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CASSEtL'S EOPtlito-- (fABSBEiJIKG. 



'rigidly formal pattern, without their reallyi appearing' 

 80, solely hy reason of the informal' style, of planting 

 the baskets. 

 - These large hasket-heds are well suited to occupy 

 the most conspicuous positions in any type of' 

 geometrical garden, and are every way an ■ advance 

 on what may be termed the "stone and statuary 

 gardening," which is a far too invariable accom- 

 paniment to gardens of this character. The latter, 

 viewed. from, an architectural point of view,.may be 

 in good taste, and quite proper, but so far as 

 gardening is concerned, deserve entire exclusion in 

 favour of the useful yet appropriate substitutes here 

 named. This same description of basket-bed may 

 be of any desired shape or size to suit any given 

 •pot. We have them oval, round, and square, and 

 of various sizes. The' round occupies a central 

 position on turf, surrounded with beds of circular 

 outline ; the square, the like position surrounded 

 with beds square in outline ; and the ovals serve 

 really as a tet of beds to divide two other sets of beds 

 — oblongs and rounds — which without such division 

 would present a depressingly formal appearance. 



Soil and Flanting. — It is almost needless to 

 add that good soil is of greater importance in vase 

 and basket culture than for flower-bed«, the confined 

 space, exposure to sunshine, and other artificial con- 

 ditions, rendering good soil an imperative necessity. 

 A good holding loam and well-rotted cow-manur6 is 

 the best description of soil for nearly every kind of 

 flowering plant ; but all cannot obtain this descrip- 

 tion of soil, and it must therefore suffice to say, use 

 the best at command. If light, press it the more 

 firmly together ; if poor, add a greater quantity of 

 manure ; and, above all, well drain. 

 , As to planting, or arrangement of plants, person- 

 ally we prefer mixtures both for vases and basket- 

 beas. A departure from this rule may, perhaps, be 

 desirable in regard to small vases, though even with 

 these we would never have less than two kinds of 

 plants — one for upright growth, and the other to 

 droop over the sides. This latter is a much-neg-' 

 lected point in the furnishing of vases, but only 

 reijuires a very moderate amount of thought, or,, 

 better still, a practical comparison of the two modes 

 — ^with and without drooping plants— to make the 

 practice general. 



The following are given as fair samples of mixtures 

 we would advise for the generality of vases : a taU 

 Fuchsia, surrounded with Pelargoniums, flowering, 

 and variegated alternate, and edged with Ivy-leaved 

 Pelargonium to droop over the sides. Another : a 

 central plant of Grevillea robusta, surrounded with 

 scarlet and rose-coloured Pelargoniums, edged with 

 blue Lobelia and Pelargonium Manglesii variegata 



afteniate. Anotheti a- oenti'al -;plant of variegated' 

 AbutUon, surrounded with- dark-flowered. Fuchsias 

 and tall, variegated Pelargoniums alternate, and 

 edged with scarlet Tropaolum lobbiamtm. Aaothei:. 

 a central plant of Albizzia lophantha, surrounded with 

 variegated Pelargonium (Lady Plymouth), and pink 

 Pelargonium (Christine), and edged with variegated' 

 Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums and Viola Blue-bell; ■ 



Basket-beds being so much larger, the variety of 

 mixtures can be of unlimited extent, only great care 

 should be exercised in the disposition of the plants, 

 that when full-grown they may present a somewhat 

 even balance as to height over the whole basket, ■ the 

 highest point being at the centre. The planting of 

 the basket showii in the illustration is as follows : 

 the tall plants are Abutilons, Cannas, Marguerites, 

 and single Dahlias; the intermediate size being 

 Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Marvel of Peru, Petunias, 

 and Heliotropes ; the smaller and outer line of 

 plants are Lobelias, Verbenas, Violas, Stocks, Asters, 

 variegated Pelargoniums, &c. The drooping plants 

 are Tropseolum, Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, Japanese 

 Honeysuckle, Cobaa seandens, Maurandyana Bar- 

 elayana, and Clematis. 



These examples vfill suffice to show the manner of 

 arrangement of dressed vases and baskets; that of 

 rustic vases and baskets may be of a simpler de- 

 scription and of hardier plants, with a view to 

 permanence of effect. Shrubs of the Retinospora or 

 Cupressut order may be used as centres, and the 

 edgings of Ivy, Periwinkles, Japanese Honeysuckle,' 

 and. Violas, whilst the handles may be climbing' 

 Hoses, Clematis, and Tropseolums; scarlet ' Pelargo- 

 niums intermixed with these in the summer season 

 are really all that is needed to make an excellent 

 summer arrangement. Should it be wished to plant' 

 these rustic-formed beds with flowering plants, the' 

 sameas themore dressy baskets, they may of "cOuiBe 

 be-so planted, but a few small shrubs dotted over 

 them, and variegated Ivy and Periwinkle as 

 droopgrs, ought to be used with the flowers, to, bring 

 them into greater harmony with the surrounding 

 shrubs, which position, we repeat, is the best for 

 beds of this description. 



The , ■winter arrangemei^t of vases and baskets 

 must necessarily be done with shrubs of suitable size 

 and description, and by following out the same rule 

 of arrangement as for the summer, particularly in 

 regard to overhanging plants ; Ivies, Periwinkles 

 (Vincaa), Japanese Honeysuckles, and Cotoueasters 

 being excellent plants for that purpose. 



' ■Watering and Keep.— Gopd soil ani" perfect 

 arrangement are valueless if after-attention be want- 

 ing. The flrst j^equisite, after planting, is a good 

 watering to well settle. the soil about the roots; next^ 



