THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



199 



white. It appears to stand extremes of weather as well as any plant 

 in our garden, and looks almost as well in winter as in summer. 

 For amateurs, whose conveniences and means are limited, this is a 

 most valuable acquisition. In appearance it is like a miniature copy 

 of the variegated Hydrangea. 



Thymus vulgaris variegatus, Thymus serpyllum variegatus. — The 

 first is a fast-growing and very pretty variegated shrub, which may 

 occasionally be found useful to mix with low-growing plants of 

 strong colours to soften down the glare. It is not showy in a mass, 

 and on the two or three occasions when we have used it as an edging 

 it was not very effective. Yet it is worth having, and we can 

 imagine a bed of some low-growing and gay annuals, such as Yenus's 

 Looking-glass, or Silene armeria, would be greatly improved by the 

 interspersion of this thyme amongst the plants. 



Vinca major elegantissima, V. major reticulata, Y. minor argentea, 

 V. minor aurea. — Here are four variegated periwinkles, all exquisitely 

 beautiful and well adapted for amateurs who cannot keep a large 

 stock of variegated geraniums all winter. They grow to perfection 

 in the shade, and no matter what rubbish the soil consists of. All 

 four should be in every garden, to clothe banks and shady borders ; 

 and when required for use on a large scale, that which suits best in 

 habit and colour should be propagated by cuttings in spring. The 

 first and last-named are the showiest ; there is nothing in the way 

 of variegated plants to surpass them. 



Agathea celestis variegata.- — -This has been puffed into notoriety 

 to such an extent, that people who have not seen it may very well 

 imagine it to be the greatest wonder of the nineteenth century. 

 Now there is nothing wonderful about it, and, so far as variegation 

 is concerned, we have many plants of the same habit and tint that 

 far surpass it in general excellence. We have it planted out now 

 sufficiently near variegated arabis to show that the latter is the 

 brighter of the two, and that the tone of grey is much the same, as 

 there is just enough yellow in the leaf to give to a mass of it the 

 effect of a pale wash of buff colour. We are not condemning it ; its 

 merits are many ; it grows close and neat, and flowers freelv ; and 

 as the flowers are biue, that must be thought of in using it as an 

 edging. 



Bellis perennis, the variety generally distributed in the trade, 

 called ' : aucubifolia," is one of the prettiest bedding plants in exist- 

 ence. The leaves are of a rich gold yellow, netted with green veins, 

 and the flowers crimson, double, and plentifully produced. Whoever 

 is in need of something new for a front line, or for filling narrow 

 bed* on a terrace, should obtain this pretty daisy, and propagate it 

 from offsets all the summer long, and keep the whole stock in pots 

 through the winter. It is quite hardy, but too delicate a plant to 

 be left to fight the battle with the weather. Those who know it, 

 and would like to use it in quantity at once, can obtain a supply of 

 any of the leading nurseries at six shillings per dozen. For its 

 intrinsic merit it is worth five times that price, and was bought up 

 Goat as it could be propagated, a few years ago, at five shillings 

 each. 



July. 



