4 THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
SEEDLINGS FOR PLEASURE. 
Every enthusiast who is a grower and 
lover of flowers, knows the peculiar pleasure 
derived from the growing of plants from 
mixed seeds. These are sown, the tender 
‘plants transplanted, and carefully grown on 
until the buds appear. Then the ‘“ wonder 
what they are going to be like” feeling 
takes possession of the gardener; and as 
. the blossoms one by one expand and reveal 
their hidden beauties to the impatient 
watcher, his pleasure can only be imagined 
by those who have themselves experienced 
it. But this pleasure is infinitely increased 
when the cultivator sows his own seeds, and 
reaches its acme when those seeds are the 
result of his own patient attempts at arti- 
ficial fertilisation. This process is much 
less difficult in many cases than most people 
think, but for those who lack the necessary 
knowledge, patience, or time there are, for- 
tunately, many beautiful subjects which 
give excellent results from nome saved 
seeds, 
Last year I planted four Pansies close 
together and saved a few pods of seed. 
Some seeds sown in the autumn have given 
two dozen plants worth saving. he four 
parents were distinct from each other, and 
no two of their offspring are alike, yet all 
are beautiful, and I am looking eagerly 
forward to the blooming of a larger batch 
of seedlings raised from the remainder of 
the seeds sown under glass this spring. 
It has been most interesting to note how 
characters peculiar to individual parents 
have been combined in seedlings. Thus 
one of the original Pansies was a deep 
blue; another yellow, with deep brown 
blotches. One of the seedlings has the 
upper petals blue, and the lower yellow 
and brown. Of course, I do not claim that 
any are worth a name, or are perfoct for 
exhibition, but all are beautifully marked, 
and very decorative. I intend to try the 
same experiment with a few named sorts. 
Among other plants the following may 
be mentioned as suitable for this purpose: 
—Hollyhocks, Foxgloves, Antirrhinums, 
Aquilegias, Pyrethrums, Anemones, single 
Dahlias, and Carnations; but I think the 
most satisfactory of all are the Pansies and 
Violas, as on their broad, flat blooms dozens 
of shades of color, and all kinds of mar-- 
vellous tracery, are often exhibited. In the 
ease of all the flowers mentioned it is only 
necessary to bloom a few near together, and 
the insects will perform the process of 
cross-fertilisation for you free, gratis, and 
for nothing. The more distinct from each 
other the colors of the selected flowers are 
the better will be the results.— J, W. D. 
BORDERINGS. 
Some time ago I was asked in a garden 
where I was giving temporary help if any- 
thing could be done to lighten the work en- 
tailed by the many long grass borders. 
The garden was on the side of a steep hill, 
and the soil was heavy to work. ‘To cut 
the grass edges of the drive took two men 
and twice the usual time. Box entailed 
clipping, and Berberis, though suitable, 
was untidy just when the house was full of 
visitors. It‘was only used for summer, and 
the main thing was the winter and summer 
supply of vegetables to both town and 
country houses. I finally decided on a 
double row of strawberries from top to 
bottom'of the drive. Last year runners of 
Royal Sovereign, Elton Pine, and Dr. Hogg 
were the varieties. They were planted 1 
foot apart in rows 6 inches asunder, keep- 
ing the varieties distinct. In all it took 400 
to each row. They were hosed twice, and 
by the time I came away were making 
brave progress, The turf came in handy 
for a tennis lawn bank in need of repair. 
Behind the strawberries, having got a cheap 
quotation, 200 Archie Grant and 200 Fore- 
runner Violas were planted. These are two 
of the beautiful dark blues so popular 
nowadays. ; 
The next grass border was round the 
shrubbery planted against the windy side 
of the house, and matching this on the 
other half of the front of the house was a 
bed of bushy Ayrshire Roses with clipped 
Sweet Briers. Facing these there were a 
border and a large bed planted with bulbs 
and self sown with Calendula. These 
borders were also taken up and trenched, 
and I decided that nothing could be better 
than Pinks. Round the shrubbery sides 
200 or so of Alice Lee were planted rather 
closely together. Nothing grows with its 
accustomed rapidity in a bleak, wind 
swept district, so the closer planting was 
necessary to give a compact appearance. 
Then facing the house in a warmer, sunnier 
position 200 of Mrs. Sinkins were put in. 
As taking off the grass had hardened the 
shrubbery beds they were planted with. 
yellow Viola 
Golden King. 
Next year another border round the 
kitchen and _ scullery domains is to-be lifted 
and planted with Berberis, continuing a 
like border already in round a Spanish Iris 
bed. The long walks of the kitchen garden 
must, when the plants are in bloom, be a 
sight to gladden the garden lover’s eye, fur 
they are bordered solidly, some 6 inches 
deep, with Saxifraga umbrosa. ‘fo look 
along the tossing pinky sprays must be a 
fine sight; itis a joy to the owner. The 
herbaceous border is kept tidy by alternate 
lines of Thrift. ‘I'his is to be carried on to 
the other side of the drive facing the straw- 
berry border, 
Strawberry runners are easily rooted, and 
a good supply can be got very cheaply. 
They pay for their cost in fruit, and, unlike 
many other borders, can easily be trimmed 
up by an amateur gardener, and the leaves 
alone are worth the trouble, fur they are 
delightful to look on. An invisible string 
under the bigger leaves stretched rather 
high up from a peg at either end will keep 
the fruit from the soil.—D. 
LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
Landscape gardening, in a place reckon- 
ed. by acres, consists merely in assisting 
nature; that is to say, to heighten and 
improve the natural effects there present- 
ed, and reproduce others, the counterparts 
of which might be found in a ramble 
through woods, or over hill and dale, or 
along winding streams; blending the whole 
into one grand picture, with everything in 
perfect proportion. It is not expected 
that theese imitations of nature should be 
hteral reproductions; such effects are 
neither possible nor desirable. 
One eminent English authority, speak- 
Stephen and Nasturtium 
October 1, 1904 
ing of such a garden, says: “No ingenuity 
can convert it into a forest glade or glen, 
nor is such a transformation to be wished 
for, were it possible, any more than a dwel- 
ling should be transmuted into a hut, or a 
den, or acave. A garden is for comfort, 
and convenience, and luxury, and use, as 
well as for making a beautiful picture.” 
Professor Bailey, writing on this subject. 
in his “Cyclopedia of American Hortieul- 
A Plan of a Pretty Garden. 
7 
ture,” says: “The motive of a true land- 
scape garden, as already explained, is te 
make a picture. The picture should have 
a landscape or natural like effect. The 
place should be one thing: it should em- 
phasize some thought or feeling. Avoid 
