492 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ December 32, 1870. 



several agricultural papers. Different pieces of waste land 

 close to the walls were appropriated, and vegetables of that 

 description must be now actually on sale. 



CHRYSANTHEMUM SEEDLINGS. 

 Aixow me to suggest to those who purpose raising new 

 Chrysanthemums, that a good scarlet is still a desideratum. 

 The analogy of the colours which prevail in the Dahlia and 

 the Chrysanthemum encourages a hope that this desideratum 

 may yet be obtained ; and, indeed, in the Anemone-flowered 

 Firefly we have already the dull beginning of what may end 

 in a vivid scarlet. With respect to the analogy noted above, 

 I would add that both in the Dahlia and the Chrysanthemum 

 we find particoloured flowers very common, and also that the 

 white selfs can hardly be depended on, as they are peculiarly 

 liable to assume a pinkish or other tinge. — G. S. 



PLANTING FLOWER BEDS. 



In the Journal of September S;h was an account from three 

 sisters of the way in which they had planted their flower beds 

 this last season. Their arrangements were so good that they 

 left but little room for improvement. Mine, on the contrary, 

 were far from satisfactory, and if any kind critic will suggest 

 freEh ideas I shall be most grateful. The beds are seventeen 

 in number ; they are all edged with Bos, which is kept in nice 

 close order, and there are gravel paths between the beds. 



No. 1 has in the centre a plant of Pampas Grass, and a3 it 

 is of a feathery nature the height is no objection, as it does 



not obstruct our extensive and beautiful view. Bound the 

 Pampas Grass was a circle of Ageratum ccelestinum, then one 

 of Iresine Herbstii, then double Tom Thumb Geranium, and 

 finally, next the edge, Pyrethrum. The double Tom Thumb 

 goes too much to foliage, and the Iresine did not succeed well 

 until late in the season, otherwise this bed was not ineffective. 

 Nos. 2 to 9 were all bordered with Lobelia specioEa, and during 

 th9 ehort time they were in fall bloom the effect of the rich 

 blue next the brilliant green of the young Box was a decided 

 success. Next year I thought of putting Lobelia in alternate 

 plants of cuttings and seedliDgs, as the latter flower when the 

 former are over. Nos. 2 and 6 were filled in with Calceolaria 

 Aurea floiibunda ; No. 3 with Geranium Stella ; No. 4 with 

 Mrs. Pollock ; No. 5 with Madame Yaucher ; No. 7 with S*. 

 Clair and Bijou ; No. 8 with Crystal Palace Gem ; and No. 9 

 with Le Grand. Of these beds, Nos. 4, 8, and 9 did best. 

 Nos. 10 and 16 were mixed Yerbenas pegged down, and produc- 

 ing an excellent effect. No. 11 was Tropfeolum Moor, and 

 No. 15 Tropaaolum luteum. No. 12 was the worst bed in the 

 whole garden, although I had expended much anxions thought 

 on its arrangement. It is the bed which is of the most con- 

 sequence too, for the drawing-room window immediately over- 

 looks it. The outside edge was Purple King VerbenB, then a 

 row of Excellent Geranium, then Heliotropes of different 

 shades, and the centre filled in with Balsams, No. 13 was 



likewise a failure. The two outside edges were common ScarleS 

 Geraniums, and the centre filled with Phlox Drummondi of 

 different colours. No. 14 was Cineraria maritima and Cen- 

 taurea, arranged in two rows alternating with Christine Gera- 

 nium. No. 17 was a bed of mixed Petunias, most of them 

 having done well. 



I have not drawn the beds outside the circle quite correctly,, 

 as they should be narrower and longer, Nos. 12 and 13 being 

 much larger than the others. They are all in such a compact 

 space (about 20 yards square), that the arrangement of height 

 is quite a3 necessary a3 that of colour ; any hints, therefore, 

 from a practical gardener will be most valuable. — Igxoeamus,. 

 Hampshire. 



