Management of a Town Garden. 



59 



Akt, V. The Management of a Tovon Garden throughout the 

 Year, in a Series of Monthly Directions. 



Sir, 



Encouraged by j'our approbation, I proceed to state what I consider to 

 be the best mode of managing a town garden, first giving a view of my 

 ideas on the formation of such a garden. The form in which London gar- 

 dens are generally seen is a paralellogram, with a walk round {fg, 41. a), a 

 border of flowers {b), and a 

 bed of turf, {c) My alter- 

 ations sometimes consist in 

 altering the walks to a more 

 varied line {d), which throws 

 both the grass {e) and the 

 flowers (/) into more agree- 

 able shapes, or at any rate, 

 into shapes less common ; 

 and novelty, I think yon will 

 allow, is one source of the. 

 agreeable. The one which 

 most suits his taste will of 

 course be chosen by the ama- 

 teur ; and I will merely fur- 

 ther observe, that I consider 

 the elFect of grouping the 

 same sorts of plants together 

 superior to that of a chance 

 mixture. The above may be 

 considered extraneous by some ; but as I am to fill and manage the garden, 

 I must entreat your allowing me to have a vote as to its formation, 



January. — In this month but little can be done. The walks should be 

 swept, and the beds kept clean, so that all may have as neat an appearance 

 as possible. 



February. — Any rough work may be done in this month, but turf and 

 gravel should not be laid till April. I ought here to observe that the turf 

 oT a London garden requires to be renewed every year. If frames or hand- 

 glasses be admitted, dahlias and other fleshy-rooted plants may be potted, 

 and sheltered from the cold till March or April. 



March. — In the beginning of this month see that the ground be pro- 

 perly trenched, and prepared for planting. A good stock of annual seeds 

 should be procured, and, about the 20th, sown in patches on ground which 

 has been carefully dug and raked. If there be hand-glasses, &c., the ten- 

 derer sorts may be introduced. Mignonette, Virginian stock, Lobel's 

 catchfly, poppj'^, larkspur, purple Oenothera, snapdragon, lupines, and sweet 

 peas, are good sorts for a town garden, among the hardy annuals ; marvel 

 of Peru, Love-lies-bleeding, prince's feather, and red zinnia among the more 

 tender. 



April. — Where any trees or shrubs are wanted, this is the season of 

 planting in London. Perennial flower roots may now be planted, such as 

 St. John's wort, fraxinella, perennial sunflower, and dahlias, in the open 

 ground. Attend to weeding and watering the seeds sown last month. 

 Turf should now be laid, and gravel walks made, picked, or rolled, as they 

 require. 



May. — Keep all things perfectly clean. Attend to your annuals, which 

 will now require thinning and regular watering, and more seed may be 

 sown for late blooming. Plant geraniums and all other ornamental plants, 

 of which great choice may be had at Covent Garden market. A water 



