BEAUTY OF FORM IN THE FLOWER GARDEN. 145 



groups and are brilliant in colour, and useful for lighting up masses 

 of foliage. 



The hardiest Tree Fern, Dicksonia antarctica, looks well when 

 plunged in shady dells with overhanging foliage for shelter ; and 



several varieties of dwarf Ferns, such as the Bird's- 

 Ferns. nest Fern, are admirable for undergrowth to this 



Fern. Plants raised from seed will, however, 

 usually form the majority, owing to the lack of room under 

 glass for many large plants. Of plants raised from seed the 

 most useful are Cannas, which may be taken up and wintered 

 under glass, or securely protected in the soil. Most of the tall 

 light green-foliaged varieties flower freely and make excellent 

 centres for groups, while the dwarf bronze-foliaged sorts are good for 

 vases. Solanums have also been effective in the south. The spiny- 

 leaved S. robustum, the elegant cut-leaved S. laciniatum, and S. 

 Warscewiczi make good single specimens, or edgings to groups of 

 taller plants. Wigandias, Ferdinanda eminens, and Melianthus 

 major are all useful ; and Acacia lophantha, Amaranthus, Cineraria 

 maritima. Bocconias, with their tall spikes of graceful flowers and 

 noble foliage, are very effective and permanent plants and several 

 varieties of Rhus or Sumach have good foliage, Rhus glabra laciniata 

 among them. 



As to arrangement, the best beds or sets of beds are those of the 

 simplest design. Shelter is a great aid, and recesses in shrubberies 



or in banks clothed with foliage, form the most 

 Shelter. fitting background for beds or groups to nestle 



in. Avoid Musas or Caladiums, the leaves of 

 which tear to shreds if winds cannot be shut out, and also 

 plants that look unhappy after a cold night or two. Make the 

 most of plants that grow under nearly all conditions, and use any 

 dell overhung by trees for half hardy fine-leaved plants. A garden 

 where each plant spreads forth its delicate foliage will form a pleasant 

 change from brilliant bedding plants, or severely geometric carpet 

 beds. 



Better effects may be obtained from hardy plants only than from 

 tender ones. There are the Yuccas, hardy, and unsurpassed by 

 anything of like habit grown in a hothouse ; the Arundos, con- 

 spicua and donax ; fine hardy plants like Crambe cordifolia, Rheum 

 in variety, Ferula and umbelliferous plants, as graceful as tenderest 

 exotics. Then we have a hardy Palm that through all our recent 

 hard winters has preserved its health and greenness wherever its 

 leaves could not be torn to shreds by storms. 



As an example of fine form from hardy plants, I cannot do 

 better than give the New Zealand Reed (Arundo conspicua). This 



K 



