170 BORDER 



the greater possibilities we have are due largely to our 

 greater wealth in plants. 



To have a good flower border is by no means an ex- 

 pensive undertaking if a few essentials are regarded. 



The first and most important requisite is a good depth 

 of soil ; it matters little what the kind of soil, if good, 

 but it is better, if possible, to vary the texture and be 

 able to control the quantity of moisture. Lilies are 

 among the most beautiful of border flowers, but they 

 like a soil that is light, cool and moist ; hence decayed 

 humus, us leaf -mold, is valuable. Many other subjects, 

 as annuals from warmer climates, like a soil that ab- 

 sorbs heat rapidly and retains it, such as a soil of a 

 sandy texture. In this will thrive all bulbs that die 

 down early in summer, such as tulips and narcissuses. It 

 enables the bxilbs to mature well and remain dry in 

 winter, and to make an early start in spring. The great 

 majority of plants, however, require a retentive compost, 

 that will not dry out readily in hot weather, and it must 

 be ma'le rich enough to grow vegetable crops. One 

 cannot starve the plant and expect a good harvest of 

 bloom. If the natural soil be not really good or suitable, 

 make it so. If ii i^ ip.t ],i,ssihle to do"it all at once, be- 

 gin well, juiii :i'l'I I'l II :i~ time goes on and the plants 

 need the s|i;h , . (..v it v. lil 1„- found that in a mixed bor- 

 der of pl.-iiit^ « lihii |,ii.ri i.Mlly take care of themselves, 

 there will ;il\\:iv~ I..- j.lt-iily for one's own use, and a 



BOEDER 



plants are very desirable, such as bergamot, monarda, 

 the perennial fennel, with its graceful foliage for blend- 

 ing with cut-flowers, a little bush of rue, one of marjo- 

 ram, a plant of the lemon-scented verbena or aloysia 

 (which may be wintered ■■vir indoors), the scented gera- 

 niums, southirii A i, iimI )ii,niy others that have old 



associations. ;i II' ! ' :; ' . Ilie memory back of self 



and friends. ^! - i mst not be negfected, as 



they "come Ipii^i, i„, - ,. x, il;ires." Narcissuses in 



many kinds arr ii.iiu_\ aiitl i-cniiMn'-Tit ; ^o, -tNo, ;irf the 

 Darwin tulips, evtu'though uuli'- il" ii,,,,.i- i,],:^]. 

 This recent race of tulips and tin-' ' i li: ' ■ -i . ri,iii;i 

 type live year after year and ci- '- •' ' !" - 'I' - l;iv 

 ing fine blooms forcutting. Cri»u-' - im,i_> 1.. j.|;,c, ,1 jicar 

 the margins in warm comers, pluutiiig" over them or 

 sowing a few seeds of annuals to cover the soil that 

 hides them in summer. Stocks, zinnias, asters and 

 mignonette are all admissible and most suital)le, with a 

 clump or row of sweet ]h:i- h.iii ;Ii. li,i. k :,t int.rvals. 

 Gladioluses are excellent '" 1 ' - . [laiited 



in a group, to do them j;i- ■ ■ . thtiibe 



covered in fall with a I. 'Ill -I mi, |. , ,,,h : , i,. n.cdles 

 to protect them. The roj...! .J..i.:,i, n ,- - nm.li wa- 

 ter, and may be given a special be il. w liri, it , an be sup- 

 plied freely, other semi-aquatic plants \,i;ui: |ilarecl with 

 them, provided the one border thu-^ nut i:\\-f tin- desired 

 variety of soils; but the whole ..f tli.' above-named 

 plants may be made to grow in a mixed border if it be 

 properly prepared. 



One of the best uses of a border is to make it a re- 

 pository or catch-all for hardy plants. Here plant wild 

 asters and gol.b-nrM.lx. wiM "lilies and buttercups, and 

 anything and im rx thin- \\lii,li interests you in the 



its stored-up warmth, as the 

 plants then get well estab- 

 lished before spring ; but if 

 division and replanting are 

 necessary, wait until things 

 have made a visible start 

 in spring, so that nearby 

 plants are not injured bv the 



qua 



such a border is an important 

 IS general effect and efliciency are con 

 i- line of a fence or boundary 

 :. drive, or avenue, or next the hou 

 IS. The front line 

 curved or irregular 

 ing to tlu- si 



all foriTis. Mi . . M . - I MM,, 



of their ..« n i-. m , • _■ , n.- 



lotted spa.'.-. II..- linnil.i-i ..1' subjects 

 suit.able f..r tliis kind of work are 

 many. B.-gin with the old-fashioned 

 flowers, such as peonies, dicentras, 

 larkspurs, perennial poppies, py- 

 rethrums, iris, hemerocallis, and a 

 host of others. Hollyhocks 

 excellent, but in the East the disease 

 or rust must be kept off by thorough 

 spraying. The pen-nnitil i.':ii-.l.-n 

 phlox must be adil.-.l. l.nt -. . i.. it 



that it does not s.-. .1 ih. 1. .1 i 



produce a tiresome .i-..]. ..1 [.....r. 



weedy sorts. The same may be said 



of the larkspur. In fact, unless 



some specially marked flowers are wanted for seeds, 



it is best not to allow border plants to seed in the 



soil, for they speedily make trouble. Sweet-smelling 



246. An informal border along the fence. 



