THE MANAGEMENT OF VILLA GARDENS. 347 



is as short nearly as tlie nemopliila. Ten-week stocks, and 

 German or China asters, must not be far back. But, in 

 a general way, mignonette, larkspur, Collinsia, nemophila, 

 lupinus, phlox, and Ten-week stocks, may be said to belong 

 to the front row, and follow crocuses, hyacinths, hepaticas, 

 polyanthus, primroses, and similar dwarf things ; while 

 the sweet peas, calUopsis, China aster, convolvulus, French 

 Marigolds, &c. may be placed a step behind, because they 

 grow taller; and there should also be some other subjects 

 there of a more permanent nature. The annuals, in fact, 

 ought to be an addition only to the perennials, that should 

 always occupy a considerable space. In managing a garden 

 this way, a flower ought not to remain an hour after the 

 bloom decays, but it should be removed with a spit of earth, 

 and something else be placed there with a similar quantity 

 of mould ; or if the place is to be filled with transplanted 

 seedlings, why, they need only be pulled up, and the place 

 forked about a little, and dunged, perhaps, before the new 

 ones can be transplanted. On this ground we prefer, even if 

 we have no pots, to plant everything in nursery-beds in 

 patches, so far apart as that we can take them up with a 

 spadeful of earth without disturbing their roots ; consequently, 

 keep the show-garden well supplied, not with things that 

 require growing, but with things ready grown, and all but 

 blooming ; the garden then never looks unfurnished. There 

 are no flagging young plants ; when one is past its beauty, it 

 gives place to another ready to burst. Let the garden be 

 laid out the same as for the work of a single month. 

 Let there be abundance of all the early-blooming flowers. 

 Let April see all the colours of the rainbow. Whatever has 

 declined in May, turn out to make way for an abundance of 

 May-blooming subjects. Let all that are turned out be taken 

 up with a spit of earth, and all that take their places be re- 

 moved in the same way. The nursery-bed that gives up the 

 new subjects can receive the old, and the half-perfected bulbs 

 may complete their growth as well as in the original place ; 

 meanwhile, in successive nursery-beds bring forward a suc- 

 cession of subjects. The gay tulip, the China and Damask 

 Cliina roses, the pyrus spectabilis and japonica, pansies, 

 Wallflowers, double gold-colour and dark blood-colour ; and 

 at such times there must be enough of those in flower to 

 make a good show. In June, the difficulty is to select, for 



