254 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



DESIGNING FLOWER BEDS AND GROUPING PLANTS FOR 



EFFECT. 



E. NAGEL, 3IINNEAPOLIS, PRESIDENT STATE FLORISTS' ASSOCIATION. 



The size and character of flower beds are the first things to be consid- 

 ered. They should depend upon the area of the grounds to be improved. 

 If they be large, proportionately large beds, occupied even by the larger 

 foliage plants, like the cannas, caladiums, etc., may be laid out with 

 good effect; if they be small like a single city residence lot, it is usually 

 better to lay out smaller beds and confine the planting to lower growing 

 plants, like geraniums, coleus, pansies, etc. 



A bed 12 or 14 feet in diameter may be considered a large one and suited 

 only to a large lawn. The size may be decreased from this extreme to 

 three feet in width, as suited to a very small lawn. 



The shape of the beds may be almost any imaginable; round, oval, 

 square, a crescent, a star, etc., but the round and the oval shapes are 

 generally found the most pleasing. 



To prepare the bed, mark its outline on the lawn, dig out the earth to 

 the depth of 18 to 24 inches, and fill the hole with good, rich, black soil 

 mixed with only well rotted manure. The soil for beds to contain rank 

 growing plants like cannas and caladiums should be made especially 

 rich. A bed 10 or 12 feet in diameter should be raised in the center two 

 feet and be rounded off gradually to the level of the lawn at its edge. 

 Smaller beds should be raised less in proportion to their size. 



Avoid a location under the drip of trees or that does not allow the sun's 

 rays to fall full upon the bed during a good part of the day. 



As to the selection of plants our experience shows that there is much 

 need of information, and the directions here given will be found of great 

 practical value to all who plant flowers. 



It is not strange that people are misled by the glowing descriptions of 

 wonderful new flowers that are annually pictured in the elegant florists' 

 catalogues. Try these varieties if you will, but in a bed off by itself, and 

 reserve the beds in your lawn, that are planted for pleasing effect, for the 

 very few varieties which experience shows are best adapted to that pur- 

 pose. Avoid also the common mistake of planting too many varieties in 

 one bed, if you would secure the best results. 



The following is a short and select list of the most satisfactory foliage 

 and flowering bedding plants, viz: alternanthera, castor oil bean, 

 caladium, canna, two kinds of coleus, Fair Oaks and Verschaffelti; four 

 kinds of geraniums, three scarlet, Queen of the West, Illuminator and S. 

 A. Nutt, and one pink, Mrs. Hautboy; pansy and verbena; and for the 

 border or edging of beds especially, blue ageratum, centaurea, cinar- 

 aria maritima, sweet alyssum and two geraniums, Mountain of Snow 

 and Madame Salleroi. 



The proper distance apart to set these plants is as follows, viz: cannas 

 and castor oil beans, 20 to 30 inches; caladiums, 12 to 18 inches; gerani- 

 ums and coleus, 10 to 16 inches; border plants, 6 to 10 inches; verbenas, 8 

 to 12 inches; pansies, 6 to 8 inches; alternanthera, 4 to 6 inches. The 

 shorter distances given produce the closest and best effects. 



In arranging plants in the beds, the tallest should always be selected 

 for the center, and the rest be set to decrease regularly in size from thence 

 to the edge. 



