223 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



September 20, 1877. 



Duchess of Sutherland, crimson, in the centre, a band of 

 (Cleopatra, and a margin of Vesuvius. Some Calceolaria beds 

 Golden Gem) are very fine, qnite the best I have seen thiB 

 year. A few mixed beds are pleasing, notably a silver varie- 

 gated Geranium and Verbena venosa edged with Eobert Eish, 

 and a bed of variegated Tropasolurn Minnie Warren associated 

 with dwarf Ageratnm Donglasii. This Ageratnm is new; it is 

 very dwarf, massive, and rich, bine rather than lavender, and 



an acquisition. CounteEs of Stair is also employed effectively, 

 but it is not so dissimilar from Imperial Dwarf as is the darker 

 Donglasii. Mr. W ildsmith's Petvmia Lord Eversleigh, purplish 

 plum colour, is a fine bedder ; and one of the most effective of 

 Lobelias for edging large beds or for a Eecond line in small 

 beds is Glow-worm, raised by Mr. Eutland at Goodwood. It 

 is extensively planted at the Crystal Palace, and its deep glow- 

 ing colour renders it a general favourite. 



1. Alternanthera versicolor. 



2. A. amo3na. 



Fig. 46.— Scale of half an inch. 



3. Lencophyfcon Brownii. 



4. Pyretnrom Golden Feather. 



5. Echereria seconds glanca. 



6. Sempeirivum montanom. 



The carpet beds have been planted so as to be effective from 

 a distance while they will yet bear the scrutiny of close ex- 

 amination. Beds arranged with soft neutral colours are very 

 chaste arid pleasing when closely examined ; but the majority 

 of visitors to the Palace do not submit the combinations of 

 colour to microscopical examination, hence bright colours have 

 not been eschewed by Mr. Thomson, yet there is no suspicion of 

 mere gaudiness. CheerfulneBB and uniformity has mainly 

 been imparted to the beds by a simple ring of Golden Feather. 

 This contrasts admirably with the broad expanse of green 

 grass, and the beds thus edged have a more satisfactory ap- 

 pearance than have others which are edged with silvery-foliaged 



plants. The characteristics of the carpet arrangements are 

 boldness and simplicity rather than novelty and intricacy. For 

 instance, one bed (it may be referred to as No. 1) contains a 

 tracery of the trailing variegated Geranium Duke of Edin- 

 burgh, with panels of Mentha and angles of Alternanthera and 

 Echeveria. No. 2 has a cross of Iresine Lindeni, panels (half 

 circles) of golden bicolor Geraniums Black Douglas and Vero- 

 nica incana, and a tracery of green Saxifraga and Alternan- 

 thera. No. 3 has an interlocking tracery of Lobelia Blue King 

 and Golden Feather, with panels of Echeverias, Alternantheras, 

 and Coleus. No. 4 has a diamond of Tagetes (what a charm- 

 ing green carpet plant this still is as managed here !), a broad 



