Part I. ALPINES IN MIXED BORDER. 45 



thing to be avoided. In old times the borders on each side of 

 the main walk of the kitchen garden were mostly appropriated 

 to herbaceous plants ; and, if well done, this is a good practice, 

 especially if the place be small. A border arranged in this way 

 in a small villa garden will prove a very attractive feature, espe- 

 cially if cut off from the vegetable and fruit quarters by a trellis- 

 work completely covered with good strong-growing varieties of 

 Roses on their own roots. 



The mixed border is capable of infinite variation as to plan as 

 well as to variety of subjects. The most interesting variety is 

 that composed of choice hardy herbaceous plants, bulbs, and 

 alpine plants. Another of a very attractive description may be 

 made by the use of bedding plants only, from Dahlias and 

 Gladioli to the smallest kinds, but in this case we will confine 

 ourselves to the old-fashioned sort made with hardy plants 

 alone. There is a symmetrical system, which must be entirely 

 kept clear of — that of placing quantities of.one thing, good or bad, 

 as the case may be, at regular intervals from each other. The 

 very reverse of that is the true system for the best and most 

 interesting kind of mixed border. In a well-arranged one no 

 six feet of its length should resemble any other similar space of 

 the same border. Certainly it may be desirable to have several 

 specimens of a favourite plant ; but any approach to planting 

 the same thing in numerous places along the same line should 

 be avoided. I should not, for instance, place one of the neat 

 Saxifrages along in front of the border at regular intervals, fine 

 and well suited as it might be for that purpose, but, on the 

 contrary, attempt to produce in all parts a totally distinct yet 

 high type of vegetation. 



The plan on next page shows a small portion of what I con- 

 ceive to be a tastefully arranged mixed border, and, at the same 

 time, the proper position for the alpine plants in the front line. 

 Each of the dwarf plants in front should be allowed to grow 

 into a strong spreading tuft. 



The borders should be deeply prepared, and of a fine free tex- 

 ture — in short, of good, rich, sandy Idlam. That is the chief point 

 in theculture. It is a great mistake to dig among choice hardy 

 plants, and therefore no amount of pains should be spared in the 

 preparation of the ground at first. If" thoroughly well made 

 then, there will be no need of any digging of the soil for a long 

 time. 



