ON BEDDING PLANTS. 



205 



to produce a charming display. In planting round beds it is a 

 general rule to do so in circles,, using first one colour and then 

 another, alternately, say, a circle of white Arabis, then one of 

 yellow Alyssum, and then one of the blue Myosotis. Excellent 

 effect is, however, obtained by filling beds with distinct families 

 of plants ; for instance, a bed filled with mixed Polyanthuses in 

 various shaded of colour proves very attractive.; Wallflowers 

 might also be used in a similar way. 



The following are the most important of the spring-flowering 

 subjects suitable for bedding : 



Alyssums. — The Golden Alyssum (A. saxatile compaduni) 

 grows 6in. high, and in spring 'is covered with golden-yellow 

 flowers ; it contrasts charmingly with the white Arabis and blue 

 Aubrietia. 



Anemones. — Several of the Anemones are useful bedding 

 plants, including A. blanda, with deep blue flowers ; A. apennina, 

 with lovely light blue flowers ; and A. coronaria, with flowers 

 of various -shades of colour. This last-mentioned is one of the 

 parents of the "florists' Anemones," which are indispensable for 

 spring flowering ; the tubers 

 should be taken up, thoroughly 

 ripened, cleaned, and stored 

 away until planting time. 



Arabis albida (white Arabis). 

 is a compact plant, growing 

 6in. high, covered in spring 

 with a mass of white flowers. 

 The variety with variegated 

 foliage is suitable- as an edging 

 plant. 



Aubrietias. — These are 

 charming dwarf plants for spring 

 bedding, producing sheets of 

 flowers of various colours, in- 

 cluding blue, violet, purple, and 

 rose-red. A. deltoidea (Fig. 107) 

 has bluish flowers; A. Camp- 

 belli and A. grtzca have purple 



flowers, and are of neat and effective habit ; A. Leichtlinii is one 

 of the very best of the family, forming perfect sheets of reddish- 

 crimson flowers ; it is splendid for massing and for edgings. 

 The only drawback to the cultivation of Aubrietias for spring 

 bedding is that they are often in full flower when the beds 

 are required for the summer occupants, and they have there- 

 fore to be removed whilst they are doing good service ; they 



Fig. 107. — Aubrietia deltoidea. 



