FLOWER GARDEN AND SHRUBBERY. 
43.' 
tionate quantity of head, to compensate for 
the loss of its nourishing roots. Still it is 
much better to render these precautions un- 
necessary, by selecting the plants at the best 
nurseries, where they naturally look to the 
importance of sound and good roots. The 
holes having been dug out the proper size, let 
the loose mould put in at the bottom be of 
such height as will keep the collar of the 
plant exactly where it was in its own soil, or 
rather higher than lower ; for there is hardly 
anything so fatal as deep planting, that is, 
placing the roots too far beneath the surface. 
Hold the plant in its proper position, and 
spread the roots round. The mould is to be 
thrown in, and you must move the head of 
the plant forwards and backwards, every way, 
to let the earth work in among the roots ; and 
if it do not go in well, use a blunt stick to 
poke it in among them; then keeping it steady 
in its proper position, tread gently, and fill 
up level, when it should be trod harder, and 
a stake placed against it, or three, if necessary, 
forming angular props to hold it firmly ; for 
if the wind be allowed to remove them, even 
but little, it disturbs or breaks off all the 
fine fibres of the root you have so recently 
trod hard into the ground. Low shrubs, or 
very dwarf plants of any kind, may be left to 
their chance; for, unless the wind be very 
rough indeed, it passes over them without 
disturbing their roots. With regard to the 
plan of planting, much has already been said 
in other papers contained in this volume; but, 
as a general rule for good effect, the main fea- 
ture should be composed of evergreens ; and 
deciduous plants should be then placed so as 
not to interfere with the fresh appearance. 
Gardens ought to look green at Christmas, 
and the different varieties of foliage form such 
beautiful contrasts, that nature, unaided, never 
produced on one spot, simply because our rich 
stores of evergreens are gathered from all 
parts of the world, and present us with almost 
endless variety of habits, forms, textures, and 
shades. The art and taste of the gardener 
must be displayed in the mode of disposing 
them to advantage. Dark greens with light, 
common with variegated, the light and elegant 
with the rich and bold ; the tall ones in the 
back-ground, and the shorter more forward, 
while the dwarfs form the front. But it is 
not enough to observe the present state of the 
plants ; regard must be had to the particular 
habit of everything, otherwise you will find 
all your intentions frustrated. It would be of 
no avail to place the most handsomely-formed 
dwarf plants of laurel in front, for they will 
get up beyond all the dwarf-habited plants in 
a season. Slow-growing subjects are years 
doing what some would do in one year's 
growth. Firs grow rapidly, Cedai-s slowly ; 
Laurel grows fast, Holly not so fast; Rhodo- 
dendrons, Kalmias, and Andromedas, form 
very beautiful subjects for the foreground ; 
and standard Thorns, Almonds, Laburnums, 
Guilder Iloses, double-flowering Cherries, 
and Pyrus ppectabilis, form rich and appro- 
priate heads of bloom above the evergreen 
foliage ; and the Pyrus Japonioa, which is 
now more generally grown as a shrub, though 
easily trimmed ap to a standard, is admirable 
to alternate with the different varieties of 
deciduous Azalea, as choice dwarf subjects, 
interspersed in the forward part of the borders, 
to the mass of evergreen which forms the chief 
feature of the place. All these operations 
should be, we repeat, commenced as soon as 
convenient, because there are, and must be, 
interruptions which cannot be foreseen ; for 
there will come, occasionally, after Septem- 
ber, continued wet for days together, render- 
ing the ground unfit ; for better had work 
stand still for weeks, than the ground be 
trampled on in a wet state. Commence your 
work, then, early, by at once pegging out all 
your proposed alterations or original plans, 
and then take all favourable opportunities of 
progressing in fine weather, and when the 
ground is in good order, select your shrubs, 
plants, and trees, as soon as you please ; and 
have none taken up until you are ready for 
them. With a prospect of fine weather before 
you, have the dwarf plants taken up first, and 
begin all the foreground of your plans. We 
have heard people contend, and, indeed, have 
seen people write against flower -borders in 
front of shrubs. This is idle nonsense : there 
should always be a border of soil in front, two 
or three feet at the least. It is a preposterous 
doctrine (though laid down by those who have 
been considered authorities) that there is any 
impropriety in having flowers at the foot of 
trees ; and a few brilliant subjects, with their 
evergreen back ground, give life and animation 
to a scene. Therefore begin planting your 
evergreen shrubs at such distance from the 
front as you intend the border to be deep ; in 
large concerns four to six feet ; in small ones 
two to three. This first or front row should 
comprise slow-growing kinds, which naturally 
keep feathered or furnished to the ground, 
and such as will bear clipping. The Kalmia 
latifolia, well grown, is an excellent plant for 
this, and must be selected short, bushy, and 
healthy. They will have good balls of peat to 
their roots ; but wherever you plant one dig 
out the hole too large, and mix half peat and 
half the soil that you take out to fill up the 
hole with. Slow-growing Hollies, which may 
be kept close down for years, and are the bet- 
ter for the knife, will be found well contrasted 
and useful to diversify the colours ; for they 
maybe had dark green, light green, shiny, and 
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