34 Flowers m Cities. 



around the front and the two sides, which may serve for a footpath, and 

 which should always be kept well shaven. A neat trellis should be placed 

 between the two parlor-windows (which will be about the centre of the gar- 

 den), against the house ; and some woody climbers should be planted to 

 cover this. For this purpose, the wistaria, the Virginia creeper {Atnpelopsis), 

 the trumpet-flower {Bignonia), or the Dutchman's pipe {Aristolochia), are 

 most suitable. But, in a future article, we propose to give a list of many 

 plants that may thus be used. Herbaceous plants are not generally suita- 

 ble ; for, though showy for a time, by the end of summer the foliage becomes 

 ragged and unsightly, and the general effect is impaired. We must there- 

 fore depend mainly upon bedding-plants, annuals, and bulbs. 



Of bedding-plants, almost the whole class is ser\'iceable, as they continue 

 to grow until cut off by the frost, and flower profusely. The point to be 

 especially looked to is, not to plant too many or tall rank growers. 



Annuals should be carefully selected. A large proportion of them re- 

 maining only in perfection a few weeks, those only should be chosen which 

 grow and bloom during the whole season, and which thus are always orna- 

 mental, either in foliage or flower. 



Bulbs may be used most effectively. The foliage is good, and the flowers 

 very showy : the only care necessary is to cut off" dead flower-stalks and 

 withered leaves, and to so plant that the flowers may seem to spring from 

 a mass of green, as the foliage of most bulbs is erect and reedy, and never 

 covers the ground. Some low-growing annual (such as mignonette) or 

 bedding-plant (such as a low-creeping verbena) should be employed to 

 cover the ground. 



Where the bulbs are plants in large clumps, this may not be necessary. 

 Tuberoses {Polianthes tuberosd) and tiger-flowers {Tigridia) make grand 

 masses, and the foliage is good. 



Trees should never be planted, for the simple reason that they grow too 

 large ; and shrubs, if not wholly discarded for the same reason, should be 

 those only which are ornamental in foliage as well as in flower. As a rule, fine 

 foliage is to be preferred to fine flower : some few shrubs combine both, 

 and are very ornamental. In planting annuals, it is better to buy young 

 plants already started in a frame than to sow seeds, as thus spaces are 

 more easily calculated, and crowding avoided. 



