THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



as well as possible, so that there will remain little to do for 

 years. 



One of the best reforms will be to avoid the conventional pattern 

 plans, and adopt simple beds and borders, in positions suited to 

 the plants they are to grow. These can best be 

 Pattern plans. filled permanently because the planter is free to 

 deal with them in a bolder way than if he has 

 to consider their relation to a number of small beds. In this way, 

 also, the delight of flowers is much more keenly felt as one sees 

 them relieved, sees them at different times, and to more advantage 

 than the flowers stereotyped under the window. Roses grouped 

 well together, and not trained as standards, would lend themselves 

 admirably to culture with other things, for example, Tea Roses with 

 Carnations. Then there are many groups made by the aid of the 

 finer perennials themselves, by choosing things that would go well 

 together, such as the Delphiniums and Phloxes. Other plants, such 

 as Yuccas, of which there are now various beautiful kinds, are often 

 best by themselves ; and noble groups they form, whether in flower 

 or not. The kinds of Yucca that flower very freely, such as Y. 

 recurva and Y. flaccida, lend themselves to grouping with Flame 

 Flowers (Tritoma) and the bolder autumn plants. 



There is no beauty among tender plants to be compared with 

 that of Irises, Lilies, Delphiniums, Evening Primroses, Pseonies, 

 Carnations, Narcissi, and are we to put aside or into the background 

 all this glorious beauty for the sake of a few things that merely 

 give us flat colour? No one who knows even to a slight extent what 

 the plants of the northern and temperate world are, can admit that 

 this sort of gardening should have the first place. There is nothing 

 among tender plants to equal Windflowers in many kinds, flowering 

 in spring, summer, and autumn ; Torch Lilies, superb in autumn ; 

 Columbines ; Hairbells ; Delphiniums ; Day Lilies ; Everlasting 

 Peas ; Evening Primroses ; Paeonies ; Phloxes ; Ranunculus, double 

 and single, and the many fine species; all the noble autumn- 

 blooming, Daisy-like flowers; "plumy Spiraeas; Globe Flowers; Lilies, 

 in noble variety ; Polyanthus ; Primroses ; Auriculas ; Wallflowers ; 

 Meadow Saffrons ; Crocuses, of the spring and autumn ; Scillas ; 

 Snowflakes ; Grape Hyacinths; Narcissi, in lovely variety; Tulips, 

 the old florists' kinds, and many wild species ; Carnations and 

 Pinks; Cornflowers; Foxgloves; Stocks; Starworts ; great Scarlet 

 and other Poppies ; Christmas Roses, Forget-me-nots ; Pansies 

 and many of the rock plants of the mountains of Europe from 

 the Alps to the hills of Greece, cushioned with Aubrietia, and 

 sky-blue Windflowers all hardy as the Docks by the frozen 

 brooks. 



