80 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



One of the most eiFective of edgings — but effective only during 

 summer — is the Variegated Mint, which grows freely in any 

 soil, aud produces a dense mass of creamy-white foliage, whicli is 

 indescribably telling as a boundary to any strong colours. There 

 have been many strange tales told of the way to manage this plant ; 

 but the fact is, it requires very little management, and the grand 

 point is to plant it in as poor and dry a soil as possible, for a rich 

 soil drives the variegation out of it, and produces green instead of 

 creamy leaves. It may not be known, however, that this is one of 

 the best of plants for what we have elsewhere described as " Instan- 

 taneous Bedding ;" * and to make the matter plain, as far as concerns 

 the present subject, let us suppose we had to furnish out a furlong 

 of edging this season. We should secure a barrowful of old stools 

 of the plant, and divide them into scraps consisting each of one 

 stem, with a fair share of both under-ground and above-ground 

 growth ; and we should plant these six inches apart, so as to leave 

 only half or quarter of an inch of the growing tops above-ground, 

 press the soil firmly to them, give them a good watering, and cover 

 them with pots till the weather changes to a thorough soaking rain 

 and sunless sky, then clear away all the pots, and consider the 

 edging made. To fill up between the plants, peg the shoots right 

 and left, and if efifect is required as early as possible, take off the 

 tops as soon as they are two inches long, remove the lower leaves, 

 and dibble them, in between the original plantings, and if this is done 

 during rainy weather, the cuttings will be well rooted in ten or 

 twelve days, and will never require shading at all. The Golden Balm 

 will prove a fine subject for economical eff'ect, but it must be pro- 

 perly managed, or it will disappoint all who take it in hand. This 

 plant improves every season, and is really wasted unless adopted as a 

 permanent edging, for it requires age to give it its true colour, and 

 render it a rival to Grolden Chain geranium. AVe should never have 

 known the brilliant golden colouring of this hardy plant unless we 

 had left some old stools untouched for several seasons, and with 

 every return of summer felt a new surprise at the distinctness and 

 purity of its colouring. But the beauty of this is all gone by the 

 middle of July, and it then becomes coarse and weedy. 



There are two admirable silvery plants in common use as edgings, 

 but which are rarely left to fight it out with the winter. The charm- 

 ino- Cerastium tomentosum is one of the most classical of promenade 

 edgings we possess, and it is also the best of all cottage-garden 

 plants, for if left alone it throws up myriads of pretty snow-white 

 flowers in IMay, and makes a fine display while the true bedders are 

 yet in a very embrvo condition. This is so well known, that the 

 mere mention of its name may suffice for the purpose now in view. 

 It may be as well to add, hovrever, that this is one of the best plants 

 known for instantaneous bedding, for cuttings two or three inches 

 long, planted without roots in the places where they are to remain, 

 will soon root in showery weather, and if put out early will make 

 a fine edging by the time the geraniums are tolerably well in bloom. 



* See « Garden Oracle," 1863. 



