208 GARDEN DESIGN 



over, the rich brown reds of beet, perilla and 

 coleus, and the cool greys of cineraria and dactylis 

 grass are excellent foils to flower colours. The 

 yellow beet is also a valuable and reliable plant. 

 The mixed herbaceous border has its place 

 beyond the formal part. The path that leads 

 out of the formal garden may, with advantage, 

 run between mixed beds ; or they may be planned 

 to give an interest to the connexion between 

 kitchen and flower gardens ; and they are often 

 seen at their best in the kitchen garden itself. 

 Herbaceous borders may be avowedly mixed, 

 that is to say, the clumps of each variety may be 

 planted with regard only to their immediate neigh- 

 bours. When this is done contrasts between 

 colours are more successful than harmonies. An- 

 other method is to take a definite sequence of 

 colour, and keep all plants of the same colour to- 

 gether. Whichever scheme is followed, the groups 

 must be bold never less than three plants to- 

 gether and dove-tailed into one another. The 

 planting of herbaceous borders requires an exten- 

 sive experience with plants at all stages of their 

 growth, so as to have something in bloom at all 

 seasons. Roughly speaking, the tallest plants are 

 put at the back, or through the centre when the 

 bed is accessible from both sides, but to rigidly 

 keep to graded heights would give a sameness to 

 the elevation, and groups of high plants should 

 be brought forward in some places and recessed 



