4 
is yours for the asking. All are indirectly 
or perhaps directly connected with lands- 
cape gardening. 
Another problem is that of the green- 
house or conservatory on a private place. 
Is it not true that in many ways the ex- 
pensa involved, its detraction from giving 
attention to other preblems, is dispropor- 
tionate to results obtained? Every one 
loves flowers in winter; they are a neces 
sity, but is there not a tendency to devote 
too much expenditure to this feature? Are 
the conservatories visited by the owner as 
frequently after the second year as before ; 
does hig or her interest keep active, or is ib 
true that after a time the expense of main- 
tenance becomes a burden to the owner, 
and may it not lead to a feeling that results 
hardly warrant the cost, and perhaps to the 
undoing of the gardener? If the owner's 
interest is centred ini the conservatories, 
that feature may become the dominating 
one, though there would be a question even. 
then, if the estate does not have opportuni- 
ties for development which the owner may 
not have recognised, and which, it is your 
place to be able to take advantage of and 
encourage to the owner's pleasure and ap- 
preciation. Greenhouse work is tantalis- 
ing, imperative usually, and I by no means 
wish to discourage it; but I do wish to 
show that it may be fatal for you to neg- 
lect your outside opportunities. If you 
have your work so well under hand that 
the greenhouse in no way interferes with 
your making the most of your opportunt- 
ties, little criticism can be raised; but, on 
the other hand, if the use is that of pro- 
ducing plants for bedding effects that had 
better not be attempted on. the place under 
your care, then that use cf the greenhouse 
should be changed. Is it not worth your 
while to make the most of your opportunity 
to study better and more varied. effects In 
the greenhouse also? Conservatory treat- 
ment is subject to the same criticism as the 
treatment of the ordinary estate; i.¢., that 
of too much monotony. The regulation 
palms, cycas, dracenas, rubber plants car- 
ried to that extent that nine times out of 
ten a list may be made in advance of what 
ig to be seem in’ an unvisited conservatory, 
tends ta destroy interest. Introduce some 
unique things, study better displays of 
what you have in far greater variety. Take 
advantage of the suggestion made @ few 
years since by the Bussey Institution at the 
annual spring exhibitions of the Massachu- 
setts Horticultural Society of forcing native 
or introduced perennials and shrubs. No 
greater expense may be necessary to do 
this, and the interest in the gardener’s work 
will be perennial with the owner. 
The problem! of your success in your pr 
fession, therefore, is that of your willing- 
ness to study and think and work, to take 
the utmost advantage of your opportuni 
ties presented in the problems under your 
care, and to apply the fundamental prin- 
ciples of landscape gardening, 1e., good 
taste, so persistently as to convince your 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. | 
employer of your indispensable qualities, 
which is the measure of value in every line 
of effort. 
—‘Florists’ Exchange.” 
GARDEN EDGINGS. 
In large grounds where borders and 
flower beds are cut in a wide expanse of 
turf but few edgings are needed, but in the 
average garden they are a very important 
feature, though so frequently neglected. 
In the majority, particularly im the coun- 
try, a grass verge is employed. Anything 
more unsuitable, troublesome, and gener- 
ally inartistic it would be difficult to find. 
It is usually from 1 foot tio 2 feet wide, 
the width being largely regulated by the 
blades of the mowing machine. The un- 
suitableness of this grasy verge lies in the 
fact that, owing to the constant necessity 
for mowing, rolling, and trimming the 
edge, all flowering plants must be kept 
nearly 6 in. away from the edges of the 
beds, so forming a hard line; also the grass 
zets soiled during gardening operations 
in the winter, and in summer it is often 
brown ard worn from being walked on, 
unless the plan of putting iron hoops a la 
public gardens is adopted, a veritable cause 
of stumbling to the unwary. If there were 
grass verges to the long, narrow beds that 
form my rose garden, there would be a 
little over a mile of grass edging to mow 
and trim every fortnight. Certainly, no 
one can claim any beauty in a narrow strip 
of more or lesy ragged turf set flat be- 
tween a flower bed and a gravel path. Even 
where the turf is beautifully kept, close as 
velvet and with edges true, it is at! a cost 
out of all proportion to the resulting effect. 
