SOD GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



proper limits. Trailing and climbing plants should frequently be gone over 

 to keep them neatly trained and secure after high winds ; for the same pur- 

 pose examine hollyhocks, dahlias, and other tall-growing plants. After 

 removing the dead flowers from roses, encourage the production of autumn 

 blooms in the perpetuals, by watering with liquid manure, and mulching the 

 surface of the ground where practicable. Continue the propagation of pl'^nts 

 for next season, in which no time must be lost with the more delicate pelar- 

 goniums, in order to get them established before winter. 



1542. The advantage of decided colours in the massed flower-garden will now 

 become obvious. As the beds get filled up by the extending foliage, the 

 taste of the designer now becomes apparent, not only in the individual beds, 

 but in the general design, which is now perceptible even to the most unob- 

 servant. Clear, simple, and intelligible colours, and regular, well-connected 

 figures, are required in geometrical flower-beds ; and this is the season when 

 the intelligent gardener can most con venientl}' reconsider his design, and per- 

 fect his arrangements for next year's operations. On this subject we may be 

 excused if we quote some of the lamented Mr. Errington's views, for none of 

 our practical gardeners have done more to impress his brethren with true 

 artistic taste in dealing with this all-important subject. "One of the first 

 essentials in the clumping system/' says that gentleman in one of his 

 numerous contributions on the subject, " is to keep up the idea of distinct- 

 ness ; confusion of forms is out of place here. Let the brambles and 

 dog-roses in the ' wilderness ' intertwine and smother each other ; but 

 distinctness, I say, for the parterre ; and the first principle of distinct- 

 ness is to keep every individual flower separate,— no two allowed to 



touch I feel persuaded," he says further on, "that where flower-beds 



are well conceived, the plants individually healthy and blossoming freely, 

 the relief afforded by intervening portions of cleanly-raked soil is just thesort 

 of relief that smts the eye. With those who require to be taken by surprise 

 thi-ough a prurient and false taste, why, mere blazes of coloxir and sparkling 

 contrasts must be the order of the day. Next to the individuality of plants 

 in a bed, I would suggest that edgings or borderings will be found a useful 

 adjunct in promoting beauty of outline. No flower-bed ever looks satis- 

 factoiy to me without at least two, if not three, distinct heights, the lowest 

 at the extremity of the bed. Here an edging makes an elegant and artistic 

 finish, especially if it forms a continuous belt, which is easily accomplished 

 by pegging down the plants during the earlier stages, allowing the points to 

 rise in relief as soon as the object has been attained. To put a case : suppose 

 a long oval bed, standing in considerable relief. A row of scarlet cupheas as 

 an edging, no part of them allowed to approach the outer edge of the bed 

 nearer than four inches. Let a row of variegated geraniums be planted in a 

 parallel line, and the interior furnished with Lobelia fulgens, planted in groups 

 of fives : this bed would always give satisfaction, as far as form is concerned. 

 There are many other dwarf flowers, however, better adapted than the cuphea 

 for this purpose : verbenas, Kaulfussias, leptosiphons, pansies, heliotropes, and 



