4 THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER 
Making Gardens. 
BY C. BOGUE-LUFFMANN, 
20: 
Strength in varied shape is the keynote to be struck in 
building gardens, 
WPSHE ordinary natural and prepared mate- 
or rials necessary to the maxing of good 
gardens in either town or country are as 
follows :— 
1. Soil, as distinct from the clayey or rocky 
mass ferming the sub-layer or founda- 
tion. 
2. Manure—a load or yard, serves for about 
eight superficial yards if soil is abundant 
and good; otherwise twice the quantity 
of manure is necessary. 
8. Gravel is needed for path making. 
4, Sand is required for lightening stiff soils 
and for binding paths. 
5. Stones are needed for the foundation of 
xoads and paths, and also for culverts and 
heavy drains. 
6. Rocks may be necessary for creating 
- rockeries, furnishing margins or islands 
for pools, and for building walls. 
“I 
. Timber,.as tree trunks, heavy limbs and 
roots, may be required for columns, per- 
golas, or rustic houses, seats, bridges, 
and decorating’ embankments; also for 
rustic fences. 
8. Water must be available, if not for deco- 
rative purposes, as pools,falls and foun- 
tains, at least insufficient quantity to 
ensure the proper maintenance of the 
plan adopted. 
9. Drain pipes, or stone, or wood, must be 
forthcoming for the carrying out of a 
drainage system. 
The quantity, variety and proportion of 
materials go far to effect design. 
Before deciding on any exact plan or surface 
form, the surface must be cleared of all obstruc- 
tions in the shape of timber or artificial erec- 
tious. The various quantities must then be 
estimated and parcelled. 
The levels will be determined by the outside 
poundaries, ground floor=and door levels of 
house, drainage considerations, and the amount 
of material existing, or obtainable outside. 
The drainage plan must accord wiih the: 
requirements of the house, garden and paths, 
TVhe taking of levels will precede the work of 
moving any heavy materials, such as rocks or 
clay. ; : 
Apart from sites for masonry, pools or broad 
erections within the garden area, all the surface 
must ke worked at least twenty inches deep by 
trenching, subsoiling, or making up with new 
material. 
Stones, clay, or any other heavy and innutri- 
tious material,should be kept under the twenty 
inches of true soil. Manure can he worled 
equally through the soil mass. : 
Tf a great deal of sand exists, say three- 
fourths, it may be mixed with crumbling clay or 
any shaley material, : 
Clay may, with advantage, be exposed to the 
weather during the process of trenching or sub- 
soiling, but it must never form the surface or 
come near enough to get dry during summer. ~ 
The subsurface contour of the clayey or 
rocky formation’ must be correctly known at the 
time of trenching, otherwise weak and undrain- 
able spots may occur. 
The substratum should form clear, straight 
runs, and provide for an even or graduated 
depth of soil. 
The best arrangement of surface and sub- 
stratum, if we could make choice, would be 
about 2 ft. of mellow sandy loam over a cool 
sweet clay or broken sandstone, limestone or 
granite. 
Much deeper and looser soil is required over 
stone than over clay. The cooler the position 
the less important is depth of soil. Hence the 
soil may often be taken from the shady and 
placed on the sunny side, if levels permit. 
In forming banks, terraces, mounds or raised 
borders or earthworks of any kind, it will be an 
advantage if their foundations are of rock mate- 
‘rial or stiff soil, as the shape is better preserved, 
drainage is assured, and therefore in more 
fayorable condition for plant growth, and it is 
much more economical, good soil being the 
rarest and dearest material to obtain. 
The summer or exposed quarters will require 
more depth or quality of the winter or sheltered 
side. Failing the opportunity to make the ex- 
posed quarters rich enough to support a strong 
and attractive vegetation, it should be prepared 
for distinctly hardy, drought resisting plants, 
or it may be wholly or in part utilised as a rock 
garden. 
The allotment of groups and divisions must 
be foreseen, previous to the handling of the 
heavy material, that the soil of each site or 
division may be specially considered at the time 
of preparation. 
The kitchen and fruit garden, also drying 
grounds and other open spaces necessary to the 
domestic conveniences should always be brought 
_ into the scheme, and dealt with as definite 
features inthe garden. 