[We cannot do better at present than just refir yon to lha 

 letter and plan of the three sisters of September 8th to which 

 you allude, and to the answer and observations made on it. 

 We should jadge better of your group if we knew how it wa3 

 to be viewed, whether on a level with or below the surrounding 

 ground. In either case, but especially in the former, if the- 

 garden is to foiru one view or picture, then the size of the- 

 beds and of the plants becomes important. In such a case 

 the central bed 13 too large, and to prevent its drowning the- 

 others you plant it in rings of colour ; but, on the principl 

 referred to, if the garden is to be viewed as one picture, then 

 we object to the centre being a Pampas Grass, as it will be 

 lumpy and a green mass all the time the other plants are in 

 full bloom, and too high and massive even then. 



There are two ways of making an artistic view, so far as- 

 heights are concerned, in such a garden. The first is to have 

 the central bed rather the highest, and the outside beds the- 

 lowest, the intermediate ones suiting in height. And the 

 second plan would be the reverse, to have the highest outside 

 and the lowest in the centre. We allude to these arrangements- 

 merely for convenience as respects plants, as it would be best 

 of all if the beds, except at the edges, were of a uniform- 

 height. A few more elevated stand points might be useful for 

 preventing the level sameness. 



You seem to have commenced on the first principle by having* 

 the Pampas Grass in the centre of the central bed, followed by 

 tall Ageratum. Iresine Herbstii, and Double Tom Thumb,, 

 bordered with Pyrethrum. Even with similar plants we think 

 it would have been more effective with a suitable pink or 

 scarlet Geranium following the Ageratum, and the Iresine or- 

 Purple King Verbena betweeu the Geranium and the edging. 

 But for the Pampas Grass, many other arrangements might be 

 made. The bordering with Pyrethrum makes the edging of 

 the eight beds round it very suitable and striking from its very 

 simplicity. 



Your object is to plant these eight beds in pairs en the cross 

 system, and therefore the whole garden should be planted 

 on the cross system. Thus, if 2 and 6 are to be pair beds,, 

 then 13 and 17 ought also to be pair beds. Looking at the 

 planting of these eight beds, we find Aurea floribunda Cal- 

 ceolaria, Madame Yaucher Geranium, Crystal Palace Gem- 

 Geranium, and Mrs. Pollock Geranium would all harmonise in 

 size and suit admirably, but then your Geraniums must grow 

 very differently from ours if Stella and St. Clair in 3 and 7 did 

 not grow in height far above all the others. Such dwarf kinds 

 as Lady Cowper, Little David, Haikaway, &a., would be more 

 suitable for the neighbour beds, and a band of Bijou or Alma, 

 inside of the blue Lobelia would relieve well and enhance the 

 beauty. With the central bed lower, and these eight beds well 

 planted and tended, the nine beds would of themselves make a 

 pretty symmetrical garden. 



We need not enter on the other bed3. Mixed Yerbenas. 

 always look well, especially if they have an edging to keep- 

 them in bounds. Balsams do best in a border or small beds,, 

 where there is room to show off their blooms, and not in the 

 centre of a bed. Besides, their blooming is rather late and 

 irregular, and in height they and Phlox Drummondi and 

 seedling Petunias would be higher than the ring of eight beds. 

 Such plants are not to be depended on for neatness and effect 

 like Geraniums and Calceolarias. If such plants must be 

 used, we would make the central bed the lowest, and instead of 

 a Pampas Grass have a statue or an elevated vase in the 

 centre. Then, for uniformity, as you edge the eight central 

 beds with blue, we would edge the other eight with white ; say 

 10, 11, 15, 16 with Cineraria maritima, and 12, 13, 14, 17 with 

 Centaurea, or the first four might be done with Bijou or Alma 

 Geraniums, and the next four — two of Centanrea and two of 

 Cineraria. If these large outside beds were filled with low- 

 growing plants, then low white and yellow variegated Arabis 



