THE MIXED BORDER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 July 1941, Page 8

THE MIXED BORDER

CAN BE MADE A CARDEN

FEATURE.

The mixed or herbaceous border can be made a feature of even the smallest

garden, and if planted with a good selection of plants there should be something in flower practically the whole year through. In many gardens there is a narrow flower border along each side of the path leading to the front door, with a patch of lawn behind. This is not the most suitable place for the border, for. as a rule it is too narrow to allow for the grouping of plants, and there is no background. A much better place is behind the lawn with the hedge or fence as a background and the width may be from six to nine feet, and as long as possible. This allows for grouping the tall delphiniums and hollyhocks at the back, with medium growers about the middle, and the dwarf kinds in the front. Where there is sufficient length, the medium growers can come to near the front and the dwarf kinds go back a little, forming bays, which is better than having all sloping from the back to the front. Where room will permit, special colour borders can be planted such as a blue, yellow or pink, but as a rule they are mixed and though the main planting will be of hardy perennials, in many cases roses and choice shrubs can be included if there is nowhere else for them.

When preparing the border it should be trenched and manured as thoroughly as for vegetables, for crops of flowering plants take almost as much out of the ground as vegetables, and if farmyard manure is not available some blood and bone, or bone dust should be worked into the upper nine inches. Planting can be done at any time in the autumn or spring and it is better to group the plants in three or more, /having due regard to the time of flowering, the nature of the inflorescense and the height to which the plants will grow. By planting groups .ol spring flowering bulbs and removing them, or planting bedding plants on top or round them, the display is maintained through the summer and autumn and there are no gaps or empty patches After planning, the .surface can be pointed over and in spring and through the summer scuffle hoeing should be carried out regularly. Many of the plants such as paeonies, delphiniums and Christmas roses can remain without disturbance for years, but the stronger growing kinds, such as Michaelmas daises, heleniums, mentbretias and perennial phlox arc better lifted, divided up and replanted every year or at least every second year, when the border is being dug and manured in the autumn.