102 THE GARDENER. [March 



lower-growing plants of diverse habits are most desirable. In the 

 warmest and most-sheltered parts of the country many of the more 

 tender Palms and Dracaenas, Crotons, Musas, &c., can be plunged out- 

 doors in similar beds with good effect ; especially such as may be 

 getting too large for the accommodation may be made to do duty in this 

 way for a season at least. On the other hand, there are hardy plants 

 available to those who cannot afford room to winter such plants as 

 those named above. They can fall back on the Gynerium, Arundo 

 conspicua, Phormium, and Yuccas, &c., and command variety without 

 having recourse to less persistent things, that are very well in their 

 proper positions, and which assuredly is not in beds like this. 



We have seen attempts at mingling flowering-plants in beds like 

 this, but to produce effective combinations by such means must be 

 one of the matters yet to learn. Of course, this in individual cases 

 will, like most other things, be ruled by taste. But it is conceived that 

 beds of a character to ;^come under our heading require to be com- 

 posed of peculiar forms rather than of gay colours, especially as the 

 object of such beds is to throw more grace and beauty of outline where 

 it is conceived there is already more than enough of colour in propor- 

 tion to those features. To the single central specimen in the centre of 

 a large group of flowers we would make no objection, but in beds 

 where the object is to bring out all that is possible of the striking out- 

 line of a number of plants in one bed, we would certainly exclude 

 flowers if there were any other place for them. 



Besides the bringing out of the individual features of such plants, there 

 is another reason why they should be planted in select variety at easy 

 distances ; namely, that there are few gardens indeed that can afford 

 space to grow and shelter them in sufiicient numbers to plant in denser 

 groups. There can be no question as to the bold and massive appear- 

 ance, in large grounds, of masses of Palms, Aralias, Yuccas, Caladiums, 

 Dracsenas, &c. Where there are resources sufficient to warrant such a 

 style of planting, few features are more desirable and noble-looking. 

 At the same time it would be simply ridiculous to introduce them 

 into cramped and unsheltered gardens. Then, again, few plants look 

 more forlorn than these if not in rude health. A few in good condi- 

 tion and more thinly planted are better fitted to please the eye and 

 relieve formal flower-gardening. 



