October, 19 5 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



115 



134. The wild bergamot I ' Monarda fisiulosz) has 

 varieties ranging from lilac and flesh color through 

 rosy red and crimson to deep purple. The bee balm 

 (M.didyma) is a more brilliant scarlet 



feet wide, and place on one side. This is to 

 (five room for trenching. Loosen the soil at 

 the bottom as before. Then put a layer of 

 fresh manure about a foot wide in the bottom 

 up against the end. Continue digging, 

 shoveling the soil upon the manure, say six 

 inches thick and at an angle of about 45 , 

 with the base toward you and the apex 

 within one foot of the original surface. The 

 decaying manure will not only provide humus 

 but will allow the admittance of the air. Con- 

 tinue with alternating layers. When the 

 end is reached, the bottom soil, previously 

 laid aside, may be used to fill in the open 

 space. Then use well-rotted manure with 

 the top soil, mixing it well and pulverizing 

 the soil as it is thrown in. The bed will seem 

 quite high, but will settle in time. 



135. The German irises are better for the peoples' 

 gardens the.n ihe Japanese, because they do not need 

 an exceptional amount of water 



If some portions of the soil are more clayey 

 than others, it is advisable to add sand or 

 sifted ashes where it seems most stiff and 

 compact. In fact, sand may be freely added 

 in any bed here. If the bed is large enough 

 to admit it, ridging up the soil for the winter's 

 frost action is advisable. All of this places 

 the soil in suitable condition for the spring 

 planting. 



When planting time comes situations for 

 an\- plant loving a sand)' soil, such as Stokes's 

 aster (Stokesia cyanea) or Asdepias tuberosa, 

 may have more sand added. In wet, soggy 

 land, all flower beds should be tile drained. 



REVIVING WILTED PLANTS 



When the plants are received, if the quan- 

 tity is large unpack and "heel" them in 

 some shady spot, watering them at the root 

 and top, being careful to preserve the labels 

 and not get them mixed. Plant at your 

 leisure, watering when through, and if any 

 plant seems to wilt, shade it with a shingle or 

 place a box or flower pot over it for a few 

 days. If they are dried out and wilted when 

 received, immerse them for an hour or so in 

 lukewarm water. 



HINTS OX EFFECTIVE PLANTING 



In the spring place your order early and 

 plan for planting in masses. If the bed is 

 small limit the number of varieties, and, if of 

 a size equivalent to 10 by 5 feet or more, plant 

 in groups of four or more of one variety to a 

 group, and do not repeat the same plant in 

 the same bed, or, in fact, in any other bed 

 where both may be seen from the same point 

 of view. This massing of plants instead of 

 dotting them here and there prevents a spotty 

 appearance. A full bed of one specimen is 

 effective. The bee larkspur, phloxes, Co- 

 reopsis, German and Japanese iris look well 

 in individual beds; but the beds must be 

 of fairly large size and have some stretch 

 of lawn leading up to them in order to 

 be imposing. 



Place your beds at the margins of your 

 lawn, or along walks or roadways close to the 

 house. Nearer the house they may be of set 

 and formal outline, but along the lawn mar- 

 gins they should be irregular and undulating 

 with bay and promontory. Do not let the 

 curves be too narrow, as that will interfere 

 with cutting the grass. A simple way to lay 

 out these beds is to use a hose or rope, laying 

 it on the ground and arranging it in the form 

 that pleases you, and then marking the line 

 by stakes or a spade. The sides bordering 

 the fence or lot line may be straight, but if 

 there is no dividing fence or hedge between 

 you and a lovable neighbor curve the back 

 also and give him the benefit of a pleasing 

 outline. If you have open spaces of lawn 

 between your beds, this scheme runs his lawn 

 into yours and yours into his, extending the 

 apparent size of each lot. 



An open, sunny situation is the best, far 

 away from the moisture and food-robbing 

 roots of large trees, and it must be remem- 

 bered that the feeding roots for trees often 

 spread out as far as the branches extend, and 

 in pyramidal forms much farther. 



136. The best tall-growing, blue-ilowered. hardy 

 perennial is the larKspur. Flowers range from deep 

 blue to white. Can be planted in the fall 



PERENNLALS FOR SHADED BEDS 



Columbines, foxgloves and the handsome 

 meadow rue (Thalictrum aquiligijolium) will 

 do well in shady situations not too much 

 exposed to the drip of overhanging boughs. 

 The same may be said of the hardy primroses. 



Stake your tall plants. I have just re- 

 turned from a neighbor's garden — one who 

 has but lately tasted of the delights of a 

 country life. He had never thought of 

 staking. By midsummer his Golden Glow, 

 Delphinimus and other tall plants were 

 mostly lying prostrate or standing at an in- 

 toxicated angle waiting for the next storm 

 to send them to join their companions. He 

 had cared for the plants for the past eleven 

 months in order to enjoy their blooms for 

 the remaining thirty days, but at the moment 

 when results should be realized, a storm laid 

 them low. A little money and time spent in 

 staking them would have enabled them to 

 fulfill his dreams and prevent disappointment. 



137. Lilium speciosum, var. rubrum, a universal favor- 

 ite. All lilies should be planted in the fall. By spring 

 the fleshy bulbs have lost much of their strength 

 and Ihe roois are dried up 



