ON BEDDING PLANTS. 



183 



effective in beds, especially when mixed with some contrasting 

 colour, such as is supplied by the Silver-Leaved Pelargoniums ; 

 it is of branching habit, and answers well when pegged down. 

 There are also several named varieties which are very useful for 

 bedding purposes, such as Crimson King, of fine habit, having 

 bright crimson flowers with white eyes ; Purple King, an old and 

 well-known variety with purple flowers ; and V. Melindres splendens, 

 with brilliant scarlet flowers. Most of our nurserymen also 

 advertise choice mixed seed, producing beautiful shades of white, 

 rose, scarlet, blue, and purple flowers, so that no difficulty will 

 be experienced in obtaining a fine selection of these deservedly- 

 popular bedding-plants. The flowers of the last-named are in 

 close, compact heads. 



Sub=Tropical Bedding. 



The introduction of large-foliaged, stately, sub-tropical plants 

 into our flower-gardens during the summer months has been 



Fig. 89. — Gynerium argenteum. 



arranged so as to enable us, as it were, to obtain faint glimpses 

 of the grandeur of tropical vegetation. In this style of bedding 



