THE MIXED BORDER 
97 
old thatched cottage, or the velvety background 
of a closely clipped hedge in some well-kept 
Bulbs and lilies have not been allowed for 
either, as they are merely adjuncts to the 
herbaceous border, and if funds are limited, 
they must be added as funds allow ; only do 
not be misled into buying them too late in 
the year, when surplus stocks are advertised 
cheaply. Lilies want a long time to grow 
their roots, and need to be planted in good 
time, Madonna lilies in August even. Much 
depends on the time of the year that certain 
plants are moved, and the failure of paeonies 
and iris is often due to their being moved 
too late to recover in time. Paeonies should 
be moved in August or September, and iris 
immediately after flowering, while lilies of the 
valley never move so well as in February, 
when just starting into growth. This applies 
to anchusa and phlox also. 
Some of the front-row plants will have to 
be clipped after flowering ; white pinks, for 
instance, and arabis and alyssum need the 
shears. It seems to keep them vigorous, as 
well as neat. Pansies and violas need cutting 
hard back after their first flowering ; they will 
then flower a second time, and all the new 
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