THE GROUPING OF PLANTS 



THERE is great diversity of methods employed in the 

 arranging of plants, whether as a competitive group at a 

 show, or an arrangement in the conservatory or show 

 house. 



When grouping for exhibition or competition at a 

 show, the man that can show some originality in his 

 scheme of grouping often has the odds in his favour, 

 though his exhibit in other respects may fall short of an 

 opponent's. Points are always given for arrangement and 

 general effect, and this is worth bearing in mind. The 

 great idea in grouping is to centralise the colours. At 

 the same time there must be an harmonious blending of 

 the whole. The grouping of colours has a very telling 

 effect when well managed, and not only to Chrysanthe- 

 mums does this apply. We have it forcibly put in 

 herbaceous border, rose beds, and in many other ways. 

 And each colour should lead in easy stages to another, 

 and not allow strong contrasts to clash together. Also 

 the different heights of the plants should be studied. 

 There is great scope again for the intelligent mind. 

 Avoid having the plants like a flat surface, or a sloping 

 bank. Break them up into small groups if the arrange- 

 ment is a large one, a kind of undulating appearance 

 broken here and there by a fine foliaged palm or other 

 plant. Of course the front of the group should gener- 

 ally consist of the dwarfed plants, as they would be lost 

 to a certain extent if placed in the far background. 

 The whole mass should appear pleasing to the eye, 

 each part seen without difficulty, and some of the 



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