March 23, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE 



239 



baceous borders one must make both tlie 



Neitlier will fill the requirements of the 

 true herbaceous border ; neither the rain- 

 bow brilliancy" nor the monthly scheme; 

 but rather tlie full idea must l)e to render 

 the l>eauties of the flowering peren- 

 nials in the most picturesque manner 

 from spring until autumn. The collection 

 nee<l not comprise a host of rarities, 

 one can obtain l>eauty from what are 

 ofttinK»« termed " common subjects " ; yet 

 carefulness in selection and planting have 



a telling effect when the herbaceous border shrubs, etc., let me advi^ 



is ' in being. 



I do not wish to give any especial list 

 of subjects to be utilised, for many readers 

 will have their own ideas ;ibout their own 

 favourites, and would be able to formulate 

 a« good a selection as I ; and yet I must 

 enter a plea for divereity in foliage^ flowers, 

 and the heights of various subjects used. 



The edging of the herbaceous border also 

 borders and the intervening path as broad rtHjuires a little study. It may be a grass 



verge ; it is sometimes ornamental tiles ; pos- 

 sil>ly dwarf 1k)x may form the edging. But 

 after all, what is pi"t*ttier tlian a i-ockwork 

 <Hlgijig overrun with diauthus, arabis, alys- 



, aubrietias. violas, s^ixifrages, ceras- 

 tiums^ seilums, iheris, and many others of 

 the rock plants. 



It gives a charming, informal, interesting 

 edging, a delightful setting or frame to the 

 border, a t^tntiug thai cannot possibly sufl'er 

 by repetition. 



In closing, may I urge the importance of 

 goo<l work ill the Jierba<'eous borders. Dwp 

 tren<*hing an<l thorougli manuring are 

 ntx't^ssary at the formation, ami as time 

 gotvs on Ihe soil must be kept well worke<} 

 b<»tween the plants, and tlie iplants tJiejii- 

 selves kept in hejilth by transj)lanting 



as iK>ssible ; the greater beauty is apparent 

 in the spacious borders, with bold free 

 groupings. Or, if tlie bonier be a single 

 one at the end of a lawn, or in a similar 

 position, let it be arrangtHl so that there is 

 a good view of it obtiiinable from across the 

 lawn^ for the distance lends encliantment 

 and provi<les an eff'ective picture. 



With reference to the introduc^tion of 



? in group- 

 ing these. A few dainty ma^es of Japanese 

 mapleSj deutzias, shrubby .spineas, roses, 

 azaleas, syringas, philadt^lphus^ pyrus, etc., 

 etc., will enhance the beauty of a broad 

 border, and c^fTtH'tually break up any idtvi 

 of flatness, eitln^r in summer or in the win- 

 ter time when most of the other subjix'ts 

 are cut to the ground. But do not plant 



L 



\( COUS BORDER AT WILTOX HOT-SK. S.\ 1. 1 - 1! I i; V . I'l 1 1 ! > I ;.\ T ( • T Tl 1 1 : I : \ IM> < ) 1 ' I 'I :M I! IM • K i:. 



ness in a planting scliemo Ls fatal ; 

 therefore let there be distinct diversity in 

 tJie manner noted. Let it be understood 

 inat 1 do not wish to disore<lit those pleas- 

 'ng schemes which describe themselves as 

 the White liorder, the Blue Border, etc., 

 ,.1 li P'-ovided the utmost dist^retion is 



m planting the best subjects pos.sible 

 ;;J^^- named, there is no good 



huT ^^''"^^ ^'''<^^' «r the Blue 



coI<>n ' ■ ^"'\ any other pleasing 



coioT.ng should not beoome popular. A 



UruC ^o^ ing blossoms of one par- 



lZ. t ,.^«'«"'-.«tndy." sot in n w<.alth of 

 dXJ "^'^^ ver.tal>].. f,.„nt of 



1 rl!ff f*" ""^"^ ^ g'*''<l^n lover. TIuto 

 '< Jh^ *^ ' ^ « l"<h -I 



not ifJ -XV " IMTUIilf 



a 



shrubs heavily; just interjxise lific ;nnl 

 there light-growmg si>ecimens <m ^tniip> in 

 the general scheme, and you will l:* t ;ui 



added beauty. 



I'sually a good jzravcll* I patli -<'T 1>< - 

 tween two hordei^. tlK>ii<;li otio may soiih'- 

 tinies note n gra-s patliway in a 1<'W gar- 

 d(Mi^. Tictli liav<' \hr\v iii*'nts, an<l ar<' de - 

 serving of no caustif critiei>ni, though hotii 

 need a certain amount of c;ire an<l atten- 

 tion. To my mind, however, a rough ston^^ 



intersti( *vs anioiii: tlie flat 



to 7'0\'<' 



old- 

 old- 



pathway. with 

 stones for vaiicd 



through, gives a deliglutul finish t<^ 

 fashione<l herbaeoous borders in 



an 



w (>? ld <::irden. Tli*^ grey-bronze ston<\s, 

 d*M'|) \\\{]\ ;me an<l the eff^ects of weather, 

 iluvniuh which < r(M p tiny linaria^. sinlnms. 

 ihyinrs. *M-inn^. ami many otln-i- <harniinL: 

 subj*H*ts, make an idea! jiathway. linn and 



To ur-tu] +i subj*H*ts, mak.' an nira! patMwav. nnn and 



aufl n(»>s4ssi a bt'autv ol their owji. 



and <livi'-ion \\ li*'n iir^-ossa i v. With w<*]]- 

 wnikc^l sofl an<l a fair anioiuil (d inanur<*. 

 tin' h('rha»»'(>iis Iwnd^Ts ^liouM In* a ganlerj 

 oi iloral iM'auty. n jiicturi' <t\ InxnrifMi^ 

 giouth and glorious hlossom. 



S. H AYWAHO. 



Ficus Parcelli.— Among the several 

 mem))ers of the fig family that are grown for 

 the ])oauty of their foliage is Ficus Parcelli, 

 whose leave*?, though they arv wanting in 

 the leathf'rv natun^ of th<V'e <>i J'iciis olastica, 

 art' mottled and niarbh><l in so niaiiv wavs 



« ■ 



with white on a dark green grmiiui a- 1o Im' 

 vcrv attractive. It nerds (inlinary stnvc 

 1 rrat tTK-nt . Tln' ornu- I'm u,^ i- fail I v ]\r<*~ 

 litic in varict^at^d torni-. at^ iu add it ion tu 

 ]\ Parr-t-lli there is a variegated variety ot 

 V. olastira. while the creeping kinds, F. radi- 

 eaiis and F. rcpens, both have variegated 

 sports. — T. 



