PREPARING SOIL FOR HARDY FLOWERS. 



2 + 3 



planted in full sun. There is, in fact, no garden, even in a town, which cannot be made 

 to grow a few hardy flowers whatever its soil, aspect, or surroundings. 



The soil of the garden, like the situation, is seldom a matter of choice, and, as a rule, 

 the flower-grower has to make the best of it, improving it gradually by the addition of 

 such materials as experience has proved to be of value. Neither a very stiff nor a very 

 poor soil need deter any one from growing hardy plants. There are some which luxuriate 

 in stiff clay, and others which like light sandy soil, in addition to a not inconsiderable 

 number which can adapt themselves to either with more or less success. 



Where a choice of soils can be made, a good loam, rather inclining to stiffness, is the 

 best for the majority of hardy flowers, especially those of strong growth. For the lower 

 growing plants, a rather lighter one is to be preferred, but the addition of sand and leaf - 

 mould, or even ashes, will make even stiff soils suitable for these plants. Lighter soils 

 may be improved by the addition of clay, preferably dried and crushed, if necessary, but 

 much may be done to ameliorate them by treating them liberally with the manure from 

 cows, or better still, from stall-fed bullocks. 



Wet soils should be drained, and those which are constantly full of moisture utilised 

 for growing plants flourishing in wet positions, such as K compter's and other irises, 

 primulas of various kinds and hardy orchids. In forming the beds and borders 

 bastard-trenching (page 50) should be followed, and a liberal supply of manure incor- 

 porated with the soil as the work proceeds, in order to insure that the flowers should 

 be lifted as seldom as possible. 



The beauty of the garden and the welfare of the flowers it contains depend largely 

 upon the manner in which it is enclosed. Hedges of a good height make a suitable 

 background, and may be rendered attractive by being garlanded with climbers, but they 

 possess the drawback of robbing the soil near them and thus weakening the growth of 

 the plants. Wooden fences are perishable, but where they exist should be made more 

 ornamental by the free use of climbers. The best of all enclosures is, however, a stone 

 or brick wall, which may become a most interesting feature of the garden by being 

 covered with choice climbing or creeping plants and by having planted along the top 

 irises, pinks, linarias and other plants which can thrive in the limited portion of the 

 soil to be placed on the walls for the purpose. A background of evergreen shrubs, 

 separating the flowers from other parts of the pleasure grounds, forms an admirable 

 setting to border flowers, the glossy leaves of the shrubs adding to the effect of the 

 flowers when in bloom. 



