February 1, 1905 
THK, AUSTRALIAN GARDENER... 5 
ceolarias, and, Fuchsias; but it would be a protective mulch during the summer and 
difficult to name.plants that. do not receive 
direct, benefit. from. it. 
About ‘a, month, after the planting has 
been completed is a good time to perform 
the,,operation,. thoroughly loosening the 
soil to,a,depth,.of 4 in. before applying. 
This is an,important detail, and I some- 
times think,it, would be a good thing if a 
prominent notice were fixed on every ama- 
teur’s garden. gate: Keep the ground stir- 
red between growing plants or crops. 
The surface will remain. open for a 
<ouple of months: How often one sees the 
soil in the beds and. borders of amateurs’ 
gardens with asurface not far removed 
from concrete form. There is nothing bet- 
ter than short decayed stable manure from, 
spent ‘hotbeds for mulching: 
GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 
[By C. Boevz Luray.) 
* (Continued.) 
The garden once established, there is fre- 
‘quently occasion to reniove some tree or 
shrub, or to re-employ some space for a 
totally different class of vegetation. As for 
example, when a garden is first planted, 
soft-wooded and quick-growing flowering 
plants are usually set quite close to the per- 
manent frees and shrubs; but as these 
spread and shade the ground the others dis- 
appear. After a time the big permanent 
plants will provide a set of conditions 
within their shade suitable to another group 
of plants, and if advantage is taken of this - 
fact there need be no untidy or bare spots 
in the garden, no matter what its position, 
character, or size. We must be steadily 
altering and refurnishing the weak and least 
effective spots. The garden thet is ever the 
same is invariably hideous. We should de- 
sire and provide for change in shape and 
expression, otherwise all the years will seem 
the same, and yet not so, since weakness 
will surely come upon the garden if our 
work does not amount to an annual refresh- 
ment. 
Humor as much wayward growth as the 
situation will admit of, and carefully avoid 
keeping the garden with a young and over- 
precise face; but, on the other hand, 
always stir and enrich its soil, and prune 
such things as will ensure all being strong, 
clean, and happy in their surroundings. 
Never forget that great waste is always 
going on wherever plants are growing 
freely, or the surface of the ground is ex- 
posed to sunlight and airin motion. Once 
‘a garden attains to maturity it wastes soil 
very rapidly, and if the waste is not met by 
bringing in at least a corresponding amount 
the plants and general form of the place 
‘soon decline. The garden really loses its 
shape and quality through what may be 
termed natural waste (greatly assisted by 
the broom and barrow man). Surfacing 
from old pasture lands, road scrapings, and 
farmyard manure are the most accessible 
and appiopriate materials for keeping up 
the quantity and quality of garden soil. 
It is always seasonable to repair a fault, 
but normally, soil dressings should be given 
dn aufumn and winter, and manure dross- 
ings in spring. The latter will then provide 
be ready for digging during autumn: 
The proportion of capital to be spent in 
raw material is a point of vital interest’ and 
cannot therefore be over-émphasised: ft is 
a. rich and abundant soil ‘rather than intelli- 
gence in the routine work which secures fine 
gardens. Whatever the aiinual sum to be 
spent in the garden, see~ that soil and 
manuré are obtained, sufficiont to keep sach 
part shapely, and rich enough for the 
plants grown. ; Ps 
“Of course nv uniform. sim or scale of 
costs can be given, since every position and 
year will bring its own special demands ; 
and again, in some gardens, soil dressing is 
secured to certain parts by taking from 
‘others which are over-rich, and where the 
removal of material will also improve the 
form and effect of the area. * ; , 
Garden management must be considered 
quite apart from knowing how plauts grow 
and how to shape and arrange gardens. 
Onur real skill and success is shown in our 
ability to “keep up’ a garden at all’ 
seaON8. 
dustry can support. 
Big alterations not only impose consider- 
able extra labor and expense, but also 
waste 4 season or two, and once a garden is 
made, it should (when necessary) be altered 
by such small degrees that the ordinary 
routine work of the other portions is not 
sacrificed. rajeaes 
Good management implies a knowledge 
of—. : 
(a) All the varied qualities, aspects, 
depths, and values of the soil composing 
the whole domain. 
(b) All the ordinary, cultural and climatic 
demands of the plants composing the 
garden. This involves a good knowledge 
of the influence of the seasons, as they 
affect soils and plants, for there will often 
be found summer and winter quarters for 
plants of one kind in the same garden. 
