THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 267 



and for marginal bands round beds of flowering plants, have appeared 

 to wonderful advantage this season in comparison with the flower- 

 ing plants, for from the day they were put in the beds until the 

 present moment they have presented a most bright and attractive 

 appearance. This is more than can be said of those grown for their 

 flowers, for during a great part of the summer the latter have 

 presented a somewhat dismal appearance, owing to their producing 

 so few flowers. It was at one time thought that the Golden 

 Chickweed would have been a formidable rival to the Golden 

 Featb.er, but, after two seasons' careful trial, the latter still holds 

 its ground ; and it must be said that the chickweed is hardly re- 

 quired. In cool, moist weather, it grows loose, and has a greenish 

 yellow colour ; and in hot, dry weather, it perishes in patches, and the 

 blanks of course spoil the appearance of the bed. In nice friable 

 soils, with an extra amount of care, it is very eflective, and, by way 

 of a change from the Golden Feather, most useful. In reference to 

 the latter, it may be said that many amateurs do not as yet 

 thoroughly understand its proper management. The plants are 

 usually put out too large, and the stopping is not commenced soon 

 enough. When planted rather small, and the hearts pinched out 

 nearly close to the ground as soon as they begin to push up a 

 flower-stem, they produce a large number of small side-shoots, 

 and, by pinching off" the tops of these occasionally, the lines 

 can be kept perfectly level with very little labour and no real 

 difficulty. 



The Golden Fleece thyme is a useful yellow-leaved edging plant, 

 and as it is hardy, it can be wintered safely in a cold frame, which, 

 to many amateurs, will be found a great convenience. It is of neat 

 growth, and forms a compact line about four inches in breadth and 

 as much in height. 



Another exceedingly useful yellow-leaved edging plant is Robert 

 Fish geranium ; it is very dwarf and compact, usually attaining a 

 height of six inches ; and as the leaves are of a rich yellow, and the 

 orange-scarlet flowers are produced abundantly, it is very efl"ective. 

 This geranium should be grown more extensively than is at present 

 the case for edging purposes, as it makes a pleasing change to the 

 golden-leaved pyrethmm. 



No new dark-leaved plants have been introduced for some time. 

 The comparatively new Alternanthera amcena spedahile is a strong- 

 growing form of A, amcena, and therefore valuable in gardens in which 

 carpet bedding is carried out on an extensive scale ; but for the 

 garden of the amateur it is of but little value. They both have 

 foliage of a brilliant colour, and are of so slow a growth that it is 

 needful to plant them very thickly, not farther than two inches apart ; 

 and the number of plants required for a moderate sized bed is very 

 large. The most useful Alternanthera is A. mai/nifica, which grows 

 80 vigorously that it may be planted four inches apart, and it is, 

 moreover, effective in colour. There is as yet no Coleus to surpass 

 C. Verse hq/felti sjolcndens, which is several shades brighter than G. 

 Verschaffeltl. The most useful of the comparatively strong-grow- 

 ing dark-leaved bedders is Iresine Lindeni, for with a free, yet 



September. 



