THE FLORAL WORLD 



AND 



GARDEN GUIDE 



SEPTEMBER, 1868 



NOTES ON THE DECOEATIONS OE AN ENTRANCE- 

 COURT. 



N the Eloeal Woeld of 1864 and 1865, a series of papers 

 appeared, under a general heading, " The Plunging 

 System." The object of those papers was to give an 

 account of a new system of decorating the entrance- 

 court of the writer's residence at Stoke Newington, 

 by "plunging" instead of " planting." This system has been 

 carried on during the past eleven years, and may perhaps be con- 

 tinued another year ; but, after that time, will either be transferred 

 to another field, or altogether abandoned, as the writer is about to 

 quit the district, and in his future residence may not need to practise 

 the " plunging system." It was, however, thought desirable to 

 afi'ord the readers of the Eloeal Woeld as good an idea as a 

 coloured representation of the entrance-court could convey, of the 

 effect produced by this system of decoration, and a sketch, of which 

 the accompanying print is a copy, was made for the purpose in 

 April last, when the display consisted of hardy spring flowers, such 

 as yellow alyssum, white iberis, early tulips, hyacinths, etc. Those 

 of our present readers who po.-sess the volumes of the Eloeal 

 "Woeld for 1864 and 1865, have ready means of tracing out the 

 origin and growth of this system, and for such as elect to adopt it, 

 the suggestions offered in those papers will, no doubt, be found of 

 some service. If the writer of this should be disposed at any time 

 to boast of the success of the system, as atibrding variety of display, 

 almost without limit, at every season of the year, and with every 

 change a splendour unattainable by the most perfect system of 

 planting, however bold and frequent the successions accomplished in 

 the colouring, it must be admitted that he has made but few converts 

 hitherto, and that the plunging system has certainly not, up to this 

 time, attained to any degree of popularity. It must be admitted, at 

 the outset, that it has its difficulties, and is, comparatively speaking, 

 costly ; but there can be no question that for those who really love 



VOL. III. — NO. IX. 17 



