Plants in narrow strips are quite likely to drop over their limits.  To keep these in bounds Philip later built a fence.  For this he used stakes driven into the ground at intervals of every four feet.  To these he nailed strips of railing.  Sometimes cords are used instead of railings.

An old fence was all about the yard and an old unused outbuilding in the rear.  These were both unsightly in appearance, so they had to be hidden.  Vines were used for this purpose.

About six inches from the fence a furrow was made four inches deep.  Climbing nasturtium seeds were dropped into this furrow at distances of every four inches.  The seeds had been soaked over night.  This was because the ground was very dry and the weather was now quite settled and warm.  If the ground is wet and the weather cold, never soak seed.  It just adds to the general soggy condition to do this.

[Illustration:  Photograph by Mary H. Northend.

Philip’s Backyard Made Beautiful by Annuals and Quick-growing Vines.]

Morning-glory seeds were planted along the end of the fence by the outbuilding and all around it.  After these climbing things began to grow the pretty effect of the vines was amazing.

Many times one has to train vines so they will grow where one wishes.  In such cases drive small stakes into the ground back of where the vine is planted.  Tie a cord or string to the stake and carry this up to where you wish the vine to go.  The string may be attached in the best way, according to the place.  If it is to an old building, drive a nail into the side, roof or peak of this.  Some people make latticed trellises.  These may be made from laths.

A neighbour gave Philip some canna bulbs which he planted in an old sieve filled with rich dirt.  Canna bulbs look much like sweet potatoes.  Usually a bit of stalk is left on the bulb.  Leave this in planting above ground for about one-half inch.  Dig a hole large enough to place the canna bulb and deep enough so the stalk comes above the ground.  Place one big, fat bulb, or two or three little chaps in one spot.  Leave about one foot between plantings.

In the fall after frost cut off the stalks about two inches above the ground, dig up the bulbs, shake all dirt off, and put into a box with a little thoroughly dry dirt until spring.  Leave this box where it is dark and cool.

It would have been far better had Philip planted the cannas either in the round bed or against the fence as a screen.  As a general rule the planting in tubs, kettles, kegs and similar receptacles is not only inartistic, but gives the plant very confined and cramped quarters.  When possible plant right out in the ground.  Window boxes and roof gardening in boxes is “another story.”

The cost of Philip’s flower garden was 25 cents.  He bought five-cent packages of each of the flower seeds.  The cannas cost nothing.  The shrubs were $1, the cement 70 cents, and the water-lily roots 50 cents.  So the total cost for changing an ugly yard to a mass of flowers was $2.46.