THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
A Few Choice Gloxinias. 
ithe ‘lower Cen 
Notes for the Month. 
ae — Keep on Improving, — 
~ There are fow gardens in which perfect 
form has been attained, and there are few 
who fully realise what an important part 
form plays in the garden landscape, and 
that the graceful curves and sweeps of 
lawn and bordar are as satisfying in a 
sense as color. Every year should see 
some improvemonts made in this respect 
another stage reached: in the progress to- 
wards perfection. Besides effective and 
harmonious grouping of tree and scrub 
we undoubtedly want grace of outline— 
contour; and we want variety. We have 
had the whole summer in which to scan 
the garden features in the plentitude of 
bloom and leafage ; we have had the op- 
portunity to observe what itis, and topaint 
« mental picture of what it should be. 
Here isa straightline or an ugly angle 
that wants correcting. In another place 
‘perhaps there is monotony of forms; the 
border wants deepening and throwing out 
here and there. Youder the lawn must 
sweep into the border, aud so on until the 
right effect is produced. Or maybe we 
crave for change, and would alter. the 
design as we vary the color every year. 
The garden is plastic in the hands of a 
skilful designer. He alters a few lines, 
converts a portion of lawn into border, 
and border into lawn, and a transfor- 
mation is effected. We have only to vary 
our scheme in planting the herbaceous 
plants and summer annuals to make it stil 
more complete. If a garden is well de- 
signed in the first instance with a minority 
of paths, an absence of angles, and the 
utmost nade of its space there can be no 
endtothe variations of whichit is capable. 
There are few perhaps who have such a 
craving for variety, but at the same time 
there is a great advantage in these experi- 
ments and continual alterations, for the 
happiest effect are often obtained by 
chance. Ever day Nature’s great garden 
and our neighbour’s gardens have some 
suggestion to offer us, and if we are not 
wise enough to resister these hints ‘where 
every day we turn the leaf to read thei,’ 
and apply them at the first opportunity, 
we are not true gardeners. 
Now, then, is thy time to make our 
plans and put them into execution before 
theautumnrains make the work impossible 
and causeadelay Peg out your outlines, 
and in forming curves the amateur cannot 
‘borate design. 
‘should be filled up with loam. 
‘thickly with the best English lawn grass 
‘need procurable, and cover it with a film. 
do better than seek the assistance of ih: 
garden hose, for, with its supple substance. 
‘it readily falls into the graceful curves 
“one has in one’s mind. Avoid insignifi- 
cant turns and twists, let the curves be. 
bold, free, and easy. Aim at broad effects 
and avoid petty details. Where a large. 
lawn is to be treated it should not be cut 
‘up into numerous little flower beds of ela- 
Let larger beds occupy 
the space towards the verge of the lawn, 
and let these be just sufficiently Jarge and 
~ just sufficiently varied to break up what. 
‘might bea monotony of green. 
That 
sward and flower bed may delightfully 
mingle, and the eye catch glimpse of 
smooth lawn between and beyond. The 
beds may be formed in the shape of S’s 
‘concave and convex crescents, and similar- 
designs with bold, free curves throwing 
out an occasional arm far into the sward. 
But let there be no confusion of lines or: 
undue encroachments on the lawn to de- 
stroy the sense of spaciousness of generous. 
breadth which constitutes its chief charm, 
— Look to the Lawn. — 
English grass lawns can he prepared an@ 
sown this month. The utmost care should 
‘be taken in the preparation of the soil. 
The ground should be deeply trenched, and. 
the subsoil broken up. A good garden: 
‘loam, not necessarily very rich but con 
taining a fair portion of humus, should 
be supplied to a considerable and equal 
depth all over. | This is most important 
for the lawn is one of the first things. 
to show the effects of a dry snmmer, and 1f 
supplied with a suflicient body of soil it ig. 
able to hold more moisture in reserve. A 
perfect level must be provided with the. 
aid of a spirit level and other means, and 
all holes and hollows that may occu- 
Sow 
of light soil. Roll the lawn before and 
after sowing, and at intervals during sub_ 
sequent growth. It should be kept closely: 
mown, and if this is done frequently the 
mowings may remain to enrich the soil. 
Other excellent fertilizers are wood ashes 
with a little bonedust or saperphosphate- 
jutermixed, and an occasional top dressing 
at two yearly intervals of fine compost: 
; seo Sa 
