3 Subtropical Gardening. 



costly " subtropicals" is superior to that which may be produced by 

 the use of hardy plants, combined with, where the climate admits, 

 such of the other class as are well known to be as cheaply raised, 

 and as free of growth as common " bedding stuff." Therefore, in- 

 stead of bringing in among the plants usually termed "subtropical" 

 the fine hardy kinds which will be found so useful in the same way, 

 a special chapter is devoted to them ; and in the case both of tender 

 and hardy plants, lists are furnished of such kinds as seed is procu- 

 rable of, and which may be propagated in that way — the cheapest, 

 of course. It is needless to say any more in explanation of the 

 system, Mr. Gibson, the able superintendent of Battersea Park, 

 having so well shown- the public of what superb results it is capable 

 by that not very large but inexhaustible garden, which he has so 

 cunningly and tastefully cut off from the rest of the park, and to a 

 great extent from the force of the breeze — often more injurious to 

 the large-leaved plants than the cold. The term "subtropical" is 

 not a very appropriate one, but we have here to deal only witli 

 what the system has taught us, and in how far it is adoptable in 

 our gardens. 



First, then, as to its teachings. It has taught us the value of 

 grace and verdure amid masses of low and brilliant and unrelieved 

 flowers, or rather reminded us of how far we have diverged from 

 Nature's ways of displaying the beauty of vegetation. Previous to 

 the inauguration of this movement in England, ourlove for rude 

 colour had led us to ignore the exquisite and inexhaustible ^xaj in 

 which planis are naturally arranged — fern, flower, grass, shrub, and 

 tree, sheltering, supporting, and relieving each other. We cannot 

 attempt to reproduce this literally, nor would it be wise or conve- 

 nient to do so ; but assuredly herein will be found the source of true 

 beauty in the plant world, and the more the ornamental gardener 

 keeps the fact before his eyes, the nearer truth and success will be 

 attained. Nature in puris naturalibus is not a beauty to be added 

 to our gardens, but Nature's laws should not be violated, and but 

 few human beings have contravened them more than our flower 

 gardeners during the past twenty years. We must compose from 



