THE GROWING OF THE ORNAMENTAL PLANTS 229 



Some bedding is very temporary in its effect. Especially 

 is this true of spring bedding, in which the subjects are tulips, 

 hyacinths, crocuses, or other early-flowering bulbous plants. 

 In this case, the ground is usually occupied later in the season 

 by other plants. These later plants are commonly annuals, the 

 seeds of which are sown amongst the bulbs as soon as the season 

 is far enough advanced; or the annuals may be started in boxes 

 and the plants transplanted amongst the bulbs as soon as the 

 weather is fit. 



Many of the low-growing and compact continuous-flowering 

 annuals are excellent for summer bedding effects. There is a 

 list of some useful material for this purpose on page 249. 



Plants for subtropical effects (Plates IV and V). 



The number of plants suitable to produce a semitropical 

 mass or for the center or back of a group, which may be readily 

 grown from seed, is limited. Some of the best kinds are in- 

 cluded below. 



It ^dll often be worth while to supplement these with others, 

 to be had at the florists, such as caladiums, screw pines, Ficus 

 elastica, araucarias, Musa Ensete, palms, dracenas, crotons, and 

 others. Dahhas and tuberous begonias are also useful. About 

 a pond the papyrus and lotus may be used. 



Practically all the plants used for this style of gardening are 

 liable to injury from winds, and therefore the beds should be 

 placed in a protected situation. The palms and some other 

 greenhouse stuff do better if partially shaded. 



In the use of such plants, there are opportunities for the 

 exercise of the nicest taste. A gross feeder, as the ricinus, in 

 the midst o a bed of delicate annuals, is quite out of place; and 

 a stately, royal-looking plant among humbler kinds often makes 

 the latter look common, when if headed with a chief of their 

 own rank all would appear to the best advantage. 



Some of the plants much used for subtropical bedding, and 



