86 The Public Gardens and Parks of Paris. 



to say that last season was exceptionally bad, and that many of the 

 plants and much of the skill of the chief gardeners of the town had 

 to be devoted to the grounds of the Exposition. Musa rosacea and 

 M. sinensis flap their poor leaves about in the wind without being 

 "kilt entirely," but among all the Musas, M. Ensete is the best for 

 the open air or the cool conservatory. I have seen it withstand 

 hailstorms without suffering in the least. 



Such plants as Crambe cordifolia and the Pampas-grass look fine 

 isolated on the grass near the margin of a clump of trees. The 

 Pampas is worth growing for this purpose alonCj even if it never 

 flowered. Erythrinas flower well, but should not be used in 

 large masses. Beds and borders of Hydrangeas are very fine 

 indeed, and worth more attention than they get in England. 

 Some plants bearing blue flowers amongst the normally coloured 

 ones, of course add much to the effect. An immense mass of 

 Canna nigricans, with edge of variegated Ageratum, was very 

 imposing. Clematis montana trained up the trees has a charming 

 effect. What a nice thing it must be in flower in this position ! 

 though it would be better allowed to run over some old stumps 

 or low common trees over which it might train itself. Beds of 

 ferns in shady places are nice, and lines of white Fuchsias are pretty. 

 Ferdinanda is good. A little way off, single plants of Erythrina 

 look very striking. Some tall slender Solanums, &c., are quite a 

 disfigurement. Colocasia odorata is very fine, and free and noble, 

 especially when the plants are old and furnished with tall stems. 

 Isolated plants of Bambusas are beautiful and striking, as are also 

 those of Acanthus. Delphinium pegged down amongst Phloxes 

 is very good indeed; Arundo Donax versicolor is used, but it is 

 very poor, in consequence of not having been left in die ground 

 over the winter. Hibiscuses are too naked to be anything but ugly, 

 and, no matter what result they may produce in the end, no such 

 hideousness as they present for a long time should be tolerated in 

 any tasteful garden. 



Beds of the better kinds of Solanums are very fine; but I need 

 not enumerate the plants that furnish the best effect, inasmuch as 



