THE FLOWER BORDER IN AUGUST 77 



people are shy of these capital plants, perhaps because 

 the mixtures, such as are commonly grown, contain 

 rather harsh and discordant colours ; also perhaps 

 because a good many of the kinds, having been pur- 

 posely dwarfed in order to fit them for pot-culture 

 and bedding, are too stiff to look pretty in general 

 gardening. Such kinds will always have their uses, 

 but what is wanted now in the best gardening is 

 more freedom of habit. I have a little space that 

 I give entirely to China Asters. I have often had 

 the pleasure of showing it to some person who pro- 

 fessed a dislike to them, and with great satisfaction 

 have heard them say, with true admiration : " Oh ! 

 but I had no idea that China Asters could be so 

 beautiful." 



It is only a question of selection, for the kinds are 

 now so many and the colourings so various that there 

 are China Asters to suit all tastes and uses. My own 

 liking is for those of the pure violet-purple and lavender 

 colours, with whites ; and to plants with these clear, 

 clfean tints my Aster garden is restricted. In other 

 places I grow some of the tenderer pinks, a good blood- 

 red and a clear pale yellow ; but these are kept quite 

 away from the purples. The kinds chosen are within 

 the Giant Comet, Ostrich Pltraie and "Victoria classes — 

 all plants with long-stalked bloom and a rather free 

 habit of growth. For some years I was much hindered 

 from getting the colours I wanted from the inaccurate 

 way in which they are described in seed-lists. Finally 

 I paid a visit to the trial-grounds of one of our premier 

 seed-houses, and saw all the kinds and the colourings 



