JULY 



High Summer 



JULY is the month of Roses, Carnations, Sweet Peas, 

 Canterbury Bells, and favourite border flowers gener- 

 ally; the garden pageant is at the zenith of its beauty. 

 From his cool retreat, " under the shady roof of branching 

 Elm," the gardener should spare odd moments in which to 

 attend to the most pressing needs of the flowers the 

 removal of faded blooms, occasional staking and tying, 

 hoeing and watering. Otherwise, he may enjoy to the 

 full the fair creation of his labour of love, and, for the 

 nonce, endeavour, in his appreciation of the enchanting 

 present, to forget the necessity of making preparation for 

 the future. 



Among the Hardy Flowers 



Layering Border Carnations. I have always had 

 an objection to layering Carnations until most of the 

 flowers are over, t because, having spent a year in 

 growing them, it seems that one ought to be able to 

 enjoy their comparatively short season of blossoming 

 undisturbed by any thought of preparing for the 

 following year's display. It is, however, important 

 to make a start some tune in July; if one has a 

 considerable number of plants to attend to, layering 

 will probably occupy two or three weeks, supposing 

 the work to be carried out in spare moments. If it is 

 delayed until late in August, as is the practice among 

 amateurs generally, the plants are not likely to become 

 well rooted by October, and, consequently, do not prove 

 so successful the following year. The best results are 



237 