Of course, some of these drawbacks apply 
to beds cut in turf, but here the effect is 
better ; besides which, when it is all grass, 
people do not walk in one place, so that 
it is not worn, and one presupposes a large 
enough staff to keep it in order and to see 
that the edges are not “broken down’’ by 
being trodden on. Whilst speaking of this 
most unsightly result of treading on the 
edge whilst soft, it is not every gardener 
who knows how to repair this quickly and 
well. Instead of cutting out the crushed 
section and adding mould under it, lift the 
edge without cutting the turf, with a sharp 
spade slipped under flat, and insert a wedge 
of any old piece of turf cut to the size re- 
quired. A pat or two with the spade will 
settle everything in place again, and there 
is no fear of sinking, like there is witli 
loose earth, and, more important still, the 
edge is firm turf. Box edging has nothing 
to recommend it, save “ancient! use; it 
is very troublesome to keep in order, as 1t 
shows a great inclination to die out in 
patches, and it soon grows bare at the 
base. Besides being a fine harbor for ver- 
min, it is a nursery for weeds, particularly 
for couch grass. It also is a robber of the 
soil, and practically hides all low-growing 
things behind it, and is stiff and formal. 
Tt was only ini its place when Italian 
gardening was in vogue. Ornamental tiles 
May 1, 1905 
are impossible, besides not fulfilling the 
prime necessity of being permanent, as the 
are easily broken, and the frost causes 
them to crumble. The only ornamental, 
useful, and cheap edging is formed hy 
evergreen creeping plants growing over q 
stone edging that, once set, is no More 
trouble. Any stone will do. “The stone 
of the district,”.say the few writers on tho 
subject, “sandstone blocks for choice, but 
on no account use flints, bricks, or clink. 
ers.” No one would who could get sand- 
stone, but the question of expense rules 
the garden, even more than elsewhere, and 
in a chalk district flints are the only stones 
available. These soon lose the raw, new 
look, and though they do not absorb water 
they, at any rate, do not crumble. Bricks 
are bad for this reason, still they have the 
great advantage of taking up moisture like 
a sponge; a 44 lb. brick, put into a pail 
of water for some hours, will weigh 9 Jp, 
In a hot, dry position, this is an advantage, 
as all moisture is absorbed, to be returned 
to the plants during heat. Clinkers are 
the last choice, but even these can be made 
possible by dipping them into a mixture of 
color-wash with some sand in it. <A dull 
red—the tone of red sandstone—is the 
best. If thie edging is properly planted and 
well looked after there should be but little 
of the stone showing in from s1x to twelve 
mentthg, go, if either of the last two must be 
used, the unsightliness will be but for a, 
short time. Where well-shaped blocky of 
sandstone can be used, of course no ono 
would try and quite cover them; but not 
so with ‘““makeghifts.” 
What ever is chosen or used must be 
used with a real knowledge of “why.” 
Quite two-thirds of the stone should be 
sunk in the ground. The reason for this 
is not go much firmness as to make a cool 
rootrun during’ hot, dry weaither, and a 
protection against frost and excessive 
moisture in winiter. Sandstone makes an 
ideal stone for rock plants, as it holdy a 
great deal of moisture, drawing it from: the 
ground even in summer. The Sandworts 
are quite independent of soil, if there is 
any sandstone for them! to grow on; tha 
lesser Saxifragas are the same. The best 
time to set the stone is when, the bed is 
made, but if this is in situ, dig a narrow: 
trench between it and the path, rather 
‘deeper than the stones are to go, Put in 
the bottom 2 in. to 4 in. of good gritty 
earth, setting the stones on to this, letting 
them vary in height from 2 in. to 6 in. 
above the level of the bed. At this time 
they should touch, or, failing this, a small 
bit of stone must be wedged at the back, 
otherwise the mould will wash’ through 
during heavy rains. Well ram some more 
of the gritty earth round the stones ait tho 
back, and some fine gravel in’ the front, 
or path side even though! there has to be 
a gutter, this care being taken because of 
the plants, which will push their roots 
down amongst the deep-laid earth under - 
the stones, finding there, in. even! the hot- 
test, driest weather, coolness and moisture ; 
