258 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



their gardens, and whose lot is cast in the near vicinity of towns, it 

 is tJie system, and should have many exponents amongst amateurs 

 who are not particularly stinted for means or leisure. Probably the 

 main reason hitherto of the indifference of amateurs, is the simple 

 fact that ocular demonstration of the value of the system is needed 

 for its establishment. This we cannot offer, in a general way, to our 

 readers, though many hundreds of amateurs residing in the northern 

 suburbs of London are familiar with the fore-court here figured, and 

 with the fact of its frequent change of aspect the whole year round, 

 the plants used for its embellishment being wholly grown in pots, 

 and plunged where required to form groups, lines, and masses, as 

 the materials at command and the season of the year may render 

 desirable. The next best thing to ocular demonstration on the spot 

 is, doubtless, a coloured picture, and we hope the one now offered 

 will at least serve to arrest attention ; for if the plunging system is 

 not adapted for entrances, terraces, and promenades, and especially 

 the proper thing for gardens tastefully kept in the neighbourhood 

 of touns, we have been under a delusion for eleven years at least, 

 and fear there is another year of similar darkness and error in store 

 for us, after which we shall probably get away into the open 

 country, where, instead of plunging in this way, we shall plunge, 

 in medicis res^ more thoroughly rural than such as we are now, 

 perforce, contented with. 



This is the best time of the whole year to commence the plunging 

 system, and we will again offer a few notes upon its advantages, and 

 the means required for carrying it into effect. First, as to its 

 Advantages. One of the most important is, that in the scene 

 selected for the purpose a ricli disiplay is secured for every season, — 

 indeed, for almost every day throughout the year, without a break. 

 When one set of plants has flowered out, another set is ready to take 

 its place, and when the winter cold renders it impossible to have 

 flowers out of doors, various evergreen shrubs, and especially such 

 as have variegated leaves and scarlet or golden berries, are available, 

 and these are soon succeeded by the spring flowers, and thus the 

 round of the seasons becomes literally an endless wreath of leafiness 

 and bloom. Another advantage is, that whatever plants are em- 

 ployed, they are seen at their lest only; they go through their 

 several stages of growth and decay elsewhere, having place in the 

 plunge-ground only while in their most perfect condition. Look at 

 an ordinary parterre at any time from October to February, and we 

 see nought but bare earth. But in the plunge-ground there have 

 been two or three distinct and beautiful displays in that time, 

 beginning with chrysanthemums, followed by evergreen shrubs, 

 and with the dawn cf spring, showing some glimmerings of new 

 light in snowdrops and crocuses, that flower in advance of those 

 in the border.-^, in consequence of having had the protection of pits 

 and frames, since they were potted the previous autumn. 



Make another comparison during March, April, and May, and 

 probably the result will be more remarkable. Many a parterre is 

 as unclothed in those three flowery months as in January, but we 

 are forced to say that in some cases charming displays of spring 



