THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



61 



Ijink-riuwered ice plant, known scientifically as me- 

 scmbryanthemum spectabilis. 



This barrier is made of 8,700 large boxes of flats, 

 each two by six feet and two inches deep, closely set 

 to plants, and set upon edge, one above another. 

 Chicken wire is tacked over the surface to confine the 

 dirt, and the flats are picked to a wooden trestle work, 

 on both sides of the wall. Irrigation is effected by 

 means of perforated pipes placed on top of the wall. 

 '1 he plants, growing horizontally, are flourishing far 

 better than when set on the ground. The seams were 

 (juickly overgrown and the resemblance to a moss- 

 grown wall is perfect. 



The wall will be pierced by seven entrances, includ- 

 ing an imposing main gate in the Mission style at the 

 main Scott street entrance. This also wiU be made of 

 the superposed boxes of flowering plants. 



One of the big undertakings in connection with the 

 construction of the exposition has been the trans- 

 ]ihinting of the mammoth trees. The photograph 

 sliows one of the giant palms ready to be placed in 

 the ground, and its size may be inferred by the fig- 

 ures of the men around the base of the pahn shown. 



The roots of the trees and plants introduced to the 

 exposition grounds are boxed in with the soil to which 

 the plant is accustomed, and after being transplanted 

 to its new home the boards around the roots are re- 

 moved and the palm or pine is carefully nurtured un- 

 til its roots take hold in their new bed. 



Flowers play an important role in the wonderful 

 color scheme of the exposition. As immensity is the 

 keynote of the architecture, so great numbers of 

 flowers are woven into the canvas of the exposition. 

 There are 50 acres of lawn. A great avenue is lined 

 with 4,000 giant date palms. More than 73,000 gera- 

 niums have been transplanted from the nurseries in 

 the 65 acres of gardens adjoining the Palace of Horti- 

 culture. 



The acacia is now blooming along the buildings. It 

 is the proud boast of the exposition that nearly 6,000 

 acacias, specially selected in various varieties, will be 

 seen in bloom cluring almost the entire period of the 

 ex])osition. 



The 5,000 rhododendrons, which arrived from Eng- 

 land and Holland at about the time the war broke out, 

 have developed in the California climate into magnifi- 

 cent ])lants. and these are being stretched along the 

 pathways of the gardens. Begonias, fuschias, hv- 

 (Irangeas and English laurel are being set about the 

 miniature gardens in the Court of Abundance and in 

 the great South Gardens. 



ART, ADAPTABILITY AND COLOR ARRANGE- 

 MENT IN THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



By Joseph Kobixsox, New York. 



One of the most striking evidences of the advance 

 of floriculture to the original scenic efifect for which 

 it was primarily intended by nature, is the gradual re- 

 vision from the old formal and inartistic style of ar- 

 rangement that held sway in the Victorian era. Up 

 to 10 years ago there were very few large country- 

 estates but what were marred by the prevailing idea 

 of formality and patternism, as I call it. The prevail- 

 ing idea seemed to be carpet bedding and a general 

 arrangement of lines, squares and circles on terraces, 

 etc., intermixed with needless walls, statuary and 

 cli])ped trees and shrubs, that the luan with the shears 

 has worked, sweat and sworn over, with the effect of 

 conipletelv marring their natural gracefulness, for the 



purpose of making them conform to the monstrosity 

 that had its birth on the drawing board. 



The result of all this was a sameness wherever one 

 went. Even though one found a diversity of geo- 

 metrical design, yet the effect from a natural and ar- 

 tistic point of view was a failure. How many of our 

 leading gardeners today can turn memory back to the 

 old home on the other side and call back to mind a 

 picture of that old thatched cottage with its walls and 

 porch covered with the rose and tlie ivy, and how well 

 we rememl)cr mother's wall-flowers, etc. \"es, long 

 after we have forgi:)tten the great designs and con- 

 glomeration of color in tlie gardens of our a])prentice- 

 shijj. Why do we see so few paintings by great ar- 

 tists, with the flower garden as a subject? 



We find natural landscapes and wild scenery galore. 

 It is because we find no true art in the garden above 

 described. The more the idea of cluiuping and mass- 

 ing of trees, flowers and shrubs is carried out, with 

 harmony of color being strictly observed, the more in- 

 finitely attractive the garden will be. We cannot find 

 a better teacher than nature herself. There are more 

 tints and colors in nature than can ever be diversified, 

 3'et they blend in perfect harmony no luatter whether 

 on mountain, in woodland, or dell, each and all go to 

 form a perfect setting. 



Harmonv <if color is the first essential in floral ar- 

 rangement and the sini].)ler the idea, the greater the 

 effect. The clumps and masses should be large 

 enough so each may dignify itself to its size in due 

 pro])i irtion. A definite color scheme should be de- 

 cided on. The herbaceous border ought to have a cer- 

 tain contrasting eff'ect (in places), but not above a 

 certain proportion or the harmony of color generally 

 will be spoiled. 



Where a good flower garden or Viorder is desired, it 

 is necessary to have a means of supply to keep filling 

 in as needed. Coldframes and a small nursery are 

 good to have on the place as a means of raising both 

 annuals and perennials, as many of our alpine and 

 herbaceous species, although classed as hardy, have a 

 tendency to die out from the effect of a rigorous win- 

 ter. A heaxy manure nuilch will often do as nuich 

 harm as the weather. Salt hay or a nuilch of very 

 strawey material is much better than the more de- 

 coni])osed manure; for protection it is a difficult mat- 

 ter to maintain a continuous show of bloom through- 

 nut the season in the herbaceous garden. A system of 

 raising and potting on subjects, such as the fuschia, 

 heliotrope, lantana, celosia, early flowering chrysan- 

 themum, etc., is a great help in filling in spaces that 

 otherwise would look barren towards the fall and will 

 repay any extra labor involved. 



PRUNING ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS 



It is doubtful whether any other necessary garden- 

 ing operation is so little understood, or so seldom 

 properly carried out, as the pruning of ornamental 

 shrulis. In many places, and more particularly gar- 

 dens of small dimensions, the cutting is carried out 

 indiscriminately and to excess, with the result that the 

 plants never attain the graceful contour and freedom 

 of blossoming that Nature intended. On the other 

 hand, one sometimes finds, even in good gardens where 

 a large staff is kept, shrubberies that are overcrowded 

 and neglected, and far from being the interesting and 

 pleasing feature that a well planted and tended shrub 

 ijorder ought to be. 



For the purpose of elucidation we ma_\' divulj orna- 



