May 21, 1S71. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICOLTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



397 



WHAT IS REPOSE?— No. 1. 



HE importance of repose in gardenosque 

 scenery has very frequently been enforced 

 in the pages of tlio Journal, but I do not 

 think any attempt has been made to explain 

 the meaning of the term in its technical 

 sense. One or two short papers on the sub- 

 ject may therefore prove useful just now, 

 when special attention is being given to the 

 eifects of combinations of colour. 



When repose is spoken of in connection 

 with natural scenery, or any work of art, it assumes an 

 importance and fulness of meaning of far greater moment 

 than when it is taken in its primary and simple sense 

 of rest. It is true that it implies rest in whatever sense 

 it is taken, and its meaning here might be explained as 

 rest for the eyes ; it does, in fact, imply this and very 

 much more — delicacy of colouring, tasteful combinations, 

 quietness and softness of tone, the prevalence of harmony 

 in an entire scene, and not simply in part of it ; or, in 

 other words, unity of expression, an absence of glare, 

 harah contrast, or any incongruous feature — in a word, it 

 is that subtle principle pervading every object of beauty, 

 the influence of which is felt — often insensibly it may 

 be — by everyone possessing a cultivated and refined taste. 

 Experience proves that a mere statement of general 

 principles, however plain or truthful it may be, is of very 

 little use alone, and in proceeding to explain the applica- 

 tion of those principles in actual practice, I will take one 

 of numerous examples of badly-arranged flower beds by 

 way of illustration. 



" K. S." has in his garden a little square-shaped plot 

 of ground, surrounded by a walk, and enclosed on three 

 sides by a buUding and walls, being just one of those 

 snug little nooks which in skilful hands contribute so 

 materially to render a garden interesting as well as beau- 

 tiful. It was proposed to fill this bed with a number of 

 small diamond-shaped masses of scarlet, blue, and pink, 

 marking the outlines of the diamonds with grey. Now, 

 had this arrangement been followed it would have re- 

 sulted in such an effect as has no counterpart in nature — 

 a gigantic gaudy chessboard, a harlequin's dress, a flock 

 of sheep each with its wool dyed of a different hue to its 

 fellows, are the most suitable comparisons that oocui' 

 to one. So much subdivision would be quite certain to 

 prove unsatisfactory ; vainly would the eye wander over 

 the chequered surface in search of any pleasant spot 

 whereon to rest, the monotonous repetition would utterly 

 preclude such enjoyment ; a passing glance would be 

 about all the notice it would ever receive. There must 

 be a certain breadth or expanse, as well as harmonious 

 blending in colour combiuiitions, and the error in this 

 instance was probably owing to ignorance of this impor- 

 tant fact. Such a large bed, having only a narrow Box 

 edging between it and the walk, requires greater care in 

 the arrangement of the plants than if it were surrounded 

 by a broad belt of turf, because the turf, besides forming 

 an admirable foil to the brightest masses of coloui', con- 

 No. 686.— Vol. XXVL, New Szkies. 



tributes so materially to impart an air of repose. It must, 

 however, never be forgotten that the turf only constitutes 

 the framework of the picture, and that the colours must 

 be tastefully blended in order to render the combination 

 really enjoyable — that is to say, repose must prevail in 

 the bed itself as well as in its surroundings. Let it not 

 be supposed that I would advocate a tame insipid style 

 of colouring, far from it. Fill such a bed as I have 

 described with a bold central mass of deep rich scarlet, 

 surrounded by a broad band of soft grey ; then bring 

 around another equally broad baud of deep blue, repeat- 

 ing the grey in a narrower outside belt, and the effect 

 would be bright and sparkling, and yet not lack repose ; 

 or plant the entire bed with that glorious Clematis Jack- 

 manni, leaving space only for a broad enclosing band of 

 Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegatum, and you 

 have an effect of unsurpassed richness and beauty, still 

 with a just measure of repose. It is impossible for any- 

 one not having seen such a bed of this Clematis to form 

 any conception of its rare loveliness when managed thus. 



Another beautiful arrangement might be made by taking 

 the grey-leaved Centaurea Clementei for the centre, with 

 the deep pink Geranium Amaranth surrounding it, and 

 a deep purple Heliotrope outside. Then, too, we might 

 venture upon a more intricate style by introducing a 

 broad band of embroidery, formed of Sedums, Echeverias, 

 Sempervivums. Saxifragas, with Alternantheras, Golden 

 Pyrethrnm, or the new Golden Stellaria, and Santolinas 

 around a central mass of one colour, such as a soft rose 

 or pink Geranium ; or if it were desirable to somewhat 

 break up the centre, by way of variety a clearly-defined 

 scroll may very easily be interwoven upon a groundwork 

 of another colour. 



These few examples will, I think, be suf&cient to show 

 that a plane surface, whatever may be its outline, affords 

 full scope for the formation of .an almost endless variety 

 of such combinations, which will generally prove suc- 

 cessful if one colour predominates — not in insignificant 

 patches, but in a broad mass, sufliciently to impart its 

 pecuhar tone to the entire bed. It may be well to add a 

 word of caution to beginners, and that is never to indulge 

 in what may be termed a speculative style of colouring. 

 For instance, do not suppose, because a large mass of 

 purple Clematis looks well in a somewhat confined space, 

 tliat so much of any bolder colour would be admissible. 

 I allude to this because it is just the point where failures 

 so often occur. We have only to remedy this error, 

 striving for an interesting rather than a striking effect, 

 and we shall, I doubt not, have the gratification of seeing 

 more than a passing glance bestowed upon that which 

 has cost us so much care and labom-. — Edw.^rd Luck- 



OMPHALODES VERNA CULTURE. 

 The frequent inquiries about this plant induce me to 

 make a few remarks respecting it ; and I am the more 

 inclined to do so because I delight to find that those who 

 are fond of flowers begin to learn that numbers of old- 

 fashioned plants possess many good qualities, and if 



No. 13S8.— Vol. LL, Old Seeiep. 



