THE FLOWER GAEDEN. 



21S 



arrangement of plants tieing varied in each, ted, and 

 the unavoidable stiffness of this kind of hedding 

 heing relieved hy planting between each bed shrubs 

 which harmonise with the formal character of the 

 arrangements. 



For adoption on a small scale, even the garden of 

 the typical London villa, with its straight walks, 

 railings, or walls, and grass plot, is exceedingly 

 appropriate ; and a bed, or a couple of beds, planted 

 in the carpet style would often be a desirable 

 change from the monotony of Geraniums,, Lobelias, 

 and Gold Feather PjTethrum, which constitute the 

 bulk of the plants used in such gardens. 



As to what extent carpet or coloured-foliage bedding 

 may be practised in the positions indicated, that 

 must be left to the surroundings, individual taste, 

 and climate. If the latter be cold and wet, one-half 

 of the garden would be none too much for the formal 

 terrace ; but good judgment would be essential that 

 the differing styles be evenly dispersed over the 

 entire garden. As remarked, individual taste must 

 have a hand in this decision ; and those with a weak- 

 ness for gaudiness wiU. not think of going so far, 

 whilst others may be disposed to go further. But it 

 may be well to warn both that the surroundings 

 should have the strongest voice in' the matter. If 

 these be excessively formal, then the beds may be 

 proportionately the same, and vice versa; only the 

 formality here meant should not be understood to 

 be an unbroken flat surface, but foliage-colouring, 

 arranged in simple patterns, with graceful standard 

 plants in central positions. Extent as regards the 

 other positions named must be purely a personal 

 matter. The straight walk position, provided the 

 recommendation as to shrubs is respected, may have 

 aU carpet patterns, whilst as to the small viUa 

 garden, it must be either all or none. 



Preparing the Beds. — ^It is impossible to 

 prepare carpet beds on the same principle as is 

 usually followed with other bedding plants ; that is, 

 to give much or little manure according to the wants 

 of the plants that are to occupy the beds. The 

 patterns are so complicated, that it is obviously 

 impracticable thus to suit the soil to each; and 

 therefore all must share alike in the best soil at 

 command. Light deep loam, manured with vegetable 

 or weU-decayed farm-yard manure, does^well for 

 every kind, of course too well for some plants. But 

 for all that it is best to err on the side of liberality 

 rather than niggardliness in the matter of manure, 

 and the soil should be broken very finely, and dis- 

 tributed evenly, else it is difEcult to mark out the 

 design with precision; and the plants being small, the 

 slightest unevenness is observable and objectionable 

 in patterns of such nicetj-. 



The beds being raised above the turf-line is 

 another point deserving of special attention. Any 

 one who has observed the difference between those 

 so raised, and those having their edgings level with 

 the turf, cannot but have been favourably impressed 

 with the superior effect of those with raised edgings: 

 But then they must be real live edgings, not the 

 hideous baked " mud walls " that one sometimes 

 sees, with here and there an Echeveria stuck in, 

 cookle-sheU-like, as if courting contempt on the 

 style generally. The manner of making up such 

 edgings was detailed at page 105, and the best plant 

 for furnishing them is Serniaria glabra ; Sedums of 

 various kinds do almost equally well; Echeverias 

 and Sempervivums also do well, but they should 

 always be in a setting of Sedum or other moss-like 

 plant, that the whole of the soil may be covered. 



Edgings being planted, and the surface beings 

 made smooth and even, and the designs decided on, 

 and drawn out on paper, the marking out preparatory 

 to planting comes next, and is a work of great nicety, 

 requiring skill, and still more particularly perception. 

 as to proportion ; because, though the designs may- 

 have been drawn out on paper, exact measurements 

 on the ground as have been allowed in the scale of 

 design may come awkwardly, and therefore there 

 must be a certain latitiide or licence to alter 

 measurements, if the eye does not approve when 

 drawn out on the ground. Hence, keenness of per- 

 ception, and above all, for the operator to be in 

 sympathy with his work, is necessary to success. Of 

 course there must be no treading on the bed, either 

 when marking, planting, or dressing ; and to prevent 

 this being necessary, what may be called a temporary 

 platform should be constructed — a stout plank, long 

 enough to go right across the bed, and elevated 

 above it, supported at each end with large flower- 

 pots, or better still, stout blocks of wood that have 

 been cut for the purpose. Fine soU, and exact 

 marking out, render the putting out of the planta 

 a comparatively easy matter ; and an unskilled work- 

 man may be trusted with that, if the places have- 

 been duly labelled, and the charge given not to 

 hurry, but plant carefully, neither leaving a cavity 

 next the roots, nor pressing them in too hardly, 

 which practice either breaks the roots or makes the 

 soil so pasty that when dry it cracks, and th& 

 growth of the plants is seriously checked. 



Arrangements. — As remarked in a preceding 

 paragraph, by this style of bedding winter bright- 

 ness may, in part at any rate, be made a certainty; 

 and in the arrangements here given, this point has 

 been kept in view; all the hardy plants possible 

 that look well in summer being used, that there may 

 be a minimum of additional planting needed to make 



