Winter and Spring Bedding. 635 
coration of a parterre; but where the outlay is of secondary 
importance, it is usual to have two or even three sets of plants 
in the beds during the year, and where expense is an object we 
should recommend the mixed style. As soon as the weather 
renders it necessary to remove the summer plants, the beds 
may be made attractive for the late autumn and winter months 
by filling them up with miniature evergreen shrubs. It is 
preferable to have these previously established in pots, and then 
to plunge them into the beds with their pots. The shrubs best 
adapted for this purpose are those of slow growth, and those 
which will bear close pruning, and then with care in transplant- 
ing, the same plants would do for several seasons. There is a great 
choice in the Conifere, including some of the small forms of 
Biota orientalis, Thuja occidentalis, Cupressus Lawsoniana, ©. 
Nutkaensis, Retinospora spp., Irish and other Yews, etc. Of 
miscellaneous subjects suitable for this purpose we may name: 
Cotoneaster microphylla, with berries ; Laurustinus, flowering 
bushes ; green and variegated Hollies, berry-bearing, if possible ; 
Aucubas also; several varieties of Buxus, Portugal Laurel, 
Erica carnea, and various Ivies. These shrubs might remain 
through the winter and until the middle of May, when they 
would be replaced by the summer plants, or they might be re- 
moved about the end of February, to make way for spring 
flowers. It is abundantly clear,. however, that this system could 
only be carried out where the resources are equal to furnishing 
a supply of spring flowering plants in pots, already so far ad- 
vanced as to make some show when turned out. In the case 
of bulbous-rooted plants, it might be so managed that they 
could be planted between the shrubs at the proper time in 
autumn ; and where Crocuses and Snowdrops are used, there would 
be ample space for a bordering of them outside of the shrubs. 
The bulbous plants best adapted for massing are Tulips, 
Hyacinths, and Crocuses, of which there is great variety in 
colour, including good scarlet, yellow, blue, and pure white, 
with many rich composite colours, and also many handsome 
striped varieties in the two latter genera. Narcissus, Scilla, 
and some other genera furnish varieties better suited for mixed 
beds. The following are some of the miscellaneous hardy 
plants employed in spring bedding :—-Arabis albida, Alyssum 
saxatile, A. Gemonense, Aubrietia Campbelli and other varie- 
ties, Anemone hortensis and A. Coronaria in variety, Phlox 
