1883. 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



69 



two months of beauty. Yet these bedding plants 

 have become the fashion, and fashion is uncom- 

 promising in its demands. The gardeners natu- 

 rally encourage people to buy them, because they 

 bring a good price, and are easily propagated. 

 Thus the C9ntinued useof e.xotic plants for bedding 

 is likely to increase rather than diminish, unless 

 the taste is subjected to rigorous criticism. The 

 only remedy is for men and women of true taste 

 to insist on a better example on their own prem- 

 ises and among their friends. They should not 

 inveigh against color, but should persistently de- 

 mand from their gardeners permanent plants of 

 color which would be beautiful for a large part or 

 for the whole of the year." The writer gives a num- 

 ber of names which he suggests — dwarf ever- 

 greens, vines, &c., less perishable, would be very 

 good and more permanent. 



I have no desire to criticise his good article, but 

 would like to reason or make some little inquiries. 

 The gardeners are not to blame, surely, for en- 

 couraging people to buy what they have raised to 

 sell ; for what business man does not encourage 

 the sale of his merchandise ? But that the fashion 

 must be followed under all circumstances is 

 certainly folly. There is no law, either in Canada 

 or the United States, to prohibit ladies or gentle- 

 men from planting their own pleasure ground or 

 garden as their means and taste direct. This would 

 be common sense. In one of our local papers the 

 editor quotes from a Paris paper, which will illus- 

 trate my meaning. Each leading dressmaker of 

 Paris makes dresses according to his or her own 

 fancy, and if possible different from all others. 

 Hence the variety in styles. Those who wish 

 may apply this to gardening. As between ladies' 

 fashions and flower garden fashions, I think the 

 former are the neatest. So with reference to the 

 present style of flower gardening, it is neat, rather 

 than gaudy — a modest style. There is the Golden 

 Dwarf Feather, which stands the winter here 30^ 

 to 40^ below zero. Also the Golden Thyme Sage 

 variegata will stand out from the middle of May 

 to November. The dwarf variegated grass — Poa 

 rivalis variegata does well for sections ; it stands 

 out here until November, as do several kinds of 

 Dusty Millers. These are used in quantity in the 

 present style with pansies. The various kinds of 

 Echeverias may be planted out here from the mid- 

 dle of May to the latter end of October, are easy 

 to winter propagate, make pretty patterns with 

 other things of dsvarf kinds. These, with others, 

 are hardy enough and make the season quite as 

 long as the flower garden is appreciated. Of course 



there are the Coleus, Canna, Alternanthera, Gera- 

 niums, &c., which are bedded out in quantity, 

 though not in their beauty, all through the season. 

 But from my own experience inLedding out some 

 of the dwarf Retinosporas enumerated in Harper s 

 Magazine for bedding do not give satisfaction 

 here. They are slow in growth. They may do 

 better with you. As to these hardy herbaceous 

 plants being recommended for general cultivation, 

 I think that day is past. There seems to be a 

 craving in human nature for that which we have 

 not. Rarities, new forms and colors and exotics 

 are more appreciated than those hardy thino-s. 

 But all are good in their place. Every garden of 

 any extent should have aspiring double Holly- 

 hocks, improved perennial Phloxes, tall, hardy or- 

 namental trees, lilies, roses and early spring bulbs, 

 as one of your correspondents mentions. In con- 

 clusion, I think the gardeners do not fear our 

 friend's rigorous criticism in reference to easy-got 

 money. In my very small way of selling, I aim 

 to raise what the people want, tender or hardy. 

 When the people cease to want these tender plants 

 the gardeners will soon stop raising them. My 

 experience in selling generally has been that those 

 who buy in any quantity want to spend as little as 

 possible. Th'ey all would like a very nice, neat, 

 well-kept garden. But their means are often an 

 obstacle in the way, so that the garden must be 

 furnished as a matter of course each year. But it 

 is not so much quality as quantity with most that 

 have to buy. Coleuses look showy, and we can 

 sell them cheap. Such has been my experience 

 with the sale of material for the flower garden. 

 Those who are able to keep gardeners do things in 

 a different way. 



[The improvement of style in flower gardening 

 is a very interesting topic, and our correspondent's 

 views will attract the attention which they deserve. 

 There is much to be said both for and against the 

 present favorite massing system, and for the her- 

 baceous plants, permanent vines and shrubs and 

 other methods of adorning grounds. But we must 

 not forget that the human mind loves variety and 

 change, and some will be perfectly willing to have 

 flower beds bare for months if the result is some- 

 thing unique which they have not seen before in 

 the other half.— Ed. G. M.] 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Two P'iNE New Bedding Plants. — Mr. H. A. 

 Dreer sends us two new plants, Coleus "Progress," 

 and "Gynura aurantiaca." The latter has been 



