Xll 
HERBACEOUS GARDEN 
The word herbaceous, like so many words 
that men use for convenience, must be taken 
as an arbitrary one, because the various classes 
of plants run much together, and there are 
numbers of hardy plants which are fitted for 
herbaceous borders which are really evergreen, 
like the rockfoils and evergreen candytuft. 
There must be no hard-and-fast line if we 
are to have the best of these plants. Good 
plants are so many and choice, that to make 
the best of them is the real question. 
The mixed border always has been and 
will be the place to use them, and this book 
will tell us how to prepare the soil. But the 
planting is still more important. 
The great number of borders in the country, 
both in the past and present times, are spoilt 
by “ dotting ” and “repetition.” Plants that 
as single plants are unnoticed may when 
grouped be very beautiful. People who love 
a plant may often spoil it by putting it every- 
where, as is sometimes done with the flame 
flowers. The true way is to group. Even 
the plans in recent books that tell us how to 
arrange mixed borders show twenty plants 
where seven grouped would be more effective. 
It is not only effect but simplicity of culture 
we should aim for. The gardener in the 
