532 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Only in the middle portion of the border should this riot of colour 

 be allowed, for there only does it look really in place. 



I have heard a good deal of various forms of colour schemes, one in 

 particular which represents a border beginning, say, with 10 feet of 

 white, 10 feet of blue, 10 feet of red, and so on, with various colours 

 all down the border. I do not think this can represent an effective 

 colour scheme. To my mind it rather gives one the idea of a patch- 

 work quilt than anything else. 



As regards the staking, the best thing I know of is pea sticks, with 

 the small branches left or only trimmed to shape — stakes that have 

 not been cut too long, so that they will bend, and not break easily. 



It is well, before an attempt is made to stake the border, to have 

 bundles of these sticks cut in different lengths, pointed, and distributed 

 according to the length required to each clump ; now follow on, put in 

 the sticks firmly, tie round with tarred twine, and shorten back the 

 sticks to the flowering height of the plants. 



If the gardener has a real knowledge of the plants, this can 

 in most seasons be judged to a nicety. If carefully done, and at 

 exactly the right time, within a fortnight very little of the sticks 

 will be showing, and by the time the border is in bloom not 

 one will be visible. It has this advantage over the staking of the 

 plants when they have arrived at the flowering stage, that the 

 habit of growth is unaltered, whereas to attempt to tie up when in 

 bloom very often gives the impression of tying up a sheaf of corn. 



The large family of Phlox decussata one might describe as opening 

 the season of autumn-flowering plants, and there is no other family 

 that gives such a tone to the border. Perhaps a few of the best 

 varieties are the following : — 



The Dahlia is another of these plants that has had a wide popularity, 

 but though, perhaps, tending to yield its place to more pleasing 

 subjects, has lately taken a renewed lease of life through what are 

 known as the Paeony-flowered varieties. The softer and self-coloured 

 ones are charming, though I cannot admire the more gaudy ones. 



Another plant that deserves a place in my esteem is Romneya Coulteri 

 (the Californian Poppy), apparently found very difficult to grow. I 



' Frau Ant. Buchner ' 

 ' La Fiancee ' 

 ' Adonis ' 



' Elizabeth Campbell ' 



' Pantheon ' . 



' Rijnstroom ' 



' Gen. Van Heutsz ' 



' Selma 9 



pure white, 

 pure white, 

 soft pink, 

 soft pink, 

 deep pink, 

 rich salmon 

 cerise. 



pale pink with 



'Iris' . 



' Le Mahdi ' . 



' Africa ' 



carmine centre, 

 violet, 

 deep violet, 

 carmine-purple. 



