344 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



in mixtures. A beautiful combination is of the common evergreen Berberis (B. Aqui- 

 folium}, and Forsythia suspense/., the yellow bloom of the free-arching Forsythia coming 

 while the Berberis is showing its own yellow bloom, and still holds its leaves of winter red- 

 bronze colouring. Ivy and St. John's Wort are obvious plants for such use, but their 

 monotony makes them less desirable than the more interesting treatment of shrubs with 

 low or spreading growth. Scotch Briars are also excellent for this kind of planting, while 

 if the bank occurs in a shady spot, or has a cool exposure, it will be a good place for 

 hardy ferns. 



Tying Up. It is impossible to garden long without realising that much tying up is 

 needful. Thus, Cos Lettuces may be all the better if loosely tied round to help them to form 

 hearts ; broad-leaved Endives tied up to cause them to blanch ; Celery just before it is 

 earthed, loosely tied up to enable the earthing to be neatly done ; Carnations ; all tall 

 growing flowers ; Dahlias, Chrysanthemums, and many similar things, with climbers, to 

 sticks or tree stems, or trellises, &c., and especially of plants of various descriptions in 

 pots in the greenhouse. Neat sticks or stakes or bamboo rods are admirable for these, 

 but the best tying material is soft, tough raffia grass, which in a dry prepared state may 

 be purchased cheaply from seedsmen. This should not be used wastefully, but with 

 care, and when tied leave the ends short and neat. In many cases worsted or wool or 

 twine may be used, and sometimes coarse, soft tar cord. But for all soft wooded plants 

 the raffia is much the best. 



Winter Protection for Outdoor Flowers. It is well worth while to provide suitable 

 shelters for the few outdoor flowers that we have in midwinter. Of these one of the most 

 important is the Yellow Jasmine, so usually grown against walls, palings, or sheds. 

 Either the rot-proof Willesden canvas or a stout quality of the same scrim are excellent 

 materials for protective coverings. It is easy to have a sheet of this for each section of 

 wall or space where it is likely to be wanted, and well worth the trouble of the slight 

 preparation needed for taking on or off quickly. If the sheet has a strong tape or webbing 

 sewn to the top and a few stout rings, and the wall is provided with corresponding hooks, 

 it is soon put up and taken down, and is easily folded up when out of use. If several of 

 the sheets are in use, it saves much trouble to have them numbered ; best by paint- 

 ing in white or grey a 3-inch square patch in one top corner, on which, when dry, a 

 number in darker colour is painted, also painting the same mark on the wall ; then there 

 is no fumbling about or loss of time in finding out which sheet is for which place. Con- 

 trivances for keeping the sheets down in windy weather will suggest themselves to 

 intelligent persons, but the great thing is to have the protection at hand. A number of 

 hurdles thatched with straw, or reeds, or heath are always of use to be put over Christ- 

 mas Roses, or Czar Violets, or Iris stylosa. The sweet bloom of any Chimonanthus 

 trained to a wall shrivels and is spoilt in severe frost, but may be saved by hanging over 

 the bush some boughs of Spruce or Scotch Fir. If the protecting boughs are hung up 

 by their stem ends they are easily lifted or moved aside so that the flowers may be 

 picked. 



Watering. Much judgment is needed in learning how to water plants or crops 

 properly. Plants in pots are best when occasionally allowed to become root-dry, but only 

 just for the moment, as the drying of the soil sweetens it. But if dry long the plant 

 flags and suffers, and that should not be the case. Then the soil should be well saturated, 

 giving sufficient water to fill the pot to the top and even twice filled if needed. Where, 

 however, soil seems moderately damp then do not water but miss that pot. Too many 

 people water all alike and seldom stop to consider whether it is proper or not. Outdoors 

 remember that as a rule roots go deep, and that in dry weather it is better to give a 

 thorough soaking once a week rather than a moderate watering, which only moistens a 

 few inches deep. After such good watering either cast some dry soil over it to prevent 

 rapid evaporation by sun heat, or put on a mulch of long manure or cocoa-nut fibre 

 refuse. 



Window Boxes. This is a familiar form of window gardening. At one time the 

 Wardian case was very popular. When the " box" is merely a strip of board tiled or 

 coloured in some way, pot plants are intended to be used ; thatmeans, of course, shrubs or 

 flowering things purchased or grown in the greenhouse for the purpose. But well-drained 

 boxes of soil, such as one would put a Geranium in, are suitable for the growth of many 

 plants and bulbs. Daffodils, Tulips, Scillas, Chionodoxes, Snowdrops, &c. , are pretty for 

 the spring, planting them the previous autumn. We have seen, too, the exquisite early- 

 flowering Irises grown in this way by an enthusiast who had no suitable place in the 

 garden, but would not be without his cherished bulbs. The Netted Iris (/. reticulata), 

 a full violet purple and filled with strong violet scent ; /. bakeriana, and the little yellow 

 /. Danfordice maybe grown in this way. Of course, this form of gardening is not for the 

 usual run of flower lovers. They must place their faith in the Musk, the Periwinkle, 

 Creeping Jenny; and for temporary effect the Zonal Pelargonium or "Geranium," Fuchsias, 

 Petunias (very free-blooming and bright flowers, even in quite hot positions). We must 



