69 



CRIMSON AND PURPLE-LEAVED BEDDERS. 



Of late years a quite new feature has 

 been introduced in ornamental gar- 

 dening by the substitution of plants 

 with strikingly coloured foliage in 

 the place of plants producing gay 

 flowers. The innovation was at first 

 regarded by many as opposed to 

 principles of correct taste in garden- 

 ing, and it was regarded as one of 

 those freaks of fashion which are 

 popular for a time and then pass 

 away. But events have not justified 

 such criticism. What are called 

 " foliage plants " have become more 

 and more popular every season since 

 they first acquired importance in the 

 disposition of colour masses and orna- 

 mental groups. There is one good 

 reason why plants of this kind, if 

 possessing the properties requisite 

 in "bedders," that is, if adapted to 

 form masses of uniform colours for 

 purposes of contrast and harmony 

 with other plants, should be held in 

 high esteem. That good reason is, 

 that from the production of the first 

 leaf till frost kills them down in 

 the autumn, foliage plants maintain 

 the same character as colour agents, 

 and produce the effect required of 

 them throughout the whole period of 

 their growth. In this respect they 

 are superior to all flowering plants ; 

 but, on the other hand, the colours 

 they afford are not generally very 

 decisive, and the high colouring of 

 flowers is needed to bring out the 

 foliage tints witii due effect. Rightly 

 used, foliage plants enlarge the sphere 

 of colour-designing, and produce 

 combinations for which we should 

 seek in vain for materials among 

 plants with green leaves and gay 

 flowers. The system of bedding, 

 now so elaborately developed, derives 

 some of its most important features 

 from the association of plants with 

 characteristic foliage with those that 

 afford rich floral colouring. Thus 

 Lobelia speciosa, which forms the 

 most beautiful bands of bright blue 

 on the margin of beds of scarlet 

 geraniums, shows with tenfold effect 

 when edged externally with Ceras- 

 tium tomentosum, a silvery-leaved 



plant of low growth, which may be 

 clipped to a low close line, so as to 

 furnish beds and ribbons with a 

 finishing boundary, which by contrast 

 with bright colours is most beautiful. 

 There are hundreds of plants of 

 similar character, varying in their 

 habit of growth, for the most part 

 easily kept and easily propagated, 

 which may be U3ed in tne summer 

 decoration of the garden, both to 

 increase the variety of subjects and 

 add to the brilliancy, by the contrast 

 of neutral tints, of the most highly- 

 coloured flowers. As we cannot dis- 

 pose of all these in one article, we 

 shall now direct attention to a few of 

 the most recently introduced, and 

 offer a' few hints for their manage- 

 ment, and the uses to which they may 

 be put. 



Among these there are some re- 

 markably showy subjects, which 

 every one who takes an interest in 

 garden colouring should make ac- 

 quaintance with, either with a view 

 to immediate use in systems of bed- 

 ding, or to grow for a season in order 

 that their character may be under- 

 stood for their proper use at a future 

 time. The one which first deserves 

 mention is Perilla NanMnensis, a 

 species of balm, from China. The 

 entire plant, stem and leaves alike, is 

 of a deep bronzy purple colour, and 

 with good culture plants of it may be 

 grown to a height of three feet, and 

 the same in breadth, v, hen its deeply- 

 notched and wrinkled leaves, and free 

 branching habit, render it one of the 

 most beautiful objects imaginable. 

 But such specimens are not usually 

 required for bedding purposes ; if 

 they are from four to six inches high, 

 or even less, in May, they soon ac- 

 quire robustness after being planted 

 out, and may then be kept to any 

 desired height by simply nipping off 

 the tops, which will cause them to 

 throw off side-shoots, and become 

 very bushy. Where Perillas are 

 largely used as bedders, the seed is 

 usually sown in January, and placed 

 in heat. As soon as the plants are 

 furnished with two or three rough 



