Variety in Flower- Gardens. 409 



can be more out of place than a small border, wholly taken 

 up with masses of verbenas, scarlet geraniums, portulacas, 

 salvias, &,c., &c., one mass following the other, the eye 

 taking in the whole at one view. Whereas, if planted with 

 the almost endless variety which the gardener has within his 

 means, hours might be spent in admiring the beauties of 

 each, while the whole would form a kind of mosaic work, 

 full of gratification and delight. 



The truth is, that the grouping and massing system should 

 only be attempted in large places, and as episodes to the gar- 

 den, rather than the main garden itself. There it becomes a 

 feature of dazzling brilliancy, highly pleasing from its imme- 

 diate striking effect. But to introduce it everywhere, and 

 without reference to situation, size, form, &c., of the garden, 

 is injudicious, and fails to afibrd the pleasure which will ever 

 be derived from variety and contrast. We commend the 

 article to every lover of a fine flower garden. — Ed. . 



Variety is, after all, the great idol which the majority of man- 

 kind worship ; and for variety's sake it is the common fashion 

 to make almost any sacrifice. Now, without attempting to 

 decide whether or no this eagerness to bow before a shrine 

 identified with inconstancy, be generally praiseworthy, as it is 

 generally prevalent, it may surely be assumed, that at least, 

 as far as regards flower-garden arrangements, there is little or 

 no folly in becoming one of variety's devotees. 



If this be true, the fact militates more or less against the 

 practice of planting large masses of unbroken colors to make 

 up a flower-garden. The end thus attained is no doubt a 

 gaudy display; but, paradoxical as it may appear, the ques- 

 tion may be raised, whether, in such cases, gaudiness is not 

 obtained at a sacrifice of efiect. Doubtless there is, and ever 

 will be, more than one opinion upon such a point ; but at 

 any rate, it may not be assumed as unquestionable that a 

 gaudy display and elegance of eflfect are synonymous. The 

 faftt appears to be, that here we have a contest — not an un- 

 common one — whether quantity or quality should prevail. 

 The great glare of color in the one case, as the more at- 



VOL. XIX. NO. IX. 62 



