HARMONIZING COLOURS IN FURNISHING FLOWER-BEDS. 



665 



2064. Mere height is not the only qualification. Each starer should be as 

 nearly a perfect specimen as possible, challenging a right to its position upon 

 its own merits, and furnishing an example of form, culture, and beauty for 

 its humbler neighbours to emulate and imitate. 



2065. Scare-crows of plants, with a green twig or two on the top, are not 

 suitable for this pm-pose. I have sometimes longed for a magical wand to 

 wave all such plants down into one level sea of beauty, which their icaif- 

 looking visages deformed. Better, infinitely better, dispense with them alto- 

 gether than use plants which appear as if dragging out a wretched existence 

 on stilts. However, good plants skilfully disposed have a charming effect. 

 On very large beds sometimes climbers aroused for centres with good results. 

 Tropscolums, convolvuluses, cobaeas, maurandyas, clematises, &c., might all 

 or any of them be used for this purpose. The same or any climbing plants 

 are also occasionally used as a trained edging round what are termed basket- 

 beds, with a raised base of wood, iron, brick, or stone, covered with ivy or 

 other creeping plants, and generally having one or two rims bent over at a 

 certain elevation above the bed, to convey the idea of a basket. Of course, 

 the rims or handles are also enwreathed with climbing plants, and the whole 

 have often a most fascinating and graceful appearance. Where they have two 

 handles, the basket might be furnished with four distinct colours, — thus : 

 orange, blue, scarlet, white, dividing the basket transversely. Hence, each 

 quarter of the circle would be a distinct wedge of colour. By the aid of chains, 

 flexible wire, or rope-yarn, what are called tent-beds may be formed. Drive 

 a tall stake of the desired height, say 10 feet high, in the centre ; describe a 

 circle with a radius of, say eight feet. Insert six or eight stakes at equal 

 distances on this line, say sis feet high ; join the centre stake to each side, 

 one with a chain or wire, and the frame of a tent-bed is formed. The follow- 

 ing illustrations will exhibit their formation and furnishing : — 



2066. These are raised beds about 2^ feet above the ground, and were 

 planted as follows it 1860 : — 



/ / / 2 I ; 2 



\ \ \ ■'••. .' 

 \ \ \ 2 i ; 2 





4- „,.■'• /•' 



1. Cassia corymbosa. 



2. Geranium, — Alma. 



3. Perilla nankinensis, 



4. Perilla ,, 



6. Tropasolum, — Tom Thumb 

 (yellow). 



'ir. 



'.3\ 



'"--H " 



Two top beds in 1S61 were planted with 



1. Tall Scarlet Geranium. 



2. Golden Chain „ 



3. Purple King „ 



4. Purple King „ 



5. Tropseolum, — TomThumb(9carle 



