ON LAYING OUT. 



21 



bina ; nothing can exceed the gay and flaunty tints of a bed of 

 tulips, or the rich hues of the lilac and the white petunia. A 

 large space of garden allows its possessor to revel in separate 

 beds of flowers, whose beauty is increased twofold by masses ; 

 and from that very space, the eye does not so easily discover the 

 melancholy appearance of one or more plots exhibiting nothing 

 but dark mould, and withered stems, arising from the earlier 

 sorts being out of bloom. 



But in less spacious gardens, this gloomy and mournful vacuum 

 must be avoided. Every border and plot of ground should ex- 

 hibit a gay succession of flowers in bloom ; and that object can 

 only be effected by a pretty equal distribution of flowers of early 

 and late growth. As the May flowers droop, the June produc- 

 tions supply their place ; and these, again, are followed in succes- 

 sion, till the Golden rod and Michaelmas day daisy announce the 

 decadence of the parterre for the year. 



Yet every flower may be supplied with its favorite soil with a 

 little patience and observation. A light soil suits all descriptions 

 very well ; and I never yet found disappointment in any descrip- 

 tion of earth which was thoroughly well dug, and dressed yearly 

 from the mound of accumulated leaves and soap-suds, alluded to 

 in the first chapter. I particularly recommend a portion of sand 

 mixed with the heap. All bulbs, carnations, pinks, auriculas, 

 ranunculuses, &c, love a mixture of sand. I know no flowers of 

 the hardy class which reject it. Mix sand well into your borders 

 and plots, and you will not fail to have handsome flowers. 



I subjoin a list of common flowers appertaining to each month, 

 in order to fill the borders with one or more roots of each 

 variety. I do not include the annuals. 



