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THE LADIES' GARDEN.— No. XI. 



BY J. C. CLARKE, 

 Head Gardener at Cothelston House, Taunton. 



DECORATION OE FLOWER-BEDS DURING "WINTER. 



[,HOSE who are not disposed to use bulbs, or the her- 

 baceous plants which I have in previous numbers 

 recommended for filling the flower-beds during winter, 

 may produce a very pretty effect by the judicious 

 use of small ornamental and variegated shrubs ; and 

 these, with care, may be made to do the same duty for several suc- 

 cessive years. Undoubtedly, the best way is to grow them in pots ; 

 but, as the majority of people may consider that a troublesome plan, 

 the next best way is to secure a shady spot for them during the 

 summer, under a wall or fence. The soil of the spot they occupy 

 in summer should be deep, and rather light and sandy. "When it is 

 time to put out the summer bedders, the shrubs should be trans- 

 ferred to this spot, and planted immediately, with great care, at 

 suitable distances apart, and be well watered after planting. They 

 would be benefited immensely if they could have at this time a 

 mulch, two inches thick, of good half-rotten manure, covering every 

 bit of soil between the plants. In the absence of manure, use the 

 same thickness of the grass-mowings from the lawn. They will be 

 sure to want water several times during the summer ; and when 

 short grass is used for mulching, repeat the application after every 

 watering, as it soon withers up. The mulching not only saves 

 labour in watering, but it keeps the soil round the roots in a more 

 uniform degree of moisture. 



There is no lack of subjects adapted to the purpose, nor does it 

 require an extravagant outlay even in the first instance. The selec- 

 tion of plants must be made according to the peculiarities and 

 position of the place ; and when they are put into the beds they 

 must not be huddled together as if they were promiscuously dropped 

 from the clouds. Their heights and colours should be studied, and 

 so arranged, that every plant in every group is seen to the best 

 advantage. If our lady readers would only try the use of these 

 subjects for the winter dressing of the flower-garden, I am sure 

 they would ultimately become attached to them ; for what can be more 

 eheerl'ul in the dull months of winter than the variegated hollies ? 

 Indeed, some of them are remarkable for their chaste and rich leaf- 

 colouring. Let us suppose we have a round bed to set out ; we will 

 choose for a centre four or five plants of Rhododendron poniicum, 

 and then two or three lines deep round the bed with plants, decreas- 

 ing in size from the centre outwards, of the different varieties of 

 variegated Sollies, the result will be a cheerful and pleasing scene all 

 the winter. Then we have, for another, the Aucuba Japonica, or 

 " variegated laurel," and the green and golden-leaved Muonynms, 



