ON BEDDING PLANTS. 169 



of beautiful subjects at his disposal is infinite, so that by a 

 judicious selection he may, during the summer, convert his 

 garden into a veritable fairyland. To attain this end he has the 

 choice of three distinct styles of summer bedding, viz. (i) 

 Ordinary summer bedding, '(2) Sub-tropical, and (3) Carpet 

 bedding, and for our purpose it will be best to deal with the 

 plants used in each style separately, beginning with : 



Ordinary Summer Bedding. 



Ageratums. — These are useful bedding plants, blossoming 

 continuously from June till October, or until destroyed by frost ; 

 they vary in height from 4m. to i5in. ; the flowers, which are 

 some shade of blue, or white, are lasting, and retain their colour 

 well. They are excellent plants either for edgings, for small 

 beds by themselves, or for mixing with Tricolor Pelargoniums, 

 &c. ; also as carpeting plants for Fuchsias or other tall-growing 

 subjects. Seeds may be sown in January or February in heat, 

 and the seedlings grown on in small pots and gradually hardened 

 off ready for planting out in June. They are also propagated 

 readily from cuttings at any season, a little bottom-heat being 

 beneficial. 



The dwarf varieties of Ageratum mexicanum are the kinds 

 generally used for bedding purposes, and the selection here 

 given may be relied upon. (See also " Half-hardy Annuals.") 

 Cupid is one of the best ; it grows about 9m. high, and is very 

 fioriferous, producing rich blue flowers, set off by bright green 

 foliage. Swanley Blue, ' 6in. to 9m. high, has very dark blue 

 flowers ; it is often used as an edging plant for beds of Varie- 

 gated Pelargoniums, in which position it is very effective. The 

 Zoo is a fine variety, 8in. or 9m. high, of compact habit ; it 

 bears large trusses of bright violet-blue flowers at the point of 

 every shoot. Albiflorum Nanum, 9m. high, has pure white 

 flowers, and makes a useful bedding plant. Cannell's Dwarf 

 grows only 3m. high, and yields an abundance of bright 

 lavender-blue flowers. Imperial Dwarf, Lady Jane, Countess of 

 Stair, Johannas Pfitzer, Le Geant, and Perle Bleu are all good 

 blue-flowered varieties ; whilst among the whites Enfant de Paris, 

 Tapis Blanc, Snowflake, and Candeur are excellent. 



Beet. — Several varieties of Beta vulgaris are used for bedding 

 on account of their highly-coloured crimson, dark purple, or 

 bronzy foliage. The seed may be sown in April or May in a 

 reserve bed, and the seedlings transferred to their permanent 

 quarters when required. Dell's Crimson is dealt with under 

 " Biennials." Victoria (Fig. 82) is an old and well-tried variety, 

 with foliage of a nice deep bronzy-red. Dracaena-leaved Beet is 



