250 AUTUMNAL FLOWERBEDS 



Behind them is a dark wood; the effect when the sun 

 strikes the lilies is almost dazzling, yet it has been attained 

 by the simplest means. A dozen roots at ninepence apiece 

 three years ago; the soil stirred annually to destroy 

 weeds ; a moderate allowance of manure each spring and 

 nature has looked after the rest. Whereas, elaborate 

 design may make these bright flowers seem vulgar, 

 as I noted the other day in a very grand garden 

 indeed. Two wide borders stretched on either side of a 

 broad gravelled walk, almost a promenade; clumps of 

 torch lilies (Tritoma or Kniphofia is their name in 

 nursery catalogues) had been set at regular intervals, 

 alternating with Helianthus, Goleus, woundwort, and 

 other showy things. Poor flowers ! they were doing their 

 best, but the monotony was depressing. 



Skill and taste, however, in the cultivation and choice 

 of hardy flowers is far more general than it was in the 

 'seventies, when Mr. William Robinson started his paper, 

 The Garden, and began the revolution which has ended 

 the mechanical ' bedding-out ' universal at that time. 

 Perhaps it may be useful to some readers to have a few of 

 the choicer and more infrequent autumnal flowers brought 

 to their notice, seeing that, as aforesaid, sameness is a 

 vice to be avoided. Nobody can grow more than a tenth 

 of the pretty things in cultivation ; it is well, then, that 

 your tenth should be different from that of your neigh- 

 bours. It is well, also, to choose the best only of the 

 multitude of species in each genus. 



Taking the front rows first, where low-growing things 

 are wanted, the Colchicums, or meadow saffrons, are very 

 characteristic of the season. People generally call them 

 autumn crocus, but they belong to the Lily family, whereas 



