1873.] BEDDING IN THE LONDON PARKS. 421 



a striking efifect by contrasting well-marked colours together, such as white and 

 scarlet, purple and yellow, or white and dark purple, or occasionally dark blue. 

 There is also a tendency this season towards mixing colours in blocks, instead 

 of contrasting them in masses; and we have noticed some harmonious and effec- 

 tive beds so arranged, and edged with two or three rows of dwarf foliage-plants. 

 It is astonishing to notice the thousands of Echeveria secunda and E. califor- 

 nica that are used for planting round the raised margins of the flower-beds. 

 Some of the beds this season are very much elevated above the general ground- 

 level ; and to prevent heavy rains from washing down the margins, a little 

 Eoman cement is mixed with the earth of the beds while moist, and the edge 

 is then neatly finished off with a trowel. In order to prevent the colour of the 

 cement showing, it is sprinkled while moist with dry dust or earth. The bed- 

 ding arrangements most worthy of notice are those in front of the little ivy- 

 covered lodge in Kensington Gardens, the flower-walk leading from the Marble 

 Arch to Hyde Park Corner, the carpet-bedding and subtropicals in Battersea 

 Park, and lastly, but by no means least, the splendid bedding and sub-tropicals 

 in the Peoi)le's Park (Victoria) at the east end of London. 



One of the most notable features in the various London parks this summer 

 has been the effective appearance of the Yuccas, nearly all of which have flow- 

 ered very freely. The effect, grand as it was, would have been considerably 

 heightened if, instead of their being dotted here and there indiscriminately, 

 they were grouped in large clumps or noble masses. Few plants equal Yuccas 

 in stately beauty, especially when planted in suitable positions ; while for 

 grouping with subtropicals they are invaluable. We will now just take a cur. 

 sory glance at the bedding most worthy of notice. Entering Hyde Park by the 

 Albert Gate, we find the triangular plot of turf on the left is occu2)ied by Palms, 

 Musas, Dracaenas, and Cycads. These when placed out were in fine condition, 

 but most of them have suffered by being placed in a position so much exposed 

 to cold cutting winds. Two or three strips of fresh green turf leading from this 

 point to Hyde Park Corner are dotted here and there with beds, some of which 

 are pretty, though none exceed mediocrity. The best are one or two scroll 

 beds, planted with a block of Cannas in the centre, and margined with belts of 

 Cineraria maritima, Scarlet Geraniums, Alternanthera amoena, and a row of 

 Echeveria glauca. Another effective bed is planted with light-coloured Cannas 

 in the centre, around which are belts of Golden Zonals and Alternanthera, 

 the whole being neatly finished off with a border of Echeveria californica. One 

 or two beds of light-flowered Fuchsias, mixed on a deep purple ground colour, 

 formed by planting Iresine thickly together, are very pretty. 



Proceeding from Hyde Park Corner, parallel with Park Lane, we reach the 

 piece de resistance. — the flower-walk margined with oblong beds on each side. 

 The two lodges here look very pretty, being completely draped with fresh green 

 festoons of the Virginian Creeper, one of the finest of all deciduous trailers for 

 town gardens. The first set of beds on the right are edged with purple Iresine 

 Lindenii and Pyrethrum Golden Feather, and have a very distinct and telling 

 effect. Pelargonium Duchess of Sutherland, in the first bed, is a good rosy 

 scarlet ; the next bed being filled in with Pelargonium Queen of Queens and 

 Verbena venosa mixed. This combination of a silvery leaf with scarlet and 

 purple flowers is a good one, the effect being considerably heightened by the 

 above edging. The third bed is filled in with Lucius, a free-flowering Zonal ; 

 the fourth being composed of Mrs Pollock and Viola Blue Perfection mixed. 

 This last mixture is not a bad one, though not so striking as the Queen of 

 Queens or Manglesii grouped with Verbena venosa. Calceolarias appear to be 



2f 



