38 GARDENING FOE WOMEN 



the house can decide, will be the arrangements 

 for bedding out, or the grouping and colouring 

 required for herbaceous borders. If she has taste, 

 and is artistic, it is necessary only to carry out 

 her plans. Possibly she may leave the matter 

 to the gardener ; in which case visits should be 

 made to a few neighbouring gardens to ascertain 

 what plants and climbers are best suited to the 

 climate and soil. Having put the plans on paper, 

 an estimate can be formed of the quantity of 

 bulbs, plants, shrubs, or climbers required for 

 the whole garden. The autumn is the best time 

 to order these. There remains then a further 

 point upon which advice should be asked. 



(6) The ordering of seeds, plants, tools, and 

 garden requisites may be in the gardener's depart- 

 ment, or it may be managed by the estate. In 

 any case, it will be a good plan to touch upon these 

 matters to the employer. Unimportant as they 

 may appear, it is wise for him to deal with local 

 tradesmen, and, therefore, a stranger to the neigh- 

 bourhood will have to learn their names, and 

 what things they each excel in. The carting 

 of purchases from the station to the garden is a 

 matter for careful consideration. Should this be 

 done by the estate, it must be borne in mind that, 

 when the yearly accounts are sent in, the estate 

 will wish to appear economical as regards its 



