink (Armeria vulgaris) is another pretty 

 edging, the time for planting which is the spring ; and the 

 following is a list of other things suitable for this purpose : 



Arabis. 



AubrietiaS. The purple colouring of the Aubrietia flowers is very 

 rich in spring. We enjoy masses of growth rambling even on to the 

 walk. 



