Book II. PLANTING THE FLOWER-GARDEN. 



799 



flowers, which may be distinguished by the term of * The Mingled Flower Garden,' it is essential that 

 the separate parts should, in thi'ir appearance, constitute a whole ; and this appearance is not incom. 

 patibla with any form into which the ground may be thrown, if attention be given to the manner of 

 planting. In some gardens this appearance of a whole is entirely destroyed by the injudicious taste of 

 setting apart distinct bordt-rs for pmks, hepaticas, primulas, or any other" favorite kinds of flowers; also 

 for difFerent species of bulbs, as anemones, ranunculuses, hyacinths, &c. ; these distinct borders, although 

 beautiful in themselves, break that whole which should always be presented to the eye by the mingled 

 flower-garden, as single beds, containing one species only, form a blank before that species produces its 

 flowers, and a mass of decaying leaves wiien the glow of their petals is no more. The reverse of this 

 mo ie of planting is essential to the perfection of ihe mingled flower-garden, in each border of which 

 there siiould l)e, at least, two of every species ; but the pi'ecise number must be regulated by the force of 

 color displayed by the plant, and tiie size and the relative position of the borders. It will be only neces- 

 sary to observe that, to whatever view the garden presents itself, the eye should not be checked by the 

 failure, in any part of it, of the prevalent colors of the season." (p. 5.) 



'6114 Hogg, who maybe considered an unprejudiced observer of the diflTerent tastes in disposing of 

 flowers, ha.s'the following remarks : " We are apt to ridicule the Dutchman, as well as the imitators of 

 him here at home, who divide their gardens into small beds, or compartments, planting each with sepa- 

 rate and distinct flowers : we ridicule the plan, because it exiiibits too great a sameness and formality; 

 like unto the nosegay that is composed of one sort of flowers only, however sweet and beautiful they may 

 be, they lose the power to please, because they want var.ety. It must undoubtedly be acknowledged, 

 that a parterre, no matter in what form, whether circular or square, elliptical or oblong, where all the 

 shrubs, plants, and flowers in it, like the flowers of a tastefully arranged bouq.:et, are variously disposed 

 in neat and regulated order, according to their height and color, is a delightful spectacle, and worthy of 

 general imitation. Yet still in some particular cases I am disposed to copy the Dutchman, and I would 

 have my bed of hyacinths distinct, my tulips distinct, my anemonies, my ranunculuses, my pinks, my 

 carnations distinct," and even my beds of hollyhocks, double blue violets, and dwarf-l.irkspurs' distinct, to 

 say nothing ot hedge-rows of different sorts of roses lnciei)t'ndent of the less trouble you have in cul- 

 tivating them when kept separate, you have beauty in masses, and you iiave likewise their fragrance 

 and perfume so concentrated, that they are not lost in air, but powerfully inhaled when you approach 

 them. Mrs. Siddons, the celebrated tragic actress, is a great admirer of this mode of planting, and fond 

 of contemplating this ' beauty in masses.' She adopted this style of gardening at her late residence on the 

 Harrow-road. Her favoriie flower was the viola amosna-, the common purple heart's-ease, and this she 

 set with unsparing profusion all around her garden. Her garden was remarkable in another respect, and 

 migh', with great propriety be styled a garden of evergreens, which, together with a few deciduous 

 shrubs, were of the most sombre, sable, and gloomy cast, such as box-trees, fir, privet, phillyrea, arbor 

 vitae, holly, cypress, the red cedar, laurel, Irish ivy, bay-tree, arbutus, spurge-laurel, &c. The only part 

 of the year in which it could be viewed with any degree of satisfaction was the winter, as giving rise to a 

 - pleasing association of ideas in beholding these retain their green verdure and clothing, at a time when 

 the rest of the surrounding trees were stript naked and bare." {Tr. on Flowers, 69.) 



6115 To give an example of the manner of planting a bed or border in the mingled style, suppose the 

 various colors of flowers-to be all included under the four common colors, red, white, blue, and yellow j 

 that for the time of blowing, we allow February and March as one division, March and April as a second. 

