ults, and great care taken to =train
them in the way they should go=, by pinching out shoots which would tend
to give a lop-sided effect. Such things as firs must be unobtrusively
staked till they are able to support themselves, as =symmetrical growth=
is part of their charm, and we must remember that "as the twig is bent,
the tree is inclined." =Standard rhododendrons= require to be very
carefully staked until they have a fair hold of the ground, or their big
heads are caught by the wind, and this loosens the soil to such an extent
that it is impossible for fresh roots to be made. Generally, some of the
=bush rhododendrons= should be grown amongst the standards, and if these
are dotted about with clumps of lilies the effect is very rich. _Lilium
tigrinum splendens_ is =one of the best for this purpose=, and is most
brilliantly beautiful during August and September; they are six feet in
height, and the flowers are a rich orange red, with black spots on each
petal; they can be obtained for half-a-crown the dozen.

=A lily suitable for placing amongst azaleas=, as it is only three feet
high, is _lilium speciosum album_; it has glistening pure-white flowers,
and a graceful habit. The shade of the shrub is most beneficial to the
lilies, as they dislike strong sunshine, and of course they are also
protected from cold in winter. The same soil, a mixture of peat, loam and
sand, suits both.

CHAPTER XI

=The Ins and Outs of Gardening=

_Planting--Watering--"Puddling"--Aspect--Shelter--Youth and age in
relation to plants--Catalogue defects--A time for everything._

Now that we have seen what to plant, it will be advisable to learn =how to
plant it=.

Perhaps the most important point to be taken notice of is the necessity of
=firm planting=. Watch how a clever gardener presses the earth well round
the roots of everything he puts in, where the plants are large, treading
the soil down with his foot. =Loose planting is ruinous= (except in a few
isolated cases), and yet it is a favourite practice with amateurs, who
call it treating their flowers tenderly! But, as with the human kind, =a
judicious mixture of firmness and tenderness= is the happy medium to be
aimed at, and which alone insures success.

=A good watering= helps to make the soil settle as much as anything;
therefore, when put into the ground the plants should be well soaked,
after which they should be left for a few days, with the exception of
=o