2 THE WILD GARDEN. 



ductioii there lias been a gradual rooting out of all the ohl 

 favourites in favour of this " bedding " system. This was 

 carried to such an extent that it was not uncommon, indeed 

 it has been the rule, to find the largest gardens in the countrv 

 without a single hardy flower, all energy and expense being 

 devoted to the production of the few exotics required for the 

 summer decoration. It should lie distinctly borne in mind 

 that the expense for this system is an annual one ; that no 

 matter what amount of money may be spent in this w\ay, or 

 how many years may be devoted to perfecting it, the first 

 sharp frost of November announces a yet further expense 

 and labour, usually more heavy than the preceding. 



Its highest results need hardly be described; they are 

 seen in all our great public gardens ; our London and many 

 other city parks show them in the shape of beds filled with 

 vast quantities of flowers, covering the ground frequently in 

 a showy way, or in a repulsively gaudy manner : nearly every 

 private garden is taken possession of by the same things. I 

 will not here enter into the question of the merits of this 

 system ; it is enough to state that even on its votaries it is 

 beginning to pall. Some are looking back with regret to the 

 old mixed-border gardens ; others are endeavouring to soften 

 the harshness of the bedding system by the introduction of 

 fine-leaved plants, but all are agreed that a great mistake has 

 been made in destroying all our old flowers, from Lilies to 

 Hepaticas, though very few persons indeed have any idea of 

 the numbers of beautiful subjects in this way which we may 

 gather from every northern and temperate clime to adorn our 

 gardens under a more artistic system. 



My object in the Wild Gardeyi is now to show how we 



