HINTS ON HERBACEOUS BORDERS. 



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HINTS ON HERBACEOUS BORDERS. 



By George Bunyard, V.M.H. 



In order to condense my subject into the limits of a short paper, it 

 will be needful to exclude alpine and rock plants, although many 

 of them can be properly placed in the front rows of herbaceous 

 borders. 



Preparation. — The first consideration is the preparation of the 

 border, or its renovation and rearrangement if alread}' existing. 



In making a new station, mark out the intended area — a border 

 9 feet wide is best — making use of an existing background, such as 

 a shrubbery, wall, hedge, or fence ; but if these do not exist hedges 

 may be formed of any desired evergreen, such as Yew, Holly, Laurel, 

 or, for cheapness, the oval-leaved Privet, but a 3-ft. path or grass 

 verge should be left between the hedge and the border, otherwise 

 the roots of the former will rob the herbaceous plants and interfere 

 with their perfect development. The border should then be trenched 

 2 feet deep, adding as the work proceeds some well-rotted manure 

 with leaf soil and sand for heavy land, and cow-dung with kainit 

 for lighter soils. The ground should be roughly turned up on the 

 surface for the air and frost to act upon it, and, if possible, some old 

 potting or burnt soil may be usefully incorporated. It will not be 

 needful to take out all the porous stones, as they retain moisture 

 and tend to keep the soil open ; but flints should be removed, as they 

 do not absorb water. 



In the rearrangement of borders all the existing plants should 

 be first taken out, laying them in handy for re-planting. The ground 

 should then be trenched and enriched as previously advised. It is 

 better that the front of the border should not be quite straight. 



Planting. — If the border is 9 feet wide, the back row, 3 feet from 

 the outside, should have tall plants set out at 6 feet apart (if space 

 allows) or 4 feet if the area is restricted ; and in this row a good 

 appearance is ensured if a few beautiful flowering shrubs and ornamen- 

 tal foliage are introduced — such as Lilacs, Spiraea ariaefolia, Phila- 

 delphus grandiflcrus, Cerasus Veitchii, Pyrus spectabilis, Crab ' John 

 Downie,' Cotoneaster pannosa, gold or silver Japanese Maples, and 

 Bamboos of the most graceful tall kinds, such as aurea, anceps, nigra, 

 or viridi-glaucescens, and a clump of the tall Reed, Arundo Donax. The 

 use of such plants as these is a matter of taste, and other plants may 

 be added to give character and flower at a time when the herbaceous 

 plants are not in flower, such as the white Cytisus albus, the yellow 

 Spanish Broom (Spartium juncenm), and the showy Cytisus Andreanus t 

 with Buddleia Veitchiana, Berberis stenophylla, or any flowering shrubs 

 of upright growth. Some introduce a few Bush Roses, such as the 



