AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



165 



Bedding-out continued. 



ditions the design is rarely retained more than two or 

 three months, say, from July to September. The method 

 is, however, so extensively adopted as to demand due notice 

 in this work. Bedding usually commences in May. An im- 

 portant consideration is the proper preparation of the soil for 

 the reception of the plants. It will be found to materially 



FIG. 214. DESIGN FOR CARPET BEDDING. 



assist the growth if the soil is well dug over a fortnight 

 before the plants are put in. By this means, it will acquire 

 a certain amount of solidity, a point of great importance 

 with fibrous-rooted plants that are subject to injury from 

 the fine roots not taking a firm hold of the soil. Having 



FIG. 215. DESIGH FOR CARPET BEDDING. 



decided upon the arrangement of the plants, proceed to 

 work with the planting. With round, oval, or, indeed, almost 

 any shaped bed, begin in the centre and work towards the 

 edge; in borders, commence at the back and finish with 

 the front row. Plant with a trowel, disturbing the balls as 



Bedding-out continued. 



of distress; and then a good soaking should be applied. 

 A careful hoeing of the surface after planting will be most 

 beneficial, leaving it smooth and tidy. A Dutch hoe will 

 be the best to use. Injudicious use of manure and water 

 will only cause a foliaceous growth. The proper treatment 

 of the various Bedding Plants will be found under their 

 respective headings. For spring decoration, the Beds may 

 be filled with Dutch bulbs, and spring-flowering annuals 

 and perennials ad infnitum; or, after the plants are 

 removed in autumn, the Beds may be filled with evergreens 

 plunged in pots, such as Aucuba, Arbor vitse, Enonymua, 

 and various little Conifers, which have a bright appear- 

 ance through the winter, and can be removed at any time. 

 With the relative value, or advisability of adoption, of 

 either or any system of gardening, it scarcely comes within 

 the province of this work to deal. No hard-and-fast rules 

 can be laid down as regards " style," and each individual 

 may follow his own taste and inclination. 



Carpet Bedding. This mode of gardening, although not 

 so generally employed as it was some few years ago, has 

 many admirers, and small plots, geometrically arranged 

 in multi-coloured beds on lawns, are frequently seen. In 

 our large public parks, the system is largely adopted, and 

 evidently proves very gratifying to the multitudes who 

 visit these places; but probably no system is more un- 

 natural or expensive, as such a large number of plants 

 are necessary in order to produce a desirable effect. The 

 illustrations (Figs. 214 and 215) represent two designs 

 for Carpet Beds. The numbers placed in the various com- 

 partments indicate the way the different, colours should 

 be arranged, repeats being marked by the same cypher. A 

 very varied and large selection of plants can be used for 

 Carpet Bedding, some of which are quite hardy, such as 

 Herniana glabra and Veronica repens, two of the best 

 dwarf green plants; Sempe rvivum californicum, Sedu-m 

 lydium, S. glaucum, Antennaria tomentosa, &c. These may 

 be planted early in the season, with Golden Feather, and 

 are especially valuable, as they are generally employed to 

 a great extent. Other plants, not quite BO hardy, are 

 Mentha Pulegium gibraltarica and Echeveria eecunda 

 glauca, both of which are extensively used ; while the 

 tenderest subjects are Alternantheras of various kinds, 

 Coleus Verscha/eltii and Mesembryanthemum cordifoliwn 

 variegatum. These latter should not be planted till the 

 first or second week in June. As the plants are usually 

 small, and require to be planted thickly, the work is best 

 accomplished with the fingers, pressing the soil moderately 

 firm. First of all, work out the design, and plant the 

 leading lines ; afterwards fill in the " panels." 



little as possible, and when in the holes press the soil 

 moderately firm. After the Bed is finished, give a good 

 soaking of water to settle the soil at the roots. Manure 

 for Flower-beds should always be perfectly rotten, such as 

 that from a spent hotbed. When the plants are thoroughly 

 established, water must only be given if they show signs 



FIG. 216. DESIGN FOR BEDDING. 



Sub-Tropical Bedding. This term is applied to the 

 arrangement of tropical plants in Beds or groups outside 

 for the summer months, and if discriminately adopted a 

 very attractive and unique display may be made, depending 

 greatly upon position, and mainly upon the material at 

 command. If a sheltered and partially shady situation i* 



