IO 



THE HOME FLOXIST. 



FIG. 9. FIG. 10. 



Figs. 9 and fo, Designs of Compound Flower Beds. 



FIG. ii. 

 Fig. n, a Circular Ribbon 



OPEN AIR FLORICULTURE. 



Planting in Masses of Color. This style of adornment with plants and flowers is 

 one of the most effective that can be adopted, when applied to ornamenting the grounds about 

 the home, and it possesses the merit of being exceedingly simple. It consists of planting beds 

 which are cut in the lawn, or otherwise located, with a single kind of plant, or with various 

 kinds, arranged in groups, the object being to plant so thickly that the ground will become 

 entirely concealed, thus creating the effect of one or more, as the case may be, individual and 

 distinct masses of bloom or color. Or the beds may be of compound form, consisting of 

 separate parts, each planted with a distinct color. Sometimes an edging of a beautiful plant 

 may be uniformly set around these masses, with good advantage. Only certain plants are desira- 

 ble for planting in masses, being such kinds as are of free blooming habit, or which have attractive 

 foliage of distinct form or color. Several designs of beds suitable for this purpose are repre- 

 sented herewith, and the reader is referred to the article on "Laying out Flower Beds in the 

 Lawn," for others. It should not be inferred that beds planted in this style need be either large or 

 costly to be effective. Beds three, or even only two, feet across, if cut in the green lawn, and 

 planted with such valuable plants for this purpose, as Gen. Grant Geraniums, Coleus Vershaffeltii, 

 or others, say five well-established plants for the smaller, and eight for the larger sized bed, will 

 become amazingly attractive, and appear complete in any grounds. Amateurs trying one or 

 more beds in massing could scarcely fail to be pleased with the result. Fig. 12 is a perspective 

 representation of a round bed planted in three different colors, as shown by the dark and light 

 colors. The centre is occupied by a distinct color and variety, somewhat taller than the others. 

 Fig. 9 represents a compound bed of circular outline. The centre bed may be divided into four 

 equal parts, each planted with a distinct color of Phlox Drummondii, or only two colors, as 

 white and brilliant scarlet, each color 'occupy ing two opposite quarters. The small outside 

 beds might be planted with mixed Pansies, and the large ones respectively with crimson and rose- 

 colored Portulaca. Fig. 10 is a very easily planned compound bed, more elaborate than the last 

 one described, but, like it, is well adapted for any grounds. The former may be twelve feet in 

 diameter, from outside to outside, and the latter twenty-four to thirty feet across, between 

 extreme points. A star, the body of which is planted with Achryanthes Verschaffeltii, and the 

 points with Alternanthera Versicolor, a plant of the same color, forms a very attractive orna- 

 ment. We have planted round beds with the dark and other colored Cannas, placing a row of 

 White Centaureas around the edge with the most pleasing results. There is in fact no limit to 

 the forms and varied arrangement of plants, which may be adopted with pleasing effects in this 

 style of planting. To render the present article on this subject more complete, I give a list of 

 the plants best suited to this purpose. The reader is referred to the description of each kind, 

 which will be found in other parts of the work. 



Ageratum in variety. 

 Abutilon Thompsonii. 

 Achryanthes, various colors. 

 Alyssum and Thy me, variegated 



Alternantheras, various colors. 

 Artemesia Stellaris. 

 Candytuft, various colors. 

 Cannas, various colors. 



Centaurea Candida, and Gym- 



nocarpa. 



Coleus Verschaffeltii and others. 

 Divarf Convolvulus. 



Leptosiphon, various colors. 

 Lobelia. 



Pansies, various colors. 

 Petunias, various colors. 

 Phlox Drummondii, var. colors. 

 Portulaca, various colors. 

 Stocks, various colors. 

 Verbenas, various colors. 



Geraniums, Gen. Grant and 



others. 



Golden Feather Feverfew. 

 Heliotrope. 



Ribbon Gardening. This method of ornamental planting consists in placing plants 

 with distinct contrasting colored flowers or with showy foliage, in lines either circular on 

 round or oval beds, or straight on borders or square beds ; this produces an effect somewhat 

 resembling a ribbon when viewed from a distance. To give a correct idea of this matter, I 

 illustrate in Fig. 1 1 the placing of the plants in position in a circular bed; it will be seen that the 

 work of planting may be guided by striking circles, with a line attached to a stake in the cen- 



