THE 



GARDENER. 



MARCH 1871. 



PICTURESQUE BEDS. 



LTHOUGHitis our desire by all means to avoid heap- 

 ing ridicule on the tastes of any, or to join in the hue and 

 cry against even the most feeble attempts at any style of 

 flower -gardening, we are, at the same time, of opinion 

 that the too exclusive application of garden establishments to one 

 phase of flower-gardening, beautiful and desirable though we hold 

 that phase to be, has been attended with detrimental effect. The 

 skilful grouping of various - coloured flowers and foliage is much 

 to be admired, and we have contributed our mite of assistance in 

 making it popular. At the same time, we were among the first to 

 point out its defects, and to attempt breaking up its monotonous out- 

 lines and flat surfaces. Like Chinese paintings and Chinese women, it 

 wanted what painters call "chiaroscuro," and was chargeable withtame- 

 ness and vapidity in everything but colour. It must therefore be 

 desirable to foster a taste for the more picturesque grouping and dis- 

 tribution of such graceful plants as are now within our reach, in very 

 considerable numbers and variety, suitable for outdoor embellishment 

 in summer and autumn. 



To group such plants as Palms, Dracaenas, Yuccas, Agaves, Ficus, 

 &c. in dense masses, and in tame or formal beds, by way of breaking 

 up the monotony of our flower-gardens generally, might to a certain 

 extent remedy the evil complained of. But such a manner of dispos- 



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