76 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



centre bed, and would then serve as 

 a guide for two separate persons. "We 

 shall, therefore, only have to describe 

 four plantings. 1. Centre green-leaved 

 Attraction geranium, broad band of 

 TropEeolum edging of Lobelia Paxto- 

 niana. 2. Centre Mrs. Vernon gera- 

 nium, broad band of Purple King 

 verbena, edging of Cineraria niari- 

 tima. 3. Centre calceolaria Prince 

 of Orange, broad band of Calceolaria 

 Aurea fioribunda, edging of Vinca 

 minor argentea. 4. Centre Rose 

 Queen geranium, broad baud of Chris- 

 tine geranium, edging of Lobelia spe- 

 ciosa. In each of these beds there 

 would be a predominating tone pro- 

 duced by two tints in juxtaposition, 

 which would give them' a oneness of 

 character as seen at a distance — No. 

 1 pair being intensely red, No. 2 in- 

 tensely purple, No. 3 intenselv orange, 

 No. 4 soft, rich, rosy pink. But when 

 examined separately, they would be 

 more interesting than if the several 

 effects were obtained by a fewer 

 number of varieties and tints. 



Suppose there is now a ribbon to 

 be provided for, and the proprietor 

 wishes it to be quite distinct from the 

 foregoing, yet in harmony with it, 

 because it happens to skirt the same 

 terrace, or is the accompaniment of a 

 walk leading to some part of tne lawn. 

 Pirst row, that is to say the margin 

 of Gazania splendens, which, when 

 the blossoms close, is of so peculiar 

 and pleasing a tone of green that no 

 one can call it ugly ; and when the 

 blossoms are expanded it is a gor- 

 geous first row subject, and cheap, 

 because each plant soon covers a large 

 space. Second row, Nosegay geranium 

 Stella. Third row, Verbena snow- 

 fiake,or Grand Boule de Neige.or Mrs. 

 Holford. The first of the three is the 

 best ; but three are named in case of 

 any difficulty in procuring supplies 

 of either. Fourth row, Crimson nose- 

 gay geranium. Pifth tow. Double 

 white Peverfew. Sixth row, Rollison's 

 Unique geranium. Seventh row, 

 Dahlia Pluton, or Meteor, or Alba niul- 

 tiHora. If the ribbon is too narrow 

 for seven rows, the selection may 

 extend to as many rows as needed, 

 beginning with the first. If Gazania 

 is not a favourite with the planter, 



because of its habit of closing early 

 in the day and during damp weather, 

 a fine edging to Stella would be 

 Lobelia Gordoniana, or Nierembergia 

 gracilis, or Stachys lanata, or Varie- 

 gated Alyssum. 



Suppose we now bethink us of 

 the panel garden. If it is not of such 

 peculiar design as to need a compli- 

 cated system of planting, we should 

 prefer to trust almost entirely to 

 geraniums, say a pair of Lord Pal- 

 merston nosegay edged with Golden 

 Balm. Next, a pair of Charles 

 Doinage edged with OxalisCorniculata 

 rubra ; a pair to follow of geranium 

 Vivid edged with Variegated Mint. 

 Next, a pair of Pose Queen edged 

 with Perilla sown late. To follow 

 this, a pair of Imperial Crimson nose-' 

 gays edged with Golden Balm. Next, 

 a pair of Madame Chardine edged 

 with Oxalis Corniculata rubra. If 

 more are needed repeat Stella, and 

 so on for ever. To make a centre or 

 tor a series of central beds, having 

 smaller beds on each side, Pother- 

 gilli edged with Flower of the Day, 

 and Trentham rose edged with purple 

 verbena alternately, would be remark- 

 ably telling. 



We must halt here and leave our 

 supposed noviciate to his own re- 

 sources of invention for the pin- 

 cushion beds ; and we may the more 

 safely do so, because it is only need- 

 ful to balance them and plant each 

 pair as a pair, and it scarcely matters 

 how the several pairs differ or agree. 

 But it is a good rule with these to 

 proceed on the principle proposed 

 for the panel planting, that is to ob- 

 serve a certain order of succession, 

 and when that is exhausted, repeat 

 it, observing the same general style 

 throughout, so as to give to the series 

 a certain harmony of character. It 

 does not seem needful to make any 

 special remarks on the propagation 

 or preparation of any of the plants 

 named above, except Perilla, and 

 unless this is wanted extra strong it 

 may be sown now, and will be suffi- 

 ciently forward at planting-out time 

 for any ordinary purpose. Having 

 used all the foliage plants largely 

 and variously here during the past 

 seven years, we often have inquiries 



