6o GARDENING BY MYSELF. 



planted ; and they always show best with 

 grass between, — *' laid down in turf," as the 

 books say : though of course box- or other 

 edgings may be used, and the walks made 

 of gravel. But whatever divides the beds 

 must be kept in the most precise order. So 

 must the flowers themselves. Plant or sow 

 them rather thicker* than needful, at first, 

 and then thin out from time to time, so as 

 to have strong, hardy plants, that will cover 

 the whole ground. Then, as they grow, 

 keep them rigourously within bounds ; clip 

 and train and fasten back, and let nothing 

 stray over the limits by even so much as a 

 bud. A geometric flower garden must have 

 military line-and-rule precision ; neither vis- 

 iting nor '' followers " can be allowed ; and 

 the pretty wandering blossoms that go 

 roaming about with such fair effect in other 

 places, have no business here. Neither must 

 you let plants have entirely their own up- 

 and-down way, — prune the aspiring shoots ot 

 geraniums, and keep everything close and 

 bushy and at home. Keep watch also of 



