TOWN GARDENING 397 



in the autumn for the house. It should be gathered when the 

 buds are about half-open, not waiting until they expand. It 

 is pleasant to see a China Rose thrusting its flowery shoots 

 into the Lavender bush ; it is a happy flower marriage. In 

 the same warm light border revels the Rosemary, a shrub 

 filled with fragrance and delighting in sunshine. 



"Borders run round the three sides of the back garden, 

 which faces almost due south, a favourable and pleasant 

 position. Grass occupies the centre, a grateful and refresh- 

 ing setting to the flower masses encircling it, and under the 

 pantry window is a narrow border, if it can be so called, of 

 light soil ; the position is in full sun. Here revel many things, 

 the beautiful little early Irises, /. alata and others, and the 

 early-flowering coloured Gladioli are quite at home. I have 

 never seen the bulbs happier even in the south of England, 

 and one year Crinum Moorei flowered superbly. Of course, 

 Crocuses, Scillas, the splendid Gesner Tulips, and Daffodils 

 are a success. When Tulipa gesneriana is fully open in the 

 blazing sunshine this is in truth a place of colour. Against the 

 wall Roses are planted Gloire de Dijon, Alister Stella Gray, 

 and Mme. Berard Roses, with a plant also of Choisya ternata 

 and Passion-flower Constance Elliott. The left-hand border, 

 looking down the garden, is filled with many things annuals, 

 such as Sweet Peas, Mignonette, Tufted Pansies, Day Lilies, 

 Carnations, Pinks, and other homely English flowers, the 

 majority of which are quite well known. How well Car- 

 nations succeed ! The old crimson Clove gave handfuls of 

 bloom ; but even better was Uriah Pike (What a name !), a 

 vigorous variety, with firm tall stems and large crimson- 

 coloured fragrant flowers. This kind should be noted by all 

 town gardeners. The old white-fringed Pink was very beauti- 

 ful too. I had an edging of White Pinks, but alas, wireworms 

 consumed many ; and this reminds me that new loam or the 

 top spit from a pasture should always be most carefully 

 examined, as it is frequently full of wireworms. A friend 

 planted an edging about thirty yards long of White Pinks, 

 brought in new soil to give them a start, and the wireworms 

 consumed three parts of the entire margin of silvery tufts. 

 In this left-hand border plants flourish amazingly; even 

 Roses, particularly the Tea-scented Edith Gifford, the beauti- 

 ful hybrid Tea, Viscountess Folkestone, Mme. Charles, and 

 the lovely Alfred Carriere, which has large, loosely formed, pure 

 white flowers filled with sweet scent. Against the fence the 

 winter-flowering/^j;^^^;^ nudifloruin is very beautiful through- 

 out a mild winter. It is covered over with blossom, so rich 

 in colour and fragrant ; the green leafless shoots are crowded 

 with buds in winter, and these when cut for the house open 



