78 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



Anemones, Turban and Persian Ranunculuses, Carnations, Stocks, 

 Asters, and the finer annuals. But a great many delightfijl plants can 

 be planted permanently, and be either allowed to arrange themselves, 

 to group with others, or to grow among peat-loving shrubs which, in 

 many places, are jammed into pudding-shaped masses void of form or 

 grace, or light and shade. 



One of the best reforms will be to avoid the conventional pattern 

 plans, and adopt simple beds and borders, in positions suited to 

 the plants they are to grow. These can best be filled permanently, 

 because the planter is free to deal with them in a bolder and 

 more artistic way than if he has to consider their relation to a number 

 of small beds. In this way, also, the delight of flowers is much 

 more keenly felt as one sees them relieved, sees them at different 

 times, and to more advantage than the flowers stereotyped under 

 the window. Roses — favourites with everybody — grouped well 

 together, and not trained as standards, would lend themselves 

 admirably to culture with other things — moss Roses growing out of a 

 carpet of double Primroses, and Tea Roses with Carnations. Then 

 there are many groups made by the aid of the finer perennials them- 

 selves, such as the Delphiniums and Phloxes, by choosing things that 

 would go well together. Other plants, such as Yuccas, of which there 

 are now various beautiful kinds, are often best by themselves ; and 

 noble groups they form, whether in flower or not. The kinds of 

 Yucca that flower very freely, such as Y. recurva and Y. flaccida, lend 

 themselves to grouping with Flame Flowers (Tritoma) and the bolder 

 autumn plants. 



No plan which involves expensive yearly efforts on the same piece 

 of ground can ever be satisfactory. All garden plants require atten- 

 tion, but not annual attention. The true way is quite different — the 

 devotion of the Skill and effort to fresh beds and effects each year. 

 It does not exclude summer " bedding," but includes lovely and varied 

 aspects of vegetation far beyond that attainable in summer "bedding," 

 and attempts to make the garden artistically beautiful. It also helps to 

 make the skill of the gardener effective for lasting good, and prevents 

 its being thrown away in annual fireworks. There can be no garden- 

 ing without care ; but is there not a vast difference between some of 

 these beds and borders and those with flowers which disappear with 

 the frosts of October, and leave us nothing but bare earth ? 



The main charm of bedding plants — that of lasting in bloom 

 a long time — is really a drawback. It is the stereotyped kind of 

 garden which we have to fight against ; we want beautiful and 

 changeful gardens, and should therefore have the flowers of each 

 season. Too short a bloom is a misfortune ; but so is too long a bloom, 

 and numbers of hardy plants bloom quite as long as can be desired. 



