62 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



by cultivators generally, they are popular with some, and 

 there can be no question as to their great value in the 

 production of rich colour effects in gardens of large size. 

 In some of the public parks and gardens they have been 

 utilised with much success, and the large beds and groups 

 in the borders have proved very attractive. They are better 

 suited to the conditions that obtain in large gardens than 

 smaller ones, but a few plants may with advantage be 

 planted along the back of mixed borders in gardens of 

 limited size because of their distinctness and the display 

 of colour they produce. 



Decorative Dahlias vary much in their habits of growth. 

 Some, like the invaluable, white bedding variety Kaiserin A. 

 Victoria, do not exceed a height of 2 feet, whilst others 

 grow to 6 or more feet. There is also a material differ- 

 ence in the size of the flowers ; those of Souvenir de 

 Gustave Douzon attaining a diameter of 6 or 7 inches 

 even when given ordinary garden cultivation. It will 

 thus be seen that in making a selection care must be taken 

 to choose varieties specially suitable for the furnishing of 

 large beds on the lawn and the formation of bold groups 

 in borders devoted to hardy or other flowers in large 

 gardens. In gardens of all sizes a few plants arranged 

 singly among low-growing shrubs that are planted rather 

 thinly will materially enhance the appearance of the 

 shrubbery border and give additional interest to the 

 garden. When thus grown, from 5 or 6 feet apart 

 will be a good distance at which to plant the Dahlias, as 

 there will then be no danger of them crowding the shrubs 

 to their injury. 



Decorative varieties of a less robust habit may be grown 



