THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 141 



Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum and Lonicera aurea 

 reticulata are different in character from the preceding, and require 

 pegging down occasionally to regulate the branches as they trail on 

 the ground. 



There are several taller-growing plants that may be used with 

 admirable effect in a large design, and others topped and pegged 

 down, such as Iresine Lindeni, Fuchsia Golden Treasure, Coleus, 

 various, Amaranthus melancholicus ruber. Where these plants can 

 be used in the design, Geranium Brilliantissima for a brilliant scarlet 

 would have a grand effect to set off other colours. Many Succulents 

 can be used in small corners, but by all means do not plant any 

 kind of tall-growing plants, no matter how handsome ; if they are 

 planted, the fine effect will be lost all the season. I feel convinced 

 that if this style was once put in practice, with — first, Golden 

 Feather, then Lobelia, next Cerastium, then Alternant hera, then 

 finished off with any kind of the dwarf Echeveria, the effect would 

 be so striking, even in wet bad weather, all through the season, that 

 small choice beds would in future be planted almost exclusively 

 with these dwarf-coloured foliage plants. It must be remembered, 

 too, that we do not have to wait for leaf effects as we do for flowers. 



PORTULACAS FOE THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



BY A KENTISH GABDENEE. 



HE constant accessions to the number of our bedding- 

 out plants have quite driven these out of the field, but 

 I trust this notice may induce some of our readers to 

 bestow upon them a share of their favour, as they are 

 deserving subjects. It is true they are somewhat more 

 troublesome to raise than the hardy annuals, but their beauty more 

 than repays for any amount of trouble they may take to bring them 

 into use ; and, as compared to the little extra trouble, the beauty of 

 these little plants is an important consideration. Indeed, I cannot 

 imagine anything half so chaste and beautiful in the whole list of 

 annuals, being quite distinct from any commonly grown ; and their 

 neat habit of growth, and the chaste markings of the flowers, render 

 them most fit of all to be favourites with the ladies. But to grow 

 them satisfactorily they must have special treatment. 



The seed should be had iu separate colours. I used to be 

 supplied with a collection of twelve different colours, out of which 

 I could select at the time of flowering eight sufficiently distinct to 

 warrant their being separated, but the remaining four differed so 

 little from the others, that a casual observer could hardly assign to 

 them any peculiar distinctness. That, however, is of but little 

 consequence when compared to the advantage of knowing that you 

 can depend upon the majority coming true to the colours given, as 

 when planting you can the better balance the colours, by arranging 

 the most distinct at such distances as will secure an even distribu- 



