40 FLOWER-GARDEXING. 



plants, begins to decay, it can be removed, and its place supplied 

 by others coming into bloom. To effect this, a large reserve- 

 nursery is requisite, in which the plants must be kept in pots, 

 and removed and plunged in the borders as wanted. Sir W. 

 Chambers informs us that the Chinese excel in this mode of 

 gardening; and that he has known a mandarin (or noble) to 

 have the whole furniture and style of his parterre changed in a 

 single night, so as to present next morning not only a different 

 description of flowers, shrubs, and dwarf trees, but a different 

 arrangement of the beds and compartments. Something of 

 the same kind is practised in the gardens of the Tuileries in 

 Paris, in some of the imperial gardens at St. Petersburg, and in 

 the viceroyal gardens at Monza. Gardens of this description 

 admit of a very perfect arrangement of the flowers, whether in 

 the mingled manner, in select groups, or according to the 

 natural method. It is only with such resources that a flower- 

 gardener can &quot; paint his way,&quot; as Sir W. Chambers says the 

 Chinese artists do, &quot; not scattering their flowers indiscrimi 

 nately about their borders, but disposing of them with great 

 circumspection along the skirts of the plantations, or other 

 places where flowers are to be introduced. They reject all 

 that are of a straggling growth, and of harsh colors and poor 

 foliage, choosing only such as are of some duration, grow either 

 large or in clusters, are of beautiful forms, well leaved, and of 

 tints that harmonize with the greens that surround them. 

 They avoid all sudden transitions, both with regard to dimen 

 sion and color, rising gradually from the smallest flowers to 

 those of the boldest growth ; and varying their tints, by easy 

 gradations, from white, straw-color, purple, and incarnate, to 

 the deepest blues, and most brilliant crimsons and scarlets. 

 They frequently blend several roots together, whose leaves and 

 flowers unite, and compose one rich, harmonious mass ; such as 

 the white and purple Candytuft, Larkspurs, and Mallows of 

 various colors, double Poppies, Lupins, Primroses, Pinks, and 

 Carnations; with many more of which the forms and colors 

 accord with each other; and the same method they use with 



