IN THE GARDEN BORDER 37 



should be, after the surface of the ground 

 has frozen to a hard crust. 



In the spring, as soon as the ground is 

 workable, after the winter covering has been 

 removed, stir the soil with a narrow rake, 

 hand fork, or prong weeder, to break up the 

 hard-packed surface and so enable the plants 

 to come through easily. If this is not done 

 where the soil is heavy the growths will lift 

 whole chunks of the surface soil and the pres- 

 sure often causes the leaves and flower stalks 

 to become crooked or otherwise deformed. 



GROUPING IN GARDENS 



Daffodils are most happily placed when 

 growing in clumps in the foreground of a 

 border of mixed shrubs and herbaceous plants. 

 The shrubs supply sufficient shelter, and shade 

 at all times, and the herbaceous plants grow 

 up and hide the ripening daffodil foliage as 

 is begins to get unsightly. Here the bulbs 

 may remain undisturbed to flourish and in- 

 crease for several years, or until a reduction 

 in size and quantity of flowers indicates a 

 too crowded condition, exhausted soil, or 



