2o8 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



of . colour, the chief being golden-yellow and blood-red. Seed 

 may be obtained in carefully selected strains from any of our 

 nurserymen. {See " Biennials.") 



Winter Bedding-. 



This is a style of bedding which is very little practised, it 

 usually being the custom to fill the beds with bulbs and other 

 hardy subjects in the autumn for spring display, and the con- 

 sequence is that throughout the dull dark days of winter the 

 beds present a very bare and uninteresting appearance. 



When they are at some distance from the house, or in 

 parts of the garden little frequented in winter, this prevailing 

 bareness does not matter much ; but when the beds are on the 

 lawn immediately in front of the house, as is often the case, it 

 is evident that they ought to be filled with plants of some sort,, 

 so as to make a show during the winter. 



Taking into consideration that the beds are required for 

 summer occupants, and therefore cannot be planted with 

 permanent subjects, it is obvious that those selected to 

 fulfil the requirements of winter bedding, must be such that wilt 

 bear transplanting well, and at the same time they must be 

 perfectly hard)^ The plants that possess these essentials are 

 undoubtedly our hardy evergreen shrubs and small Conifers, and 

 seeing what a wealth of these subjects are now in our possession, 

 it is a pity that they are not more used for the decoration of 

 beds in winter. Of course, if spring bedding is to be 

 adopted in its entirety, winter bedding is impossible : but why 

 not come to a compromise between the two systems, and have 

 a little of both ? For instance, some of the beds might be 

 filled with hardy evergreens, and the remainder with spring, 

 bedding-plants ; the effect would then be materially improved, 

 for during the winter the evergreens would enliven the scene to- 

 a certain extent, whilst in the spring, when they were making 

 their new growth, and the spring-bedders were at the zenith of 

 their beauty, the effect would be charming. If the evergreens 

 are grown in pots for this purpose, it is only necessary to- 

 plunge them in the beds in the autumn, and to remove 

 them in the spring. The best place for them during the 

 summer is in the reserve garden, plunging them in soil or 

 ashes, and taking care that they do not suffer for want of 

 water. Growing in pots is a good method, for, their roots, 

 being restricted, they do not grow so freely, and they are 



