98 FLOWERS AND THE FLOWER GARDEN. 



taurea gymnocarpa. The Alyssum variegatum makes a 

 nice showy silvery edge to a bed, as does also the 

 variegated mint. 



There is a peculiar beauty and distinctness in the dark 

 foliaged plants, on account of which their value in 

 assisting the variety of bedding plants should not be 

 overlooked. The Perilla Nankinensis makes a capital 

 mixture in a bed of bright-coloured flowers : threepenny 

 packets of the seed can be bought, and reared without 

 difficulty. The Oxalis tropaoloides is a charming half- 

 hardy annual from the Cape of Good Hope, growing 

 close to the ground, and with fine dark bronze foliage. 

 A plant recently introduced, the Iresine herbsti, will also 

 make a splendid bedding plant. The foliage is beautifully 

 ornamental dark crimson leaves, with ribs and stems 

 of carmine. It is readily propagated, and only requires 

 to be housed in a cool greenhouse for the winter. Of 

 all the dark foliage plants, perhaps none are more 

 beautiful or easy of culture than the Atriplex hortensis 

 rubra, or garden orach, with its beautiful crimson foliage. 

 A packet of seed may be bought for a few pence, and 

 the plants are reared without difficulty. 



No less handsome and valuable for beauty of foliage 

 are the tricoloured horseshoe geraniums Mrs. Pollock 

 and Sunset, every leaf of which is a gay mixture of 

 green, bright bronze, red, crimson, and golden yellow. 

 Sunset has a compact dwarf bushy growth. The 

 variegated geraniums, with white and golden yellow 

 margins to the leaves, are showy and gay-looking. 



The best and freest blooming scarlet, pink, salmon, 

 and white geraniums, are most useful for bedding. 



The Lobelias are general favourites, from their thick 

 low growth, and the abundance and intense colour of 

 the bloom. They are especially good for outer rims to 

 beds of geraniums and other full warm-coloured flowers. 

 In the general flower garden they look pretty in clumps, 

 and will also grow on rockwork; and they have the 

 great merit of remaining all the summer months in 

 bloom. Lobelia speciosa is the finest, from the intense- 

 ness of its blue, with a clear white spot, arid the deep 



