382 



JODBNAL OF HOBTICULTURE AKD COTTAGE GABDENEE. 



I NoTtmber II, 16«9. 



the same failare nntil ciroamatances caneed me to transplant a 

 bed of them after tbey had mode a good growth, and the result 

 was an abundance of bloum and less foliage. Since then, if I 

 find them becoming leaf-proud, I lift tbtm with the spade, and 

 plant again immediately, and beyond losing a few leaves the 

 experiment ban the desired effect. 



Beds 7 and 10. This distinct species of Verbena appears to 

 possess a charm of its own; the colonr, a lovely violet, is not 

 approached by any other inhabitant of the garden. It appears 

 to increase in beauty as the autumn comes on. When pegged 

 down at an early stage of its growth, it does not exceed 1 foot 

 in height ; and its small flowers supported on still flower- 

 stems, withstand the wind and wet admirably, as the storm of 

 September 11th did it no injury. 



The Petunia in beds 8 and 13 grows too coarse and tall for 

 BDcb small beds, and in larger ones it is only attractive in 

 fine weather. A etorm soon disflgures its flowers, and towards 

 autumn it is not in the least attractive. It is, however, a good 

 plant for the background of mixed borders. 



The Tagetes in beds '.i and 12 was grown as a substitute for 

 the yellow Calceolaria, and in some respects it is a good one ; 

 it is a constant and profuse bloomer, even in the driest of weather, 

 and in hot dry soils where the Calceolaria is so liable to fail, 

 this plant is to be preferred ; no wet or wind appears to in- 

 jure it. 



I now come to the mixed beds, which were purposely arranged 

 to give increased effect to the Jive beds in the centre of the 



I garden, and also those four beds in the Mntre of each of the 

 j two wings. 



I Ko8. 14 and IC have Pelargoniums Madame Budersdor0, 

 I Cybister, and Uebecca, with here and there a plant of the 

 I Tagetes for centres, while the outsides have some of the dwarfer 

 i variegated Pelargoniums, such as Flower of Spring, Bijon. 

 Lady Plymouth, and Crystal Palace (iem, with some dwarf 

 I Lantanas, as Lutea rosea, Albagrandiflora, ImpcratriceEngdue, 

 and DeUcatissima. 



In beds 15 and 17, the centres are occupied with the Inter- 

 mediate Stocks, of many colours, which flower magnificently 

 throughout August and the three following months, and for the 

 outsides the pretty dwarf Victoria Aster, mixed I'ortulacas, and 

 Lobelias. 



Nos. 18 and 20, at the opposite end of the garden, contain 

 Pelargoniums Indian Yellow, Cerise Unique, and Bebecca, with 

 the white flowers of Mrs. IloHord Verbena rising above the foli- 

 age of the Pelargoniums, as centres, while the outsides contain a 

 mixture of Centaurea candidissima, Purple King Verbena, and 

 Mrs. Pollock Pelargonium. 



Nos. 10 and 21, Phlox Drummondi. These beds present a 

 great variety of colour, which is eSeetive and pleasing to the 

 eye. To keep the Phloxes dwarf for small beds, they shonld be 

 pinched once before planting out, and afterwards kept pegged 

 down ; they will then not exceed 1 foot in height. 



The Pelargonium in bed 22 is a great improvement on Cloth 

 of Gold ; it is a vigorous grower, and is very effective both as 



1. Centre Thnja anrea, surrounded by Iresine 

 Herbstii, and a baud of Centaurea can- 

 didiBBliuR, Lobelia gpeciosa next the 

 firasH. The circles surrounded by 6, 7, 

 8, 9, and 10, 11, 12, 13, also have Thuja 

 aurca in the centre. 

 2, S. Pelargonium Mrs. Pollock, edged with 

 Coleus Verschaffelti. 



4, 5. Perilla niinkinensis. edged with Flower 

 of Spring and Koniga maritima. 



6, 11. Pelargonium Brilliant. 



7, 10. Verbena venosa. 



H. 13. Petunia nyctaginiflora. 

 9, 12. Tagetes signata puoiila. 



14, 16. Mixed beds. 



15, 17. Ditto, ditto. 

 18, 20. Ditto, ditto. 



19, 21. Mixed beds. 



22. Pelargonium Crystal PaLice Gem. 

 2.S. Lobelia speciosa. 



24. Veronica epeciosa varie^ta. 



25. Pelargonium liebecca. 



26. Pelargonium Indian Yellow. 



27. Stachys lanatn. 



28. Mrs. Holford Verbena. 



29. Fuchsia Golden Fleece. 



regards its flowers and foliage, its growth keeping close to the 

 ground. 



No. 23. This plant, so well known as a bedder, needs no 

 remark. 



The Veronica in No. 24 is one of the prettiest variegated 

 plants in the garden, and should be more grown; it is very 

 effective throughout the autumn, as it bears a few degrees of 

 frost without injury. 



The Pelargoniums in beds 25 and 2C are now so well known 

 that I need not describe them, but I may just remark that 

 Indian Yellow is one of the best flowering plants we have in 

 the flower garden. 



The plant in bed 27 should be more grown for its hardiness 

 and dwarf habit, while its silvery lamb's-ear-like foliage makes 

 it very attractive in the flower corden or shrubbery borders. 



Bed 2s. Of this and other Verbenas I cannot say much in 

 their favour as distinct bedders ; most of the varieties cease to 

 be attractive much too soon for other plants. They are, how- 

 ever, very useful in mixed borders to supply cut flowers. 



The Fuchsia in No. 2'j has proved a failure with me. I could 

 not with all my attention coax it into forming on attractive 

 plant. It goes off very much in the same way as Pelargonium 

 Cloth of Gold, for the plants appear to be less now than when 

 first planted. It will grow in the shade best ; even there it loses 

 much of its leaf-colouring, which renders its flowers less at- 

 tractive. 



The effect of the whole arrangement, when viewed from 



either end, gave considerable satisfaction ; but most of the 

 beds being small (1 feet wide), the use of anything but dwarf- 

 growing plants was out of the question. However, as the ar- 

 rangement of the planting was on the cross-balancing system, 

 every bed had more distinctness, which is always of import- 

 ance in a design for small beds. 



Of other arrangements that I have noted as worthy of imi- 

 tation, was one in which the new Abnlilon Thompson! was 

 used. The ground colour of the leaf of this plant is a bright 

 green, which is beautifully mottled with yellow. It appears to 

 retain its colours well when planted out, and grows with con- 

 siderable vigour. Around it was a band of Amaranthus melan- 

 cholicus ruber, with an edging of the pretty dwarf-growing 

 Dactylis glomerata variegata. Another bed had Pyrethrum 

 Golden Feather, dotted over with Lobelia speciosa. 



There is another new introduction which I think will become 

 a popular bedding plant — viz., the Iresine Lindeni. I think it 

 the best of all the Iresines ; the foliage is dark red, beautifully 

 veined, and the growth being vigorous, the markings become 

 well developed. I grew a few plants in common garden soil, 

 fully exposed to the weather, and it proved so satisfactory, that 

 I shall use it more extensively another season. The markings 

 being only on the upper surface of the leaf, when the foliage 

 in the sun is waving in the breeze it presents two or thiee 

 shades of colonr, which are pleasing to anyone. 



Another valuable dwarf-growing plant is the Convolvnlns 

 mauritanicns ; it appears to be quite hardy, and if allowed to 



