298 



A HISTORY OF GARDEXIXG IX EXGLAXD. 



being skilfully arranged. One bed, shown in the illustration, 

 is composed of Lobelia cardinalis in the centre with a border 

 of Centaurea ragusina, which makes a striking effect until late in 

 the year. This bringing back to our gardens the numerous 

 hardy plants which were banished, and in many cases ruthlessly 

 torn up and thrown away when the rage for " bedding-out" came 

 in, is the greatest improvement of the end of the nineteenth 

 century. They are once again holding their proper place, and 

 with all the new species which every year come to swell the list 



*& 





t ^ 



^V.*^! 



SHRUBLANDS. 



of things which will endure our cold climate, more lovely effects 

 could be produced than ever were possible with the stiff bedding 

 plants of forty years ago. But no one would wish to discard 

 altogether these half hardy things ; our green-houses, a blaze of 

 bright colours with tuberous Begonias, or some such flowers, are 

 a wonderful sight, and even from a practical point of view it is 

 a good plan to make room in the houses, by planting out some 

 of these things in the summer. \'ery different is this arrangement 



