THE GROWING OF THE ORNAMENTAL PLANTS 229 
Some bedding is very temporary in its effect. Especially 
is this true of spring bedding, in which the subjects are tulips, 
hyacinths, crocuses, or other early-flowering bulbous plants. 
In this case, the ground is usually occupied later in the season 
by other plants. These later plants are commonly annuals, the 
seeds of which are sown amongst the bulbs as soon as the season 
is far enough advanced; or the annuals may be started in boxes 
and the plants transplanted amongst the bulbs as soon as the 
weather is fit. 
Many of the low-growing and compact continuous-flowering 
annuals are excellent for summer bedding effects. There is a 
list of some useful material for this purpose on page 249. 
Plants for subtropical effects (Plates IV and V). 
The number of plants suitable to produce a semitropical 
mass or for the center or back of a group, which may be readily 
grown from seed, is limited. Some of the best kinds are i~- 
cluded below. 
It will often be worth while to supplement these with others, 
to be had at the florists, such as caladiums, screw pines, Ficus 
elastica, araucarias, Musa E'nsete, palms, dracenas, crotons, and 
others. Dahlias and tuberous begonias are also useful. About 
a pond the papyrus and lotus may be used. 
Practically all the plants used for this style of gardening are 
liable to injury from winds, and therefore the beds should be 
placed in a protected situation. The palms and some other 
greenhouse stuff do better if partially shaded. 
In the use of such plants, there are opportunities for the 
exercise of the nicest taste. A gross feeder, as the ricinus, in 
the midst o a bed of delicate annuals, is quite out of place; and 
a stately, royal-looking plant among humbler kinds often makes 
the latter look common, when if headed with a chief of their 
own rank all would appear to the best advantage. 
Some of the plants much used for subtropical bedding, and 
