50 



CASSELL'S POPULAE GAEDENING. 



rigidly formal pattern, -without their really appearing 

 so, solely hy reason of the informal style of planting 

 the haskets. 



These large hasket-beds are well suited to occupy 

 the most conspicuous positions in any type of 

 geometrical garden, and are every way an advance 

 on what may be termed the " stone and statuary 

 gardening," which is a far too invariable accom- 

 paniment to gardens of this character. The latter, 

 viewed from an architectural point of view, may be 

 in good taste, and quite proper, but so far as 

 gardening is concerned, deserve entire exclusion in 

 favour of the useful yet appropriate substitutes here 

 named. This same description of basket-bed may 

 be of any desired shape or size to suit any given 

 spot. We have them oval, round, and square, and 

 of various sizes. The round occupies a central 

 position on turf, surrounded with beds of circular 

 outline ; the square, the like position surroimded 

 with beds square in outline ; and the ovals serve 

 really as a set of beds to divide two other sets of beds 

 — oblongs and rounds — which T\n.thout such division 

 would present a depressingiy formal appearance. 



Soil and Planting.— It is almost needless to 

 add that good soil is of greater importance in vase 

 and basket culture than for flower-beds, the confined 

 space, exposure to sunshine, and other artificial con- 

 ditions, rendering good soil an imperative necessity. 

 A good holding loam and well-rotted cow-manure is 

 the best description of soil for nearly every kind of 

 flowering plant ; but all cannot obtain this descrip- 

 tion of soil, and it must therefore sufiice to say, use 

 the best at command. If light, press it the more 

 firmly together ; if poor, add a greater quantity of 

 manure ; and, above all, well drain. 



As to planting, or arrangement of plants, person- 

 ally we prefer mixtures both for vases and basket- 

 beas. A departure from this rule may, perhaps, be 

 desirable in regard to small vases, though even with 

 these we would never have less than two kinds of 

 plants — one for upright growth, and the other to 

 droop over the sides. This latter is a much-neg- 

 lected point in the furnishing of vases, but only 

 requires a very moderate amount of thought, or, 

 better still, a practical comparison of the two modes 

 — with and without drooping plants— to make the 

 practice general. 



The following are given as fair samples of mixtures 

 we would advise for the generality of vases : a tall 

 Fuchsia, surroimded with Pelargoniums, flowering 

 and variegated alternate, and edged with Ivy-leaved 

 Pelargonium to droop over the sides. Another : a 

 central plant of Grevillea robusta, surrounded with 

 scarlet and rose-coloured Pelargonimns, edged with 

 blue Lobelia and Felargonium Manglesii variegata 



alternate. Another : a central plant of variegated 

 Abutilon, surrounded with dark-flowered Fuchsias 

 and tall variegated Pelargoniums alternate, and 

 edged with scarlet Trojpfolum Lobbianum. Another : 

 a central plant of Albizzia lophantha, surrounded with 

 variegated Pelargonium (Lady Plymouth), and pink 

 Pelargonium (Christine), and edged with variegated 

 Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums and Yiola Blue-bell. 



Basket-beds being so much larger, the variety of 

 mixtures can be of unlimited extent, only great care 

 should be exercised in the disposition of the plants, 

 that when full-grown they may .present a somewhat 

 even balance as to height over the whole basket, the 

 highest point being at the centre. The planting of 

 the basket shown in the illustration is as follows : 

 the tall plants are Abutilons, Cannas, Marguerites, 

 and single Dahlias; the intermediate size being 

 Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Marvel of Peru, Petunias, 

 and Heliotropes ; the smaller and outer line of 

 plants are Lobelias, Verbenas, Violas, Stocks, Asters, 

 variegated Pelargoniums, &c. The drooping plants 

 are Tropaeolum, Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, Japanese 

 Honej'suckle, Cobaa scandens, Maiirandyana Bar- 

 clayana, and Clematis. 



These examples will suffice to show the manner of 

 arrangement of dressed vases and baskets; that of 

 rustic vases and baskets may be of a simpler de- 

 scription and of hardier plants, with a -sdew to 

 permanence of eflfect. Shrubs of the Retinospora or 

 Cupressus order may be used as centres, and the 

 edgings of Ivy, Periwinkles, Japanese Honeysuckle, 

 and Violas, whilst the handles may be climbing 

 Eosee, Clematis, and Tropaeolums ; scarlet Pelargo- 

 niums intermixed with these in the simimer season 

 are really all that is needed to make an excellent 

 summer drrangement. Should it be wished to plant 

 these rustic-formed beds with flowering plants, the 

 same as the more dressy baskets, they may of course 

 be so planted, but a few small shi'ubs dotted over 

 them, and variegated Ivy and Periwinkle as 

 droopers, ought to be used with the flowers, to bring 

 them into greater harmony with the surrounding 

 shrubs, which position, we repeat, is the best for 

 beds of this description. 



The winter arrangement of vases and baskets 

 must necessarily be done with shrubs of suitable size 

 and description, and by following out the same rule 

 of arrangement as for the summer, particularly in 

 regard to overhanging plants ; Ivies, Periwinkles 

 (Vincas), Japanese Honeysuckles, and Cotoneasters 

 being excellent plants for that purpose. 



Watering and Keep. — Good soil and perfect 

 arrangement are valueless if after-attention be want- 

 ing. The first requisite, after planting, is a good 

 watering to well settle the soil about the roots ; next 



