248 FLOWERS AND BEDDING PLANTS, 



parallel with it ; but where the openings between the beds are 

 frequent, or the beds are in circles or squares with their points 

 to the walk, one foot of grass between their nearest points and the 

 walk will answer. Narrow beds of formal outlines or geometric 

 forms of a simple character, are preferable to irregular ones. All 

 complicated " curlecue " forms should be avoided. Plate XXX 

 shows a variety of shapes for flower-beds on straight walks. Such 

 beds must, of course, be proportioned in size and form to the 

 dimensions of the lawn in which they are cut. They should never 

 be planted where there is not a space of open lawn back of them 

 equal at least in average width to the distance across the walk 

 from one bed to another. Being close to the eyes of all those who 

 use the walks, they must be planted and kept with a care that is 

 less essential in beds seen from a greater distance. This style of 

 cultivation necessitates far more labor than the third, which we 

 have adopted in most of the plans for suburban lots. To keep a, 

 great number of small beds filled through the summer with low 

 blooming flowers, and their edges well cut, is expensive ; and, if 

 they are also planned so that the grass strips between them must 

 be cut with a sickle, few gentlemen of moderate means will long 

 have the patience to keep them with the nice care essential to their 

 good effect. 



The border-beds shown on Plate XXX, are all arranged 

 so that a rolling lawn-cutter may be used easily by hand be- 

 tween them. These plans are especially adapted to places with 

 straight main walks, where the gentleman or lady of the house is 

 an enthusiastic florist. Walk No. i shows a row of round beds 

 from two to three feet in diameter on each side ; the alternate 

 circles to be filled with bushy single plants from one and a half to 

 two feet high, and the others with low bedding flowers that do not 

 exceed six inches in height. Nos. 2, 3, and 4 are narrow strips, 

 and circles or squares alternated. Such slender evergreens as the 

 Irish juniper, clipped tree-box, and some of the many dwarf firs, 

 may be used with good effect in some of these circles, but must 

 not be too frequent. The beds at the sides of walks 5 and 6, 

 require more lawn-room on each side, and will look best filled, 

 each, with a single color of the lowest bedding-plants. The 



