274 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



the red and white varieties of Anemone Japonica, the fern-like 

 Spiraea filipendula, the yellow Alyssum, the white Arabis, the very- 

 showy Armeria dianthoides, Aubrietia deltoides, Delphinium for- 

 moaum, Dianthua hybridus, Greranium sanguineuiu, Iberia corifolia, 

 common Wliite Lily, Monarda didyma, a few crimson and rose- 

 coloured Phloxes, a very large variety of Primula acaulis, comprising 

 single and double flowers of all colours ; the very large-leaved Saxi- 

 fraga cordifolia, Sedum fabaria, TroUiua Asiaticus. 



It will be observed that the selection is a small one, and whoever 

 (as a beginner) consults a trade catalogue will be tempted to add a 

 great many more, only to discover that they are not adapted to make 

 a brave show. Select largely if you like, but do not expect a grand 

 display. Those that I have reserved for my borders, and have given 

 the names above, are splendid things, and I could not part with one 

 of them. The border is a hundred feet long by ten feet wide, the 

 background being a fine lot of evergreens. It must be understood, 

 however, that it is not planted with these few herbaceous plants only, 

 and thereby hangs a tale. 



It was in the month of September that I prepared and planted 

 the border. The preparation consisted in a deep digging of two 

 spits, and the incorporation of a very liberal allowance of fat hotbed 

 manure as the work went on. I sent to Mr. Ware of the Hale Farm 

 Nurseriea, Tottenham, for such plants as I wanted, and got them in 

 their places when the weather was fine, and they were well esta- 

 blished before winter. Now it is not enough to say that I planted 

 such and such. I must add that I repeated at regular intervals all 

 the more showy subjects, and planted everything according to its 

 height when in flower, and as I allowed plenty of room, there were 

 plenty of gaps that wanted filling. These I planted with clumps of 

 cheap bulbs, for a gay display in spring, and when May came round 

 I turned out a lot of geraniums that had grown lanky,and these lighted 

 up the border gloriously. With a good foundation of hardy plants 

 of the very best kinds, we can easily add to the richness of such a 

 border, for nothing comes amiss, provided only that it is really showy, 

 and all the better if it is sweet scented. 



Independent of this very noble border, I followed a suggestion 

 of our Editor's for what he calls a " Sensation bed." I laid out a 

 bed eighty feet long, and put in the centre twelve clumps of Tritoma, 

 with thirteen clumps of White Lily alternately down the centre. 

 Along the sides I planted in regular alternations Spiraea palmata, 

 Spirtea aruncus, Sedum fabaria, and Astiibe Japonica. The last 

 named is the favourite " Spirsea Japonica " of the nurseries, but as 

 it is an Astiibe I give it its proper name. Strange to say, although I 

 value it much for forcing, I think it quite a poor garden plant. 

 This bed is gorgeous when the tritomas are out, and it is at all 

 seasons respectable. At the time of writing this there are about a 

 hundred and fifty spikes of tritomas just coming into colour, and we 

 had a splendid bloom of white lilies in July. The Spiraea palmata 

 I obtained by division from one plant which I purchased when the 

 truthful picture of it was published in the Tlobal Wobld. The 

 plant cost me half a guinea, and I thought the money well spent. 



