192 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



spoiled by the strong growers running into and smothering the 

 weaker subjects, and the bed present the appearance of 

 disorder and neglect. At the present day a decided improve- 

 ment in the art of carpet bedding is to be seen in many of 

 our large public parks and other places ; this consists of a freer 

 use of tall, graceful subjects, suitable for associating with the 

 typical carpet-bedding plants ; and in this way many pleasing 

 effects are produced. 



Carpet bedding should not be done until about the middle 

 of June. The beds ought to have been dug over about a 

 fortnight previously and left to solidify ; they will then only 

 require to be made moderately firm and to have the surface 

 soil raked smooth and even at the time of planting. The design 

 is then transferred to the beds by drawing lines in the soil. 

 Circles may easily be drawn by fixing a stick firmly in the 

 centre of the bed and looping a piece of string over it, then by 

 attaching another stick to the string at the distance required^ 

 the circles may be drawn correctly. When all the lines are 

 drawn they are traced with a little dry silver-sand, so as to make 

 them more distinct for the operator. Planting then commences : 

 the tall dot plants are put in first, then the leading lines^ 

 and afterwards the intermediate spaces or panels are filled in. 



As the majority of the plants are very small, and have to be 

 planted quite close together, a narrow, pointed trowel is used ; or 

 the trowel may be dispensed with altogether and the work done 

 with the fingers. The soil is made fairly firm around them, and 

 a good watering given immediately after planting. If dry, hot 

 weather sets in, the beds must have occasional waterings through- 

 out the summer. The dwarf plants will also require pinching at 

 frequent intervals so as to keep them dwarf. 



Irrespective of the popular carpeting plants mentioned below, 

 there are numerous others belonging to the sub-tropical and 

 ordinary summer-bedding class that are available either as dot 

 or centre plants in connection with carpet bedding. Of these, 

 the following may be mentioned : Abiitiloji Thomsoni^ Agaves, 

 Fatsia {Araiia) Sieboldi, Centaureas, Coleus, Dracana anstralis^ 

 Iresines, Perillas, and Yuccas. 



The following list of plants includes the best of those 

 most commonly grown for carpet bedding. The Saxifrages, 

 Sempervivums, and Echeverias may be allowed to flower if it is 

 desired ; but generally the flowers are pinched out. All the 

 other plants are grown exclusively for their foliage. 



