February 3, 1876. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOHTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



85 



Fig. 23.— Bed 



in all our arrangements. Ofttitaes more of the beauty of a 

 garden depends upon the healthy hues of the shrubs and the 

 verdure of the lawn 

 than on the flowers. 

 If bright colours pre- 

 ponderate they oppress, 

 but if associated with 

 an ample green setting 

 they cheer and satisfy 

 the eye and mind. The 

 art of the florist and 

 gardener, as far as co- 

 lours are concerned .con- 

 sists in arranging plants 

 BO as to produce har- 

 mony of form and colour 

 in both foliage and flow- 

 ers, as in flower-garden 

 groups, beds, belts, rib- 

 bons, and conservatory 

 arrangements. It is to 

 aid those who are not 

 skilled in the arrange- 

 ments of colours that a 

 few examples are sub- 

 mitted at a period when 

 preparations are being 

 made for the ensuing 

 summer's display. 

 Ladies of late years have 

 aided in the arrange- 

 ments of colours in their 

 flower gardens, and we 

 must admit they have 

 displayed considerable 

 taste ; but in order that 

 their plans may be ef- 

 fectively carried out it is 

 imperative that they be 

 submitted to the gardener some months prior to the bedding- 

 out season. Delay in this matter is a common source of 

 failure, for however 

 skilful a man may be, 

 he cannot prepare the 

 plants when time is not 

 afforded them to grow. 

 On pages 488 and 489, 

 vol. xxviii. , suitable 

 modes of planting beds 

 of a circular form, num- 

 bered A and B, were sub- 

 mitted, and I now con- 

 tinue the series. 



BED C. 



1. Leucophyton 

 Browni. — This is un- 

 doubtedly one of the 

 very finest plants for 

 carpet bedding or any 

 select design. In flower 

 be{38 it cannot fail to 

 become a universal fa- 

 vourite. Its compact 

 upright habit, and its 

 numerous branches of 

 small white shoots 

 standing up as stiff as 

 wire, which makes it so 

 useful for panelwork 

 and forming divisional 

 lines. This plant has 

 been kindly treated, and 

 yet treated wrongly. It 

 has been put in a warm 

 house, which has made 

 it look sickly; it dis- 

 likes even the smell of 

 the fire. The proper 



place for it in winter is a cold frame ; it will live and be 

 healthy the whole time. It will strike very readily in a cold 

 frame, and that is the only way to ensure its success. 



2. Colens Verschaffeltii splendens. — This is a very beautiful 



Fig. 23.— Bed D 



variety ; it is a sport from C. Verfohaffeltil. The colour of 

 the leaf is much brighter, the habit dwarfer, which makes it 



an improvement for de- 

 corative purposes. It is 

 a gem among the Co- 

 leuses distinct and beau- 

 tiful. 



3. Alternantheramag- 

 nifica. 



4. Lobelia Porcelain 

 Brilliant. — This beauti- 

 ful variety is a valuable 

 addition ; it produces a 

 profusion of fine ex- 

 panded light porcelain 

 blue flowers, prettily re- 

 lieved by a small white 

 eye. It is a tone of 

 colour very effective in 

 contrasts for the decora- 

 tion of the flower gar- 

 den. 



5. Golden Pyrethrum. 



G. Alternanthera ver- 

 sicolor, mottled rose and 

 carmine. This is a very 

 distinct and pretty va- 

 riety, splendid in colour, 

 dwarf and compact in 

 habit, and admirably 

 adapted for the decora- 

 tion of beds in an ex- 

 posed situation. It must 

 not be planted in too 

 rich soil, or it is apt to 

 grow too strong and be- 

 come green, 



7. Sedumacreelegans. 

 BED D. 

 1. Perilla nankinensis. — The entire plant is of a deep bronze 

 pnrple colour, almost black, crisp and curly. It contrasts best 



with yellow. It is an 

 annual. Sow the seed 

 in March. 



2. Golden Pyrethrum, 



3. White Lobelia ni- 

 vea. — I consider this the 

 best of all the white Lo- 

 belias both in purity and 

 size of flower. 



4. Colens Verschaf- 

 feltii splendens. 



•5. Verbena Sports- 

 man. — A rosy pink co- 

 lour. It originated in 

 Hyde Park, being a sport 

 from Purple King, and 

 is in every respect the 

 same as Purple King ex- 

 cept the colonr. It is 

 a pleasing acquisition. 

 No less than ten thou- 

 sand plants were used in 

 the above park during 

 one season, and which 

 won general admira- 

 tion. 



6. Lobelia Mazarine 

 Gem.— New, an admir- 

 able variety. It is quite 

 unequalled in depth and 

 brilliancy of colour, and 

 produces its blooms up 

 to the very end of the 

 season. 



7. Attemautheraamce- 

 na. Brilliant magenta 

 red. 

 N. Cole, Kentington. 



8. Echeveria secunda glanca.- 



Me33B3. Stdakt Sc Mein's Pkolifekous Scotch Kale. — At 

 first sight or seen from a distance this looks like a good stock 



