54 



try garden can teach us much on the subject 

 of selecting proper border flowers. The flower- 

 border may be raised very slightly, to insure per- 

 fect drainage and to emphasize its contour, but 

 never be so elevated as to cause over-dryness ; 

 elevated beds and borders are designed for 

 plants which do not require much moisture. 

 The skillful planter will not forget to place 

 showy subjects with reference to their effect 

 from the interior of the house, so that the beau- 

 ty of the garden may be admired from within 

 during inclement weather. 



A garden may be rendered beautiful from 

 early spring until late autumn with perennial 

 flowers alone ; but it may be rendered still more 

 attractive by the judicious use of many of the 

 finer annuals, biennials, and foliage plants as 

 well. By the term " judicious " I mean not only 

 a use of annuals of merit, but annuals properly 

 placed; perennial flower-borders should consist 

 in the main of perennial flowers. To cultivate 

 hardy flowers it is not necessary to be an Asa 

 Gray, though a knowledge of botany must always 

 afford an ever-increasing satisfaction and pleas- 

 ure. A love for flowers one must have : one 

 can not be a Peter Bell in floriculture. 



Finally, the garden syllabus may also be 

 written on two tables of stone : 



