488 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ June 34, 1876. 



can remain permanent. It may be turned to good account in 

 various ways, lieirig perfectly hardy. It tlarives well in sandy 

 loam and peat in equal quantities, and should have good 

 drainage, yet should not be allowed to suffer for want of water. 

 It is increased by division and layering during the summer. 

 When used as an edging it requires pegging. It may be turned 

 to good account for indoor decoration, and grafted on Daphne 

 Mezereon grown in pots may be made to assume a weeping 

 habit, or any shape the operator pleases. The common Spurge 

 Laurel (Daphne Laureola) may also be used as a stock for 

 grafting on. It mifiht be worth the trouble to graft the three 

 different-coloured Daphnes, Mezereums, and D. oneornm on 

 the same stock. In my mind the white, pink, and nearly 

 crimson, with the evergreen cneorum, would have a very good 

 effect in a cool greenhouse during the winter and early spring, 

 when flowers in many places are none too plentiful. — VERrrAS. 



THE ARRANGEMENTS OF COLOURS 



IN THE BEDS OF THE LONDON PARKS AND GARDENS.— No. 2. 

 DEdlQNS FOB FLOWER AND CARPET BEDDING ON GBAS3. 



The circle is the most simple form, and when planted in 

 harmonious proportions 

 and tints is most pleas- 

 ing. I shall now detail 

 how to plant on the 

 carpet-bedding mode. 

 Various plants, a great 

 proportion of them new, 

 are adopted to show 

 that the Geranium and 

 Calceolaria are not the 

 only candidates for po- 

 pularity in the summer 

 garden. I admit there 

 are few plants that will 

 look more showy than 

 those named ; never- 

 theless, it is desirable 

 that others of equal 

 brilliancy were more 

 generally made use of. 

 For carpet bedding 

 plants require to be se- 

 lected not only for their 

 suitable colours but 

 their duration and 

 height. 



I have confined my- 

 self to low-growing 

 plants, but there is no 

 reason why tall-growing 

 plants should not be 

 used, or annual or pe- 

 rennial flowers, also 

 spring flowers and 

 bulbs. A common plan 

 ia to contrast the tints 

 of adjacent blooms, 

 never to let blues stand close to blues nor reds be next to reds ; 

 or they might be planted on the principle of blending the 

 colours, four or five rows to consist of various shades of the 

 same colour. Again, a rich effect ia obtained by following the 

 order of the prism colours— having all the flowers at one end 

 or side dark purple and violet, and at the other dark reds, the 

 purples to be followed by blues and light porcelains till you 

 come to white. Next the white should follow the yellows, after 

 them pink, then full reds, then dark crimson. 



I will now add a small list of annuals which I know are 

 lasting and effective. Annuals are a beautiful and extensive 

 tribe of plants and worthy of the best treatment, and their 

 service is essential in most gardens. I shall therefore make a 

 few remarks on the method of raising and their successful cul- 

 ture — first, hardy annuals, which stand all weathers; second, 

 half-hardy, which can bear no frost ; third, tender, which will 

 not thrive in the open air. These divisions, however, run into 

 one another by imperceptible gradations, for several of these 

 rank among tender annuals yet may be planted outdoors 

 during the summer months ; and the hardy annuals are the 

 better if treated as half-hardy, so the one treatment will suffice. 

 Besidep, transplanting is in most cases an advantage, and 



secures health and vigour to the plant providing it is properly 

 done. Raise the seedlings upon a gentle hotbed, and when 

 they are strong plants remove them to their destination ; but 

 one of the chief points in the cultivation of annuals is to 

 i have the seeds germinate well and quickly, and to have the 

 plants into their second leaf. If the seeds are fown the fore 

 part of April they will be ready for the beds the latter end 

 of May ; and if it is showery weather when you turn them 

 out the plants will not receive any check. Do not plant 

 them very close, for then their beauty is not seen. I have 

 selected only those which grow compact and which continue 

 long in bloom. As they are to adorn designs their size and 

 habit must be studied. Many of these annuals may be 

 pegged down with advantage, the Phlox Drummondii for in- 

 stance. When treated this way the beauty of it is much en- 

 hanced. 



The contrast of colours I shall leave to individual tastes, 

 but I may just repeat that the rules of contrasts and har- 

 monies of colour are derived from Nature. Yellow, red, 

 and blue are contrasts in all their shades, and the tints 

 formed by the union of any two of these form harmonious 

 colours. In the following list the six first-named are foliage 



' Amaranthns melancholicUB 



ruber. 

 Atriplex hortecBis rubra. 



This will require pegging 



down. 

 Celt Bia Huttoni.new, bright 



crimBou and claret colour. 

 Golden Pjrethrum. 

 Ferilla naukiueusis. 

 Tagetes si^nata pumila. 

 Ageratum Imperial Dwarf, 



blue. 

 Asperula azureaBetopa.bluo. 

 AIoDEoa ^ya^Bcewiczii com- 



pacta, scarlet. 

 AljB&um maritimum, white. 

 Eartonia aurea, bright yellow 

 Clarkia alba, white, red, rose, 



violet. 

 Convolvulus minor, white, 



blue, dark violet. 

 Clintonia pulohella, blue 



and white. 

 EscLBcholtzia crocea, orange 



and white. 

 Gudetia, rope, purple, white. 

 Lupinua nanus albus, white. 

 Marigold, French Miniature, 



brown and jetlow. 

 Malope graiididora, crimson, 



purple, white. 

 Mesembryauthemam, roEe, 



purple, white. 

 Nasturtium Tom Thumb, 



roBe, crimson, ecarlet, 



yellow. 

 Kemesia compacta, blue and 



white, 

 Nemophila, purple, white, 



blue. 

 Petunia, many colours. 

 Phloi Drummondii, purple, 



rose, pink, white,crim8on. 

 Saponaria calabrica, rose, 



white, pink. 

 Senecio,crim80D,red,parple, 



white. 

 Viscaria, scarlet, rose, white, 



crimson. 

 BED A. 



1. Cineraiia maritima compacta. A new and almost pure 

 white, a great improvement on Cineraria maritima. It is 

 nearly hardy, and strikes freely from cuttings at all times. 



2. Golden Pyrethrum. It is uniform, neat, and compact, 

 forming an equal surface. Sow the seed in March in a green- 

 house or frame, or outdoors on a warm border. Small plants 

 at bedding-out time are better than large plants, as they are 

 not so apt to run to seed as are older plants or cuttings. 



3. Lobelia Blue King. A light sky blue and free-flowering 

 variety, constant in bloom until the frosts cut it down. It 

 makes a charming groundwork for bright colours. 



■i. Alternanthera amttna spectabilis. Of all the new and 

 ornamental-foliage plants for the flower-garden decoration 

 throughout the summer months the Alternantheras are the 

 most useful. It is essential in forming brilliant combinations ; 

 its colour, brilliant magenta red, being invaluable for contrasts 

 in designs. It is a marked improvement on A. amccaa, 

 brighter in colour and stronger in growth. Propagate in heat 

 in March and April, grow on in heat, shade from the sun, and 

 the greener they are the faster the plants will grow. Let them 

 have air and suu a week before they are planted out, and they 



Fig. 113.— Bed A. 