 May and June as a third, July as a fourth, August as a fifth, and September and October as the sixth and 

 last. Then suppose the border, or bed admits of four rows in witlth ; the lowest plants to be placed next the 

 ■walk, or the eye of the spectator, and the tallest at the back in regular gradation. Mark out the border 

 in rows length-ways and across, so as each plant may stand in the angle of a square, whose side is, say 

 eighteen inches. Then begin at the first row {fig. 552. a), and fix on the order in which the plants are to 

 be placed as respects their time of flowering. To distrioute the plants in flower at one time as equally as 

 possible over the border, the order of 1, 6, 3, 5, 2, 4, will, it is believed, be found the best. Next, fix as 

 to the order of colors ; and here it is of little consequence what order is fixed on, provided that order be 

 maintained throughout the border : say that we adopt the order of red white, blue, and yellow ; then 

 the first row to be of the lowest plants will stand thus : h: Gw. 3b 5jj. 2r. iiv. : that is, a red flower to 

 come into bloom in February and March ; next to it, a white flower to come into bloom in September and 

 October ; next, a blue flower to come into bloom in May and June ; then a yellow flower to come into 

 bloom in August ; then a red flower to come into bloom in April and May ; and lastly, a white flower to 

 come into bloom in July. The second, third, and fourth rows, (/;, c, d) are to be arranged in the same 

 way, observing, however, not begin with the same month and color for the sake of more effectually 

 mingling the times of flowering and color of the flowers. Where roses or other shrubs are to be intro- 

 duced, a plant must be omitted, which, however, should not be allowed to derange the order of the rest, 



552 



a 1>- 6iv 36 by 2i- itv 16 By 3r bw "ib 4y Ir 6iv 36 5^ 2r 4»» Ir 6n/ 3ft 



b Ir 6w 36 5y 2r 4n> 16 6y 3i- 5tv 26 4y Ir 6tv 36 5^ 2r 4w 16 Gy 3r 5tv 2A 



c Ir 6rv 36 5y 2r 4m 16 6y 3r 5m 26 iy Ir 6w 36 5y Ir \m 16 6i/ 3r 5;i; 26 iy \r 



d Ir 6w 36 5y 2r in' 16 6^ 3r 5iv 26 4y Ir 6m 36 5y 2r 4w 16 6y 3r 5iv 26 iy Ir Gtu 36 



e Ir 6w 36 by 2r 4rv 16 6y 3r 5w 36 4y Ir 6w 36 by 2r 4ru 16 6j/ 3r 5rv 24 4y 



J Ir 6n» 36 by Ir 4m 16 6^ 3r bm 26 4y Ir 6iu 36 by 2r 4rv 16 Gy 3r 5)» 



g Ir Gm 36 by 2r 4rtJ 16 6,v 3i- bru 26 4y Ir Gw 36 by 2r 4w 16 Gy 



h Ir 6ni 36 by 2r 4tv 16 Gy 3r brv 26 4y Ir Gw 36 by 2r 4w 



6116. If a double border, with a walk on each side {fig. 552. atok) a bed-group, or compartment on a 

 lawn, to be viewed on aU sides, is to be planted, then it is only necessary to fix on the number of rows, 

 and to keep the lowest plants in the margin and the tallest in the centre, adhering in the rows, to the 

 order of time, and of colors given above, or to any order that may be fixed on, and inserting shrubs in 

 lieu of plants where it may be deemed advisable. 



6117. Flowers in borders should alwat/s be planted in rows, or in some regular form, and that this ap. 

 pearance should be assiduously kept up bv trimming off all irregular side-shoots and straggHng stalks, 

 and reducing the bulk of plants which grow too fast. Every approach to irregularity and a wild, con- 

 fused, crowded, or natural-like appearance, hiust be avoided in gardens avowedly artificial. 



6118. With four colors, four sixes, and six times of coming into flower, a mingled border may be com- 

 menced with ninety-six sorts ; and the pattern may be repeated like the border of any work of art ad in- 

 finitum; but it is also evident, that it may include any number of species, provided these have the de- 

 sired requisites of height, color, and time of flowering ; the second and every successive repetition of the 

 pattern being made up of difFerent, and not before-introduced species, but still of the heights, colors, and 

 time-.< of flowering required for the first example of the pattern. The safest way, however, as we hav« 



