THE GARDENING WORLb, 
November 21, 1903. 
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Arrangement of Herbaceous Borders, 
This being the most suitable time for overhauling and re¬ 
arranging herbaceous borders, a few remarks on the arrangement 
of this beautiful class of plants may be of service to anyone 
who is thinking of making or improving a herbaceous border. 
One of the most important points to be considered is the height 
of the various subjects to be used. Of course, it is necessary 
aenerally to keep the taller-growing varieties well to the back, 
with the dwarfer sorts to the front, so that they may be seen 
to advantage; this rule should not be rigidly adhered to, how¬ 
ever, as some of the tall growers may with good effect be brought 
well to the front, thereby presenting an undulated rather than 
a graduate form. 
No plants suffer more from bad arrangement than do the 
subjects under notice. Even in first-class gardens herbaceous 
borders are still to be seen with the plants arranged in lines, 
with, say, the 6-ft. growers to the back, 5-ft. next, and so on, 
and possibly six or seven varieties of each height planted alter¬ 
nately at equal distances along the border, an arrangement 
which does not at all help to bring out the natural beauty of 
these plants. . 
Another system, which is getting rather common, is what is 
known as the massing system, which, when done with a class 
of plants that flower about the same season, may be made 
very effective while the bloom lasts ; but where it is desired to 
have something always in bloom in the herbaceous border, my 
experience and observations lead me to recommend a mixed 
arrangement, and to imitate Nature as far as possible, but on 
no account to attempt any design or elaborate arrangement, 
for the more natural and easy—if I may be pardoned the ex¬ 
pression—the more pleasing and artistic will be the effect, lhe 
tall growers should be planted in fairly bold, irregularly shaped 
groups, with from five to seven plants, according to the width 
of border and the prominence it is desired to give a certain 
variety or colour, but where the taller sorts are brought for¬ 
ward in the border the groups should be somewhat less in pro¬ 
portion ; the medium and dwarf growing varieties should be 
done in clumps never exceeding five in each, placing a few 
stones at intervals along the front of the border for such dwarf 
things as Pinks, prostrate Phloxes, etc., to grow ovei. 
A 'few fine foliage plants, such as some of the newer Brooms, 
Phormiums, Yuccas, and, where the climate will permit of 
their use, Cordylmes, are a great improvement; they add grace, 
and help to bring out the natural beauty of herbaceous borders. 
The colouring is too important a point to attempt to do any¬ 
thing like justice to in the end of this short article. I wornd 
say however, harmonise or blend the colours as far as possible, 
but where it is impossible to do so from want of variety or 
any such cause, put some foliage plant, such as already recom¬ 
mended, between the colours likely to clash. »• 
The Culture of Adiautums. 
Adiantum cuneatum is an indispensable plant in gardens, 
and it is the most generally-grown species, it being such a useful 
plant for cutting and decorative purposes. A. decorum ru » 
it pretty close in this respect, but the fronds are not so lasting 
when cut. A. formosum has a bad habit of growing towards 
the sides of the pot apd leaving the centre hollow, but, as it 
does not seem to be affected by being broken up so muen as 
most of the genus other than A. cuneatum, this is not of ™uc>i 
consequence. A. cuneatum grandiceps, A. cardioclilaenum . 
Pacotti (a fine frond for buttonholes), A. aethiopicum, A pubes- 
cens and A. Williamsii can all be grown m the cool ferneiy. 
\ creneral potting of Adiantums is not advisable, as some will 
need attention in this respect a full month before others. 
During the winter months the temperature may be allowed to 
fall to 45 degrees at night. About the end of February some of 
the plants will be showing signs of growth; the temperature 
may then be raised to 50 degrees at night, and the floors and 
spaces between the plants damped once a day. The plants tha„ 
require potting on should be taken in hand as soon as the young 
stipes are about 2 in. high. , , , 
A suitable compost is equal parts loam and peat, perhaps 
rather more loam, some charcoal broken finely, and sharp sand. 
