286 



CaSSELL'S POPULAE GAEDENING. 



level. By performing this operation in a careful 

 manner as advised in a previous page, the shruhs 

 ■will succeed equally well, and a gain in height will 

 be secured at the outset. As this is a broader plan- 

 tation of shrubs, a corresponding margin for flower- 

 ing subjects of a dwarf character could be allowed 

 ior in sufficient number to make it gay and effective. 

 We have allowed for a screen of Ivy next the con- 

 servatory and flower-beds, to shut the same oil from 

 the back entrance when viewed from a westerly 

 standpoint. 



The small building shown as a conservatory could 

 be heated by hot-water pipes connected with the 

 Mtchen boiler, or by a gas-stove. On no account 

 would we allow an oil-stove to be used in the struc- 

 ture itself, in order to exclude frost and maintain the 

 necessary temperature. These are always doubtful 

 expedients, and not to be compared to the hot-water 

 system of the present day. A vine or two would be 

 suitable for the roof of this glass structure, if only to 

 impart a shade during the summer months, and an 

 incentive would thus be given to produce at least a 

 few grapes. We hope in the next article to treat 

 more fully on what to grow, and the easiest way of 

 management, for a small glass-house such as this. 



In front of the conservatory are shown two spaces 

 imarked off for flower-beds. These would be suitable 

 for summer bedding plants, to be followed by early- 

 flowering Hyacinths and Tulips, with other popular 

 flower-roots that could be moved with facility by the 

 middle of the following May; or they could be 

 planted with Wallflowers, Pansies, Forget-me-nots, 

 Daisies, Primroses, or Polyanthus. If intermixed 

 with each other they woidd look very well, and so, 

 perhaps, be preferable for a small garden. These 

 could all be removed and planted in a comer of the 

 kitchen garden till required again the following 

 autumn, with the exception of such as are annually 

 raised from seed. 



Verandah. — On the south front of the house we 

 iave shown a verandah. This would be a charming 

 addition to the garden or secluded side of the build- 

 ing, and we often wonder why such additions are 

 not more frequently seen, for when well clothed and 

 ^festooned with suitable climbers, a verandah is one 

 •of the most attractive sights in a small garden, im- 

 parting a pleasing appearance, whether viewed from 

 the interior of the dwelling, or seen from the ex- 

 terior of the same when in the grounds. A bed 

 suited for dwarf Eoses is shown near the conserva- 

 tory, and some dots on the lawn denote standards of 

 the same flower. A spot is shown also at the oppo- 

 site side of the house to that occupied by the bed of 

 dwarf Roses, that we should consider a good position 

 for a specimen of Pampas grass. The shrubs on the 



southern side of the garden need not be very tall, 

 unless to hide any objectionable object outside the 

 boundary ; those, too, that face the house, and ad- 

 joining the kitchen garden, should be chosen with a 

 view of but few of them reaching to any very great 

 height. At the back of these we would plant a 

 hedge of evergreen Privet as a boundary to the 

 kitchen garden. A bed is marked out in the north- 

 west corner of the lawn for Ehododendrons, in which 

 position they would present a good appearance v/hen 

 in flower. If the lawn, however, is not required 

 for tennis, this bed could be extended to twice the 

 size, with a margin for Lilies and kindred subjects 

 that would thrive well among the Ehododendrons. 

 These arrangements, chosen for the aspects given on 

 the plan, could all be modified to suit other cases, 

 where the ground does not face the same quarters 

 of the compass, bearing in mind that the greatest 

 amount of protection is invariably required from the 

 northern and easterly winds, and thus making 

 arrangements for the better health of the tenderer 

 occupants of the garden. 



This is a most essential piece of advice, that should 

 not in any case be overlooked, or deemed of no im- 

 portance or consideration. Numbers of instances 

 could be cited by us, and many observant readers wiU 

 of themselves easily discern cases of want of prac- 

 tical experience in this direction, which might with 

 ease have been avoided at the outset. The need of 

 sound advice in this respect by those who are practi- 

 cally unacquainted with the requirements of plants 

 is obvious, in order to avoid or lessen any futm-e 

 failure. The work in connection with small gardens 

 is oftentimes performed by hands that have not the 

 slightest knowledge of the needs of plant-life ; in 

 such cases one cannot much wonder at failures 

 occurring in numbers of instances. Small gardens, 

 too, are planted as soon as the building operations 

 are complete, in order to facilitate the letting of the 

 house, but without any regard to the future well- 

 being of the different subjects that are used. In all 

 our suburbs there are gardeners who understand 

 this kind of work, and the practical man wiU soon 

 be readily discernible from the novice, although his 

 advice and experience may at first sight appear the 

 more expensive of the two. 



With respect to the space allotted as a small 

 kitchen garden, we will first comment shortly on the 

 arrangement, and then enter more fully into the 

 culture of the easier-grown amongst fruits and vege- 

 tables. 



Kitchen Garden. — The portion of ground 

 that is marked out for a small kitchen garden will 

 at once be discerned to be of rectangular forma- 

 tion. This will be found by far the best arrange- 



