According to Lawson, the borders "should be roses, thyme,
lavender, rosemary, hyssop, sage and such like and filled with
cowslips, primroses, violets, Daffy-down-dillies, sweet Sissely,
Go-to-bed-at-noon, and all sweet flowers; and, chief of all, with
gilliflowers, July-flowers, commonly called gilliflowers or clove
July-flowers (I call them so because they flower in July); they have
the names of cloves of their scent. I may well call them the King of
Flowers (except the rose). Of all flowers save the Damask Rose they are
the most pleasant to sight and smell."
XVIII
_Edgings_
Edging is the material used for dividing beds and borders from the
paths, or grass leading up to the bed, if the bed is alongside a wall,
or terrace, or veranda.
Box is a formal, but charming, edging. "The growth must be regularly
clipped each year. Stretch a line the whole length of the edging, so
as to show the correct height; then cut evenly and neatly both at top
and sides. When relaying, take up the plants, pull them to pieces and
use the strong young growths, which must be clipped to one level. Box
is easily grown and stands pruning with impunity." Such is the advice
of an authority. Another practical gardener says: "Most amateurs clip
box-edgings early in the Spring. This causes an early growth, which
is just in the condition to be nipped by a sharp, late frost. The
safeguard is to delay clipping until the end of August. Then comes
free, healthy growth, which renders box-lined garden paths cheerful and
pleasant to the eye through times of heat and drought."
Thrift (_Armeria_) is one of the best edgings as it is green all
the year round and in summer is covered with bright pink flowers. A
flower-lover says:
"Thrift is seen as an edging in many old English gardens. To preserve
its beauty the plants must be lifted, divided and replanted once
in at least four years: a rich even growth is then the reward. The
tufted habit, fresh green growth and rose-purple flowers in Summer are
enjoyable to look at."
Thrift requires frequent trimming.
London-pride (_Saxifraga umbrosa_) is very pretty when in flower and,
therefore, makes an attractive edging.
Pansies also form a decorative edging for flower beds, large and small.
Another charming edging is the carnation, especially the white
varieties. The gray-green foliage makes a beautiful border for
flower-beds. Pinks are pretty, too, for bed edgings, and the
sweet-william is also attractive for this purpose.
XIX
_Knots_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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