All the Adiantums like plenty of drainage. Such sha low-root¬ 
ing species as A. formosum will do with the pot nearly half tilled 
with crocks. Pot firmly, and keep the crown on a level with 
the top of the pot. If the work is properly done there should 
be a cavity between the crown and the edge of the pot, about 
2 in. deep for large plants, and less in proportion to the size 
of the pot. After they are potted, watering will have to be 
carefully done ; only when the pot rings wdien rapped wdth 
the knuckles should it be given. When the plants are in full 
growth this will not be a safe rule to go by if the pots are full 
of roots. They should be looked over at least twice a day, and 
one can soon tell by the feel of the soil whether a plant requires 
water or not. During April, May, and June the night tempera¬ 
ture should not fall below 65 deg -ees. Genei'ally speaking, in 
the South of England fire-heat can be dispensed with by July. 
Air must be carefully admitted until the end of July, when ifc 
will be necessary to harden the plants, and may be more freely 
given. 
A shading will have to be put on quite by April. Summer 
cloud gives the best results. Whiting mixed with sour milk 
makes a lasting shade, but looks bad. The floors and stagings 
should be damped twice and three times a day, according to 
weather conditions, during the summer months, until October, 
when it should be gradually lessened. If green fly attacks the 
young fronds, which sometimes happens, use the syringe. Fumi¬ 
gation is not advisable ; the syringe must not be used too often, 
either. A. macrophyllum, A. trapeziforme, and A. farleyense 
like rather more peat in the compost, and not such firm potting. 
They must be taken into the stove in October, and kept there 
till the following April, when they may be given the warmest 
end of the fernery, and treated with the other occupants. 
H. Arnold. 
Rhododendrons. 
This genus in the natural order Ercaceae is a very large one, 
and contains upwards of ICO species- It is one of the most attrac¬ 
tive and beautiful of out-door and in-door evergreen flowering 
shrubs. Their foliage is at all times attractive, and the flower 
trusses, which vary very much in size with the species or variety, 
are usually borne in the greatest profusion wherever the plants 
succeed. Among outdoor shrubs none are more showy when in 
flower than the gorgeous varieties and hybrids which have been 
raised from Rhododendron ponticum. This species, however, 
has been so greatly superseded by varieties or hybrids that it is 
now not necessary to grow it extensively, except for covert plant¬ 
ing or for the supply of stocks on which to graft superior 
forms. 
Then again we have the Himalayan species and varieties, 
which are among the most beautiful of the genus, for the adorn¬ 
ment of the greenhouse or cool conservatory, where space can 
be allowed them to develop into shapely specimens. In the 
warmer counties these species may be grown in sheltered posi¬ 
tions out of doors admirably. In Devon and Cornwall they are 
quite at home, making, as they do-, huge shrubs within a very 
short space of time. The chief thing to guard against when 
growing outside is that the young growths are made early. It 
is advisable to keep a keen eye on the climatical conditions, and 
to throw a canvas or something of the like over them when there 
are any signs of a sharp frost, which, if not- guarded against, 
not only spoils the flower buds, but also checks the young 
growths, which, as every gardener knows, is very detrimental 
to a plant’s well-being. One great thing to be said in favour of 
the species in the Himalayan section is that the flowers are, as 
a rule, of a very delicate tint, and many are highly perfumed, 
which has caused them to become general favourites. 
They succeed well in a soil which is not of a calcareous nature, 
and which is light, rich, and readily permeable to water. Plant¬ 
ing for the above should be performed in autumn or early spring, 
the soil being made firm around the roots with a rammer, and 
be left saucer-shaped on the surface around the stem, which will 
greatly aid artificial watering. 
I will now turn to the Javanese section. Although not grow¬ 
ing nearly so large as either of the preceding sections spoken of, 
they, however, hold their own for the exquisite colouring of their 
flowers, which range from the purest white, yellow, and orange 
to the brightest vermilion. They are invaluable for button¬ 
holes, bouquets, and for all cut flower purposes. This section 
requires a slightly warmer temperature than the preceding, re¬ 
velling as they do in a temperature of from 50 deg. to 60 deg F. 
