FLOWER-GARDENS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS. 



265 



s. alba, Chionodoxa Lucillce, and C. sardensis; 

 Narcissi, Snowdrops, Violas of different colours, 

 double-flowered red and white Daisies, early 

 Wallflowers, Arabis albida, Aubrietias, Silene 

 pendida, Myosotis in variety, Ajuga reptans, 

 valuable for its deep -red foliage; Polyanthus 

 in variety, Primulas, Alpine Auriculas, and 

 numbers of other early-flowering herbaceous 

 plants, can be brought from the reserve garden 

 in the autumn as soon as the summer occupants 

 have lost their beauty, and occupy their places 

 until the time again comes round for planting 

 the summer bedders. Several culinary vege- 

 tables have been pressed into this service, in 

 the shape of Beet-root with coloured leaves for 

 the summer, and Kales variously coloured for 

 the winter; but with the abundance of flowering 

 plants that we possess, these vegetables, devoid 

 as they are of every association connected with 

 the idea of a flowering plant, are better left in 

 the kitchen-garden. 



Reserve Garden. — In every establishment where 

 the highest kind of flower-gardening is carried 

 out, the reserve garden, where these winter and 

 spring bedding-plants can be cultivated, is a 

 requirement that cannot well be dispensed with. 

 It should be in a somewhat sheltered spot, but 

 one which is not so confined by trees or build- 

 ings as to make the plants in any way drawn 

 or delicate. The soil should not be too rich, or 

 it will have a similar effect; it should also be 

 light in texture, so that the plants may be taken 

 up with their roots entire, and with good balls, 

 for this alone enables them to quickly become 

 established. 



Subtropical Garden.— As to subtropical plants, 

 these, as already intimated, must be placed 

 where they will be well sheltered from the 

 winds, otherwise it is of little use to attempt 

 their cultivation. If the immediate neighbour- 

 hood of the flower-garden proper affords this 

 necessary shelter, it will be an advantage to 

 have them near it, for the association with 

 flowering plants, of Palms, Aralias, Wigandias, 

 Tobaccos, Blue -gum, Ficus, Cannas, &c. ; the 

 quaint forms of the Agaves, Yuccas, Dasy- 

 lirions, Musas, and Dracaenas; and the grace- 

 ful elegance of Arundos, Zeas, Bamboos, Gy- 

 neriums, and a host of similar plants, will 

 afford a most desirable contrast to any stiffness 

 existing in the flower-garden. Where the 

 nature of the situation is such as to be suited 

 to the requirements of these plants, and they 

 can be introduced round the margins of the 

 space occupied by the flower-garden, these fine- 

 leaved subjects act as a sort of setting to the 



others, and very fine effects can thus be pro- 

 duced. In the use of subtropical plants, how- 

 ever, in whatever part of the country they are 

 employed, nothing should be introduced that 

 will not thrive and present a healthy appear- 

 ance, for the mere rarity of a plant, however 

 uncommon it may be, is but poor compensation 

 for an unsatisfactory condition of growth. No 

 plant should ever be tolerated in a garden that 

 is so far unsuited to the soil, situation, and 

 climate as to present an unhealthy appearance, 

 nor is it necessary to resort to such whilst 

 we possess such a wealth of fine plants from 

 which selections can be made that will succeed 

 in almost any situation that is suitable for a 

 garden. 



Hardy Perennial Garden. 1 — There is one effect 

 which the earlier methods of massing flowers 

 was instrumental in bringing about, and which 

 is very much to be regretted, namely, that in 

 many gardens it has almost driven out of culti- 

 vation the grand old herbaceous plants which 

 used to be cultivated, and amongst which may 

 be numbered hundreds of the most beautiful and 

 interesting garden plants — plants which furnish 

 a continuous succession of diverse flowers and 

 foliage from almost the dawn of the year to its 

 close. Amongst them may be named the whole 

 family of hardy bulbs, including the Scillas, 

 Erythroniums, Colchicums, Narcissi, Irises, Fri- 

 tillarias, Tigridias, Lilies, &c; and the still 

 more numerous families of fibrous-rooted and 

 tuberous-rooted perennials, such as Delphiniums, 

 Lathyrus, Iberis, Hepaticas, Hellebores, Gnapha- 

 liums, Geums, Gentianas, Gaillardias, Francoas, 

 Epimediums, Dodecatheons, Diely tras, Dianthus, 

 Chelones, Cheiranthi, Rockets, Aconites, Alys- 

 sums, Anemones, Antirrhinums, Aquilegias, 

 Campanulas, Aubrietias, Lychnises, Ly thrums, 

 Mimulus, Veronicas, Kniphofias, Funkias, Spi- 

 raeas, Silenes, Saxifrages, Ranunculuses, Pri- 

 mulas, Phloxes, and a host of others that by 

 their sterling merits force themselves, as it 

 were, upon the attention, and induce feelings 

 of surprise that plants, possessing such merits 

 as those of being hardy in our climate, and 

 requiring comparatively little attention, could 

 have ever been allowed to lapse into a state of 

 comparative neglect. 



The chief objection urged against these plants 

 is, that there are always to be found amongst 

 them some that are in process of ripening off 

 their stems and foliage, and whose well-being 

 will not admit of these being removed whilst 

 any vitality remains in them, so that they give 



!See also under Hardy Perennial and Alpine Plants. 



