72 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



it is so easy to have such beds singularly varied and gay, because 

 of the material at the disposal of the gardener. Take, for in- 

 stance, hardy foliage plants. Who that has a stock of that 

 much neglected but singularly effective thing, the Golden 

 Valerian, but has found its clumps of foliage to be of striking 

 beauty in the early spring months. A few of these dotted here 

 and there in beds furnish most welcome colour ; very effective 

 also are the variegated conifers for this purpose. Then the well- 

 known ribbon grass, found plentiful enough in some old gardens 

 in huge clumps, is easily divided with a spade, and such clumps, 

 if medium size, planted in the autumn are most effective in 

 giving colour in the spring. Even the well-known variegated 

 cress, so easily raised from seed sown in the summer outdoors, 

 will, if planted in small clumps, give very effective patches of gold 

 for a long season. Most effective as a clump carpet is the too 

 little known golden-tipped Sedum which assumes so charming 

 an aspect in the early spring ; and Sedum glaucum is also of a 

 useful nature. There are two excellent members of the Arabia 

 family, albida variegata, silvery, and mollis varicgata, golden, 

 each hardy and pleasing, and if dark colours be needed, it is 

 easy to have strong plants of the claret-leaved Sweet William, 

 from a summer sowing of seed, or of the metallic-leaved Ajuga, 

 which is so hardy. Tbese are but a few of this section of very 

 hardy material useful for winter and spring bedding. As to 

 flowering plants, all hardy and blooming early, they are legion. 

 Earliest of all is the white Arabis, so often and unpleasantly seen 

 in great abundance in gardens, but which should be found only 

 in moderate clumps. How soon is this succeeded by the pretty 

 light blue Myosotis dissitiflora which flowers so profusely from 

 plants raised from seed sown in August. Clumps of this Forget- 

 me-not are so pleasing in the early spring. The several Aubrietias 

 also, how hardy they are, and established clumps lift and trans- 

 plant admirably in the autumn. A good cluster of Violacea or 

 Olympica, or of the reddish-flowered Leichtlini, some 12 inches 

 across when in bloom, is rendered most attractive when surrounded 

 by a natural edging of silvery Vine a, or indeed of any whitish - 

 leaved plant. These Aubrietias may be propagated readily through 

 the agency of young tips as cuttings in the early summer, or by 

 dividing the plants after they have bloomed, or by saving seed 

 and sowing as soon as ripe, the majority of the plants coming 



