60 ON BEDDING GERANIUMS. 



" E. 1 — Evergreen Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens), Rock Alyssum 

 (Alyssiim saxatile), Candytuft, Alyssum, &c. ; 2— Candytuft, Vir- 

 ginian Lungwort (Pulmonaria virginica), Alyssum, then repeat; 3 — 

 Candytuft, Phlox verna (purple), or Anemone pavoiiina (red), or 

 Anemone apennina (sky-blue) ; Alyssum, Phlox verna, or Anemone 

 pavonica, or A. apennina, then begin again and repeat in the same 

 order. 



" F. Beds of Periwinkle (Vinca minor and major), white and blue 

 mingled with white and violet Violets, and with Anemone nemorosa, or 

 Isopyrum thalictroides ; and, if the beds are of any size, with yellow 

 flowers, such as Cowslips, Eanunculus, Ficaria, &c., produce a good 

 effect. 



" G. 1 — Dwarf feach-trees, with double red flowers (Amygdalus 

 persica), Kerria japonica, dwarf Peaches, Kerria japonica, &c. ; 2 — 

 Dwarf Peaches, yellow Jasmine (Jasminum fruticansj, dwarf Peaches, 

 yellow Jasmines, &c. 



" li. Tartarian Honeysuckles (Lonicera tartarica), red, the white- 

 flowered variety of the same plant, then tiie red again, then the wiiite, 

 and so on. This is, however, rather heavy ; a Kerria japonica may be 

 interposed between two Honeysuckles, red or white, but in consequence 

 of tiie great difference in their form they must not be so near as to 

 touch each other ; there roust be, moreover, behind such a line as this 

 other good-looking plants. 



" I. A Pyrus japonica rising in the form of a bush above a bed of 

 Violets produces a good effect, by the contrast of its scarlet flowers 

 with the colour of the Violets." 



ON BEDDING GERANIUMS. 



Geraniums (properly Pelargoniums) for bedding. — My employ- 

 ment renders it necessary for me to travel several times a-year around 

 the suburbs of London, and supplies me with opportunities of observing 

 the progress of floriculture. During the last four or five seasons I 

 have been much pleased to notice an annual advance in the cultivation 

 of this charming class of flowers, both as ornamental bedding plants for 

 the flower gardens and lawns, but also as decorations for the windows. 



Within the last four years a quantity of what is termed the fancy 

 CLASS of Geraniums has been raised, and I have observed in several 

 places that a number of the first-raised varieties have been grown out 

 in beds very successfully. They are not of such brilliant colours as 

 the scarlets (Tom Thumb, &c.), but tliey are profuse in flowers, very 

 neat in growth, being of a dwarf habit, and form a pleasing contrast 

 ■with the others. The following vaiieties answered most admirably : — 



Unique. — The foliage is very interesting and pretty ; it is a light 

 green, ratiier of the broad oak-kaved form, but the wavy surface is 

 much more contrasted. Tlie flowers are of a rich bright purple colour, 

 borne in compact heads, and produced' in profusion. The plants 

 usually grow from one to two feet liigh, spreading nicely, and when in 

 bloom the display is very charming. If the plants are growing too 



