MAKING A LAWN 23 
attractive edging to a flower border, and the monotonous regularity 
of the brick ends is soon relieved by a planting of white Arabis, 
yellow Alyssum, purple Rock Cress, and other quick growing creep- 
ing plants. Then stones of irregular shape form an excellent 
edging when covered by some of the plants just mentioned. Tiles 
are commonly used, but they are very stiff and formal, not readily 
covered with plants, and easily broken. These creeping plants will 
- encroach on the path here and there if allowed to have their own 
way, and the path as well as the garden generally thereby gains in 
attractiveness. 
A Quaint and Curious Edging.— Anyone caring for a curious, 
rather than a beautiful, edging, should arrange bottles by burying 
them neck downwards for about two-thirds of their length. In the 
course of two or three years ferns will probably grow within the 
bottles, and form a feature that is at once interesting and uncommon. 
Letters have been received by me on several occasions, asking for an 
explanation of the presence of ferns in bottles laid down as an 
edging. This of course lies in the fact that fern spores which 
happened to be in the soil found congenial conditions inside the 
bottle neck, and germination ensued. 
Live or Plant Edgings.—Edgings formed of plants are known 
as live edgings, in contradistinction to those made of wood, brick, 
stones, etc. Box is perhaps the commonest of all live edgings, but 
it is hardly suitable for the small garden. It seems more apprepriste 
in the kitchen garden, or to limit the quaint and formal beds in a 
Dutch flower garden. Box edging is very liable to get out of order, 
then gaps occur and its value is diminished. I think there is 
nothing among live edgings so beautiful as Thrift or Pinks. Thrift 
(Armeria laucheana is the best) spreads quickly when established, 
and the tufts soon grow into each other, and thus form a charming 
mass of compact, deep green leafage. Then in summer-time the 
plants are studded all over with charming old fashioned daisy-like 
flowers of rose red colouring. Thrift is evergreen, and thus all the 
year round has a distinct value. Pinks, too, captivate everyone 
when they are in full blossom in June (and how prodigal of flower 
they are !), while their grey foliage, which persists all the year 
round, has a quiet beauty even in the depth of winter. Evergreen 
Candytuft, smothered with white flowers in early summer, is often 
used as an edging, but it is scarcely as useful by itself as Thrift or 
Pinks ; it is seen at its best when it has stones or bricks over 
which to scramble. 
MAKING A LAWN 
There are two ways of forming a lawn; one is by laying down 
turves, the other by sowing seeds. The former is more expensive 
than the latter, but it gives a lawn fit for use in less time. The 
best time to lay turves is in late September or about the middle of 
March. Before.the turves are put down the soil should be well dug, 
