On the Principles of Grouping Colors. 173 



In a linear arrangement the following may be the order of 

 succession : — Red, white, blue, orange, purple, yellow, rose, 

 white, pale blue, orange scarlet, indigo, straw or lemon color, 

 maroon or claret white, scarlet, etc. In a circular arrange- 

 ment, with a central bed surrounded by others, we may take 

 any color for the centre, and in the others, place those colors 

 which afford the greatest contrast ; for instance, supposing 

 a group of five surrounding a white centre, they may be 

 scarlet, blue, orange, rose and purple ; with the centre blue, 

 those surrounding may be orange, white, scarlet, yellow, 

 rose ; with a yellow centre, the others may be purple, pink, 

 blue, white, red ; the centre red, the others may be purple, 

 yellow, blue, orange, white, and so on. Another method of 

 grouping produces a good effect, where the surrounding 

 masses are all of the same color, with the complementary 

 color in the centre ; and also in single beds, where the margin 

 and the centre are respectively of contrasted colors, as yellow 

 margined with purple, or the contrary, red with white, etc. 

 Another method sometimes adopted for large beds is to have 

 zones of various colors, and supposing the centre to be whiter 

 the first zone may be scarlet, second purple, third yellow, 

 fourth blue, fifth orange, etc. ; always taking care to finish 

 with a warm color if the bed is on turf, and a cold color if 

 on gravel. 



In a geometrical flower garden it is, of course, impossible 

 so to make the arrangement but that some colors, other than 

 contrasted, shall be in contiguity ; all that we can do, there- 

 fore, is to take care that each bed shall have at least one 

 other of its complementary color in contact with it ; and 

 when we are under the necessity of repeating the same, or 

 discordant colors, if we use alternately dark and light tints, 

 the ill effect will be in great part counteracted ; and in this 

 way we may arrange varieties of the same genus, as dahlias 

 or verbenas, in which the whole of the primary colors do 

 not occur. 



In selecting plants for flower gardening purposes, three 

 qualities must be sought for, viz. : — The time of flowering, 

 the height, and color; and even with our great increased 



