206 



The Hfyi'tmdlurvil and Journal 



Laying ont the Flower 

 G-arden. 



THE first thing to be done is to make up 

 one's mind definitely what eftect can be 

 best produced with the materials at command. 

 Every large plant — say over three feet in 

 height and diameter — is an object that should 

 have some relation to its surroundings. It 

 may be a center-piece. It may be balanced 

 by another of about equal size. It may nicely 

 fill and grace a corner. But there should be 

 some definite reason for its chosen position ; 

 it should look better there tlian anywhere else. 

 The second thing to be considered is that 

 great changes in the effect produced by plants 

 take place as the season advances. A Crown 

 Imperial — and it should here be said that 

 there are some fine recent varieties of this old- 

 fashioned flower — makes a good show in spring, 

 but wilts in the early summer. A Bleeding- 

 Heart, covering much space with singular 

 blossoms — there are white now as well as pink 

 on the same bush — dies down before the first 

 breath of autumn. The Scarlet Salvia is 

 modest enough in the matter of room during 

 summer, but when its glories spread in the 

 fall it needs abundant space, and no other 

 flowers may stand in the way of its expan- 

 sion. To make a continuous show, either 

 plants must be selected that will come up 

 successively, or they must be skillfully trans- 

 planted to the positions where they will ap- 

 pear best as the season advances. With 

 smaller plants the latter is by far the best 

 system. 



The question of edging is always open. 

 Box is regarded as too stiff" and antiquated, 

 but nothing else is half so trim. Grass is 

 troublesome as an edging unless a deep trench 

 an inch wide is spaded down on its inside 

 margin, to keep it from spreading into the 

 flower-bed. If one can afford them, of course 

 the variegated plants are admirable. A bed 

 of variegated Geraniums, with an edging of 

 the Alternanthera or dwarf Coleus, is beau- 

 tiful, but rather expensive. The Oxalis, a 

 bulb from which a dark-green foliage, and 

 rose, lilac, yellow, and white flowers spring, is 

 very successfully used for edging in Central 



Park. But excellent edgings can be had at 

 far less cost. The common wild Violet, which 

 can be obtained in the woods, answers admir- 

 ably. Mixed Tulips, which can be bought 

 for $3 or $4 per 100 (depending upon size), 

 as well as their offshoots, which are about 

 half price, and do not flower the first year, 

 make a first-rate spring border. Between the 

 Tulips the seeds of the Dwarf Single Marigold 

 {Tugetes Puinila) may be planted, or Sweet 

 Alyssum or Candytuft. These will grow up 

 as the season advances and take the place of 

 the Tulips, and can be thinned out or trans- 

 planted a little, so as to make the edging reg- 

 ular. These will show themselves next year, 

 and thus a permanent edging is established. — 

 N. Y. Tribune. 



Training Roses. 



I CORRESPONDENT of the Southern 

 -^^ Cultivator recommends the following 

 for training over arbors, etc. : Upon the arbor 

 in the center is twined the splendid Cloth of 

 Gold and the beautiful crimson Queen of Ayi*- 

 shircs, the flowers large and full, and the con- 

 trast of colors is very fine. It is well to train 

 these running roses to arbors that they may 

 be kept withm bounds, for they grow so rap- 

 idly as to require the free use of the scissors, 

 and need close tying to the sides and top. 

 The Cloth of Gold can be trained to repre- 

 sent a miniature tree, by cutting back the 

 branches and keeping one main stem. This 

 stem in a few years becomes quite large and 

 strong, and can support a good sized head. 

 As the flowers of Roses are always produced 

 on the new spring growth, the cutting back 

 does not interfere with a fine display of blooms. 

 There are several Roses here trained in this 

 manner and produce a charming effect, being 

 now covered with a profusion of elegant flow- 

 ers. Here is the Luxemburg, which is about 

 eight feet high, with a large strong stem, and 

 a fine symmetrical head. The splendid flow- 

 ers upon it shows that this manner of growth 

 suits it remarkably well. The Devoniensis to 

 its right, is quite large enough to accommo- 

 date a comfortable bench underneath its shade, 



