SUMMER BEDDING— PLANTS FROM CUTTINGS. 



205 



thinly over the surface with a view to relieving the stiffness that would otherwise 

 prevail. When bulbs alone are planted, there is an objectionable bareness about the 

 beds all the winter, and either carpeting plants with ornamental foliage or flowering 

 plants that would harmonize with their colours should be associated with them. 



SUMMER BEDDING. 



Much of the brightness observable in the majority of flower gardens and pleasure 

 grounds during the summer is due to the employment of many, more or less beautiful, 

 tender plants in their adornment. As already intimated, the rage for formal bedding 

 has subsided in favour of a freer and bolder arrangement of plants generally. 

 Zonale pelargoniums and calceolarias will never be wholly banished from the flower 

 garden, as they are considered essential for giving the requisite amount of colour for 

 its enlivenment. They are in great demand for the frontages of suburban villas in 

 summer, as colour is blended with neatness in habit, and the flowering is continuous 

 during the season. There is room for them in gardens generally, though in less over- 

 whelming numbers than of old, and if they do not oust out other beautiful, if scarcely 

 such showy kinds, no harm will result. The aim should be to cultivate a selection of 

 plants that will comprise some that are the most reliable in hot and dry seasons ; 

 such, for instance, as zonale pelargoniums, petunias and antirrhinums, and also others 

 that are to be seen at their best during a dull, showery summer, in which category 

 tuberous begonias, fuchsias, verbenas, and violas may be placed. "With the flowering 

 plants ought to be associated a variety of fine-foliage d kinds, these affording an 

 agreeable contrast, and imparting additional interest to the garden. The majority of 

 the most serviceable summer bedding plants are raised from cuttings, and a portion 

 of these can, as will be shown, be raised from seed. 



Flowering Plants frOxM: Cuttings. 



These will be taken in alphabetical order, and the fullest cultural details given those 

 to which the greatest importance is attached. 



Ageratum mexicanuji. — Mexico. The type attains 

 a height of 18 inches : colour lilac blue. Im- 

 provements in the direction of dwarfing the plants 

 are constantly forthcoming. The following are 

 good forms : — Cupid, height 3 inches, colour rich 

 blue ; Enfant de Paris, compact, white ; Lady 

 Jane, an improvement on Imperial Dwarf, por- 



celain blue ; and the Queen, silvery grey, each 

 9 inches ; Swanley Blue, 6 to 8 inches, deep blue ; 

 and Snowflake, 6 to 9 inches, white. Ageratums 

 are largely used as edgings for beds of taller- 

 growing plants, the most compact varieties being 

 also occasionally used for carpeting purposes. 

 They are of extremely easy culture. Soft young 