Unless the gardener knows approximately 
the seasons and conditions under which 
roots and wood, and flower are produced, he 
cannot shift, dig round, manure, water, put 
to rest, prune, or cut down, with certainty 
of success. 
- The heaviest work of the year on garden 
beds and: borders occurs after the heavy 
frosts and rains of midwinter have de- 
stroyed the last vestiges of life and beauty 
in the soft-wooded and short-lived plants 
which go to make the garden gay in sum- 
mer, What are termed ‘mixed borders” 
are invariably composed of trees and 
shrubs, roses, soft and hard-wooded perma- 
nent plants of small size, herbaceous 
plants, bulbs, and a small number of things 
of a more or less uondeseript character. 
Order of working— ; 
1. Cat the adjacent turf hard down with 
a scythe to prevent its being trodden and 
rotted by the tramping it will receive in 
cleaning and re-arranging the border. If 
a path adjoins, weed and clean it first, and 
avoid putting heavy dirt or wet litter on it. 
2, Pull up or cut, down all dead stalks, 
and remove litter to a place where it can be 
deeply dug in, or rotted for future use. 
3. Prune, thin the wood of, or cut down 
or out such plants as need it. 
When a place grows untidy we 
have more than out purse, or taste, or in- 
4. See that drainage is perfeet, and, if* 
not, currect tt. 9 HE SEORD, porate 
5. Provide new soil or manure, or exa- 
mibe'and grade existing material to ensure 
& nicely-balanced surface. i OWE ales 
6. Re-group suck shrubs and permauent 
plauts as will improve effect. : i 
7. Divide and lay out herbaceous and 
miscellaneous’ plants ready for inserting: 
when digging. nates a ou aset 
8. Deeply dig to true form the entire sur— 
face, filling vacant sites with many smalk 
plants as the work proceeds. AEE 
~ In spring there will be more pruning of 
such things as flowers during winter, clear- 
ing off weeds and litter, additional plant- 
ing, and digging in accord with the natizre 
and conditions of the sil, The mulel 
should not be put on till the spring sun has 
warmed ‘and sweetened the earth. : 
The remodelling of old or neglected gar— 
dens is comparatively easy work, excepting 
where a new house tias been placed on' w 
different site and has thrown’ the trees and- 
other permanencies out of line and perspec- 
tive. A very careful survey of the whole 
area IS necessary so as to get an exact 
knowledge of the quantities and values of 
all the different materials. Respect every 
fine tree or shrub, every bit of old wall or 
strong hedge, or creeper-covered space, auk 
well-formed lawns. The defects of levels 
will be soon apparent, also the indispensabla 
lines for paths, views, etc.; and these da-- 
cided upon, material will be moved or re— 
composed to bring each part into a proper 
relationship with the rest. 
Re-trenching of heavy soil and manure 
dressing are invariably necessary when au 
old or neglected garden is taken in hand. 
Trees and big shrubs may often be found ip 
distinctly faulty positions, but it will pay te 
let them stand until more plants grow up 
on more appropriate sites, when the offen- 
ders may be removed. We should never- 
cut down more of the trees than are abso 
lutely necessary to provide a site for the 
house and lines of approach—since privacy 
and protection are the very first needs im 
every home in a hof climate. 
The hotter and more exposed the soil im 
summer the greater the necessity for cover— 
ing its surface as a means to stop evapura- 
tion and waste. Closely-packed beds and 
borders do not in the long run lose as mucle 
food and moisture as those which are the 
openly planted and exposed to the wasting 
influences of sun and wind. It is true that. 
certain species of plants will not thrive: 
when closely hedged in by others of a dif- 
ferent nature, but for all such plauts as ++ 
to form the general stock in beds and 
borders — including roses-—dwarf-growing 
annuals, and even permanent creeping 
plants, may cover the ground, and whilst. 
conserving food and moisture, add greathy 
to the general effect. ‘There is no rest 
beauty in soil. A bulky and well-worked 
mass impresses-the gardener because hee 
Irnows what he may reasonably expect fromm. 
it in the near future; but once see the soil 
well prepared, aad allow for the Sweetening= 
and food-yielding effects from the exposure: 
to light, heat, and air, it is time to cover ite 
face with something more distinctly alive 
and beautiful. In close planting the point. 
is to have plants of varying size and cha— 
= 
Ce rh 
