DEVOTED TO 



THOMAS MEEHAK", 

 W. G. P. BRIJSTCKLOE, 



Editor. 

 Publisher, 



FEBRUARY, 1867. 



VOL. IX. '-NO. 2. 



FLOWER-GAHDEi^ AMD PLEASURE- 

 GROUND. 



In many, particularly in small places, there are 

 not near enough flowers planted to make the garden 

 enjoyable. It is considered " too much trouble ;" 

 and hence the inquiry ever is for something that 

 will "bloom all the time." But the misfortune is 

 that these perpetual blooming plants seldom con- 

 tinue freely in flower more than a couple of months, 

 and the flower beds are therefore flowerless in early 

 spring, and indeed till near midsummer ; — while, 

 again, many things from some accidents die out 

 early, and leave the beds bare before the end of the 

 floral season. A little less fear of trouble would 

 remedy the defect. An article, last month, showed 

 how Gladioluses, Tuberoses, and other plants could 

 be had in a succession that would make a bed really 

 everblooming, — and a little thought will suggest 

 other arrangements with other plants. Spring- 

 blooming bulbs, such, for instance, as Snowdrops, 

 Crocuses, Hyacinths, &c., could be arranged to 

 flower early. Tigridias, Tulips, and Grladioluses 

 come later, and between those low spreading plants 

 that bloom profusely. 



It is a fashion, now coming into popularity, to 

 have masses of low flowering shrubs, on the lawn, 

 which "flower at a certain season, and then to plant 

 in Spring, between them, other things that will run 

 up beyond them, and flower when the shrubs are 

 not in bloom. 



We saw, last year, a mass of Mahonias which, in 

 this region, bloom beautifully in May, between them 

 were planted, thickly, Gladiolus Brenchleyensis, 

 which made a very pretty show, pushing up through 



the green Mahonias after they were done flowering. 



The Tritoma uvaria could also be introduced into 

 such a place; or the Hollyhock, and very pretty re- 

 sults be obtained. But a little "trouble" has to be 

 taken to do this. Between the plants of Mahonias 

 a piece, a spade square and as much deep, must be 

 taken out every year, and new soil filled in, or the 

 roots of the Mahonias would make the earth too 

 dry and too poor. In doing this a few roots of the 

 Mahonias will be mutilated ; but it seems to do 

 them no injury ; on the contrary, the addition of 

 new soil seems to more than compensate for the loss 

 of roots. 



There are many other dwarf shrubs that would 

 do well to form pretty effects of this kind, with, as 

 for instance: — Deutzia graciUs, white, to bloom in 

 June; Hypericum Kalmianum, to bloom in Septem- 

 ber ; Spirsea Douglassi, pink, August ; Yucca fila- 

 mentosa, white, blooming in July ; Callicarpa pur- 

 purea, violet berries, in October ; Azaleas, yellow, 

 pink and white, May and June, and others. 



Shrubs, at any rate, are not near enough em- 

 ployed in decorating small places. By a judicious 

 selection, a place may be had in a blooming state 

 all the year ; and they, besides,give it a greater in- 

 terest, by their variety, than is obtained by the too 

 frequent error of filling it up with but two or three 

 forest trees of gigantic growth. Plant thickly at 

 first, to give the place a finished appearance, and 

 thin out as they grow older. Masses of shrubs have 

 a fine eff'ect on a small place. The centre of such 

 masses should be filled with Evergreen shrubs, to 

 prevent a too naked appearance in the winter sea- 

 son. Evergreen trees may be made into shrubs by 

 having the leading shoots taken out several times in 

 a season. 



Pruning and training should, of course, be fin- 

 ished at once. In tying up vines and climbers to 

 wire trellises, or, indeed, any kinds of trellises, on 

 porticoes and piazzas, they should never be allowed 

 to entwine themselves in and about the meshes. 

 It is often necessary to take off the plant to paint, 

 repair, or do something with the trellis or vine, and 



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