THE MIXED BORDER 37 



swept positions, or are left with their wants unprovided for, 

 failure is certain to ensue. The aim of the true lover of the 

 garden should be the attainment of the fullest perfection of 

 vigorous health in each plant grown, and for this reason the 

 border should be well made and thoughtfully planted. 



Soil. In order to secure the best results the soil must be 

 deep, rich, and well-drained. In shallow soil the roots of 

 the plants are parched in hot summers, in poor soil stunted 

 growth proclaims lack of vigour, and where stagnant mois- 

 ture lies about the roots in the winter those plants that do 

 not perish lose vitality. To construct a mixed border close 

 to a hedge is courting disaster, for the hungry roots of the 

 Laurel, Privet, Yew, or Thorn, of which it is composed, soon 

 appropriate with their all-pervading fibres the sustenance 

 provided for the herbaceous plants, and thus effectually pre- 

 vent them from attaining their rightful proportions. The 

 most suitable soil for the border is sound, fibrous loam ; 

 but this is, in some localities, difficult to obtain, in which case 

 the best must be made of what is nearer at hand. Both 

 heavy and light soil can be so modified by additions as to 

 render each capable of growing well the bulk of the plants 

 required for the mixed border. Thus heavy soil may be 

 lightened by a liberal addition of road-grit, old mortar-rubbish, 

 burnt earth, wood ashes, and coarse sand, which will tend 

 to render it porous, while light soil can be given greater 

 sustaining qualities by an admixture of leaf -mould, decayed 

 vegetable refuse, well-pulverised clay, and a small proportion 

 of peat. The border cannot well be too deep. Three feet 

 is none too deep for many of the stronger-growing herbaceous 

 plants, which send their roots downwards to a great distance. 

 At all events, a depth of two feet should, i? possible, be 

 secured. The early autumn is the best time for making the 

 mixed border, as it is then ready for the reception of the 

 plants during October or November. After seeing that 

 adequate drainage is provided where the soil at the bottom 

 of the bed is of a retentive nature, the border should be filled 

 in with the prepared soil, the lower half being plentifully 

 dressed with fresh manure, farm-yard manure being used 

 in light soils and stable manure in heavy. The upper half 

 of the border should also be given a liberal addition of 

 manure but this, with which the roots will first come into 

 contact, should be well-rotted and not fresh as advocated 

 for the lower half. With herbaceous plants a good start is 

 more than half the battle, and when placed in such a border 

 they will grow vigorously from the first and attain their 



