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What Shall We Do Now? 265
sowing endive in a line all round the garden, and, after allowing it to run to seed, cutting and trimming it. But of course there is no natural border to compare with box ; but to get a good box hedge is a tedious matter. Ivy or white periwinkle will also serve well.
The following calendar of garden labours, which gives at a glance the principal duties for each month, may be found useful :—
JANUARY.—Dig over your garden (if not already done), being careful not to injure roots or bulbs.
FEBRUARY.—Plant rose-trees and perennials. Wood ashes placed round the crowns of perennials will prevent them from being attacked by slugs. Plant anemones.
MARCH.—In the third week of March rake your bed smoothly over, pull up any weeds and prepare the soil for sowing seeds. Sow alyssum, candytuft, collinsia, coreopsis, cornflowers, esch-scholtzia, gilia, larkspur, love-in-a-mist, nemophila, poppies, sweet-peas, Virginia stock. Prune rose-trees. Plant perennials and rock plants.
APRIL.—Sow again annuals mentioned in March, for later blooming. Sow canary creeper, godetia, gypsophila, marigold, mignonette, nasturtium, and sweet sultans. Weed. Water seedlings if the weather is dry. Thin out seedlings.
MAY.—Thin out all seedlings. If any have to be transplanted, do this on a dull day, if possible, and water well till established. Syringe roses and keep a sharp look-out for caterpillars. Sow sunflowers and convolvuli. Late in May buy seedlings of tender annuals or biennials, if required, and water well. Plant out geraniums, lemon verbena and heliotrope. Weed.
JUNE.—Water well if dry. If the earth becomes hard and caked, stir it with a rake or stick. Cut off all faded flowers. Syringe roses, using the preparation given on p. 281 if they are troubled by green-fly. Sow perennials in a shady place. Put stakes to tall plants, and thin sticks to carnations. Make |
The year's work. |
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