Straight lines will not be out of place in the 
kitchen quarters; but fruit tree planting and 
‘the path arrangement should, as faras possible, 
be so arranged that the harmony of curves will 
not stop.short on the line of the pleasure 
domain. 
The Order of Working. 
1. Clear the surface and destroy by burning 
or rotting all bad litter. 
2. Collect all builders’ refuse, as sand, lime, 
plaster, mortar (burning every shaving 
and piece of wood), brickbats, &., and 
reserve these for path making. 
8. On a rough plan, mark out sites and ex-_ 
tents for raising soil, and erections, in 
stone or woodwork, and put up same. 
4, Trench, manure, end grade the entire 
area, using soil where paths and roads 
are to run for increasing the levels at 
points, or the general area. 
5. Carry out the drainage system, and have 
water laid on. 
6. Put in the foundation material for roads 
and patls, not less than nine inches in 
any casc—six of foundation and three of 
capping material. 
7. Make up any weak spots by taking from 
projections, or slightly decreasing the 
general Jeyel of a section (providing no 
new matevial can be brought in). 
8. Dig over the surface cf areas to be occu- 
pied ky lawns, keeping the boundary 
levels in clore relation to ihe borders or 
paths. Measure, 1un out levels, and 
obtain true grades on all margins, and 
iken 1o]], grade and take into form, 
ready for sowing or planting with grass. 
9, Cut out berders and beds, and give such 
finishing touches to the surface as may be 
necessary before planting. 
10. Put down capping of roads and paths. The 
crown of path or road must be the same 
height as the turf on either side. The 
turf must run right on to path at verge. 
‘MMT ta. 
SepremBer 1, 1905 
This operation completed, the garden space 
should reveal a distinctly pronounced form and 
variety of expression, as we may notice in roll- 
ing grass country, by the sea, in secluded. 
valleys, or in the dignified formal surroundings 
of some noble dwelling. 
———_———— 
The Peony in Landscape Work. 
10: 
NDOUBTEDLY the American favorite 
flower is one of the most effective of all 
early flowering herbaceous plants for use in 
extensive landscape plantings. It not only can 
be used in masses, producing grand colour re- 
sults, effectively lighting up dark nooks and 
corners, but can elso be interspersed among 
shrubbery, lending additional colour to such 
groups. The plants when out of bloom are not 
very unsightly, as is the case with many other 
herbaceous plants, but the deep fresh greens 
and bronzy greens of the peony foliage are 
maintained in general good conditions through- 
out the greater portion of the season. The 
range of peony colors is unexcelled, comprising 
almost all the shades of pink from the most 
delicate flesh tints to the deepest shades. The 
saine may be said of white, crimson, purple and 
amaranth. It is weak, however, in yellow, as 
we have comparatively few sorts that might be 
termed yellow, and these are generally light in 
color, the guard petals being almost invariably 
white, and it cannot be said that there is as yet 
any true solid yellow peony. 
Landscape architects should learn to know 
the peony better, and should become acquainted 
with the finer and more desirable sorts, and 
should use them more extensively hereafter than 
they have in the past. Iain quite certain that 
the peony often suffers in reputation by the use 
of common undesirable colors in classes of work 
where good clean, coinplementary colors are 
needed and should be used; and the peony will 
never take its proper place in landscape work 
until landscapers in general become better 
acquainted with the more desirable sorts and 
learn to know them as well as to use them, 
ee ne ee eR ee 
The general public are notified in our columns 
that B. Walters and Co. are prepared to turn 
out work in the lines advertised, promptly and 
correctly, at the most reasonable prices ruling 
in Australia. As makers of cases, boxes, and 
trunks for personal luggage this firm has earned 
a good name for the quality of their work 
throughout the Australian States, Fruiterers, 
gardeners, and others are respectfully requested 
to give the firm a trial. Orders executed by 
wire, telephone, or letter, Once take on this 
firm and you are sure to become a regular 
customer. The address is Flinders street, east 
of Hutt street, Adelaide. 
GRIFFITHS BROS. 
TEAS: 
SATISFY 
49 Rundle St., Adelalde, 
wf AND AT ....! 
MELBOURNE and,SYDNEY. . - 
