THE OUT DOOR GARDEN

As to the exact .situation for a flower garden, it is not ahvayy in our power to choose. A level spot, however, is preferred, for if it slopes to anj- extent, heavy rains will wash away the soil. The best location is one having a southern aspect, sheltered from the north and west winds. A location which lies to some other aspect, the east for example will answer, Init an inclination to the north or west or any point between these should be avoided if possible.

The soil must be rich. In our western country' it is abundantly fertile, but if it is not so, it must be brought into that condition by heavy manuring and deep working. If it is clayey and heavy, sand will make it light, and if it is too sandy, wood ashes and well rotted manure will be of great benefit to it. Have it made deep, rich and dry — not too dry — and you have what is wanted for your flower garden as far as soil is concei-ned. If the ground is very poor, it will pay to cart it ofJ altogether and replace it with better. That which may be obtained from an old cow pasture is the best for this pur- pose I have ever found. Where decayed forest leaves can be had, a portion may be advantageously mixed with the soil.

' The best time to commence a flower garden is in the Autumn, so that by the middle of October the beds may be in readiness to receive the bulbous and many of the herbaceous plants and such shrubs as are usually set out at that season. The work therefore maj' for this be commenced in say Sep- tember; if it must be deferred until Spring let work be Itegun then at the earliest moment the soil will work without sticking to the spade. But as Autumn is decidedly the best time, we will proceed to the laying out of the flower garden. The writer is not what is known as a landscape gardener, nor is it his design to give elaborate plans, for those who can aff'ord to lay (jut a garden in a luxurious manner will he likely to call in the services of an expert. As to the style, it may he either square, round, oblong or irregular, and in such manner as the taste of the owner may suggest. It is usually most convenient to lay off the[.ground into beds, or walks xnay be made and tl^e a<ljoining ground planted with shrubs or low ornamental trees for a back- groun(l and in front of these tall-growing herbaceous perennial plants may find a place. Let the garden be leveled, the walks laid out, and dugout as well if it is proposed to fill them in with gravel, broken bricks or small stones ; the next thing in order will be the edging. For this purpose there is nothing to my mind so neat as box, but it is seldom seen now-a-days, indeed I can not call to mind having seen a garden in the West where the edgings are made of l)ox. Grass makes a neat edging where it is well kept ; pinks, too, make a pretty and fragrant edging, and one of the Sedums which bears a star-like yellow flower is very prett

There are some who will not go to all the trouble to lay out a flower gar- den. A simple way then is to make one upon the grass, as the beds are simply cut out of the lawn, then raised in the middle so that water will run off and then planted. This system can be elaborated to a wonderful extent, as those who may have seen the so called "carpet beds" in the South Park of Chicago will admit. The plan is wrought out by putting togethei- various low growing plants so that when grown they represent the design of the artist, sometimes a dial, again some prominent man. Indeed there is no end to what may be done in this way, although it requires a great many plants. The little star and ribbon beds are made by flrst cutting the bed, to the proper shape, and then filling in with plants whose flowers will produce the colors desired. One of the most beautiful stars of an azure blue was wroiight out with sky blue pansies. A graceful riblwn bed had tall growing asters for the back ground, followed by lines of verbenas and phloxes of vat-

1200 THE FLOWER GARDEN.

ious colors. Two beds that I made years ago were constructed thus : For centre of circle, a white foliage plant, cineraria maritima, around that a ring of golden phyrethrum. next a circle of Master Christine geranium, (light pink), tlie whole edged with blue lobelia. The ribbon bed had dahlias for the back ground, then a line of perilla, a dark level foliage plant, next a row of .scar- let flowered geraniums, then a line of dwarf yellow coleus, and the outside row of all, verbenas. In addition there should be other beds reserved for plant ing of choice bulbs and the small annuals that are not showy except in masses. Three feet square is a fair size for such beds, though they may be propor- tioned to the size of the garden, but above all things do not contract the walks at the expense of the appearance of your garden,