HINTS ON FLOWER GARDENING. 
161 
| in ge with blue, yellow with purple, and the reverse ; and so on of the various tints 
, colour. This edging or bordering is an excellent plan when cold colours, as blue, 
: purple, are planted on grass, as it relieves or throws the colour up just the same 
a nicely shaded black ring on a sheet of paper makes the part within it look 
liter than the part outside. For illustration, a bed of Salvia patens on grass is, 
a distance of say two hundred yards, almost inconspicuous ; but surround the 
me bed with a broad margin of Calceolaria viscocissima , which is bright orange, 
d it directly bocomes bright and gay at a considerable distance. 
I In designing the garden, too much attention cannot be paid to introducing as 
uple forms as possible; for though scroll patterns and intricate tracery work 
ight be admired in years gone by, when gardens were more sought after for their 
jjrm than the plants which they contained — in these days, when the cultivation of 
Ipwers is the principal object, those forms of beds which are the most suitable for 
.at purpose must be preferred. Now, of all the forms for effect, there is certainly 
o thing equal to the circle or oval, or some modification of these, always preferring 
I ie curve or line of beauty; but, of all things, avoiding acute points, and too many 
might lines. Of course, if a geometrical garden has to be formed on a square 
ece of ground, and adjoining a square building, the boundary of the garden must, 
a great extent, partake of the form of the ground and surrounding objects; but, 
jj; a general rule, straight lines should be avoided as much as possible. Another 
reat fault in designing flower-gardens, especially in small places, is that of over- 
■owding the beds ; the effect of which is, that much ground is frittered away in 
alks and small beds, neither of which can by any possibility ever look well. We 
,itely re-arranged a garden, destroying upwards of thirty beds, and replacing them 
y eleven beds of good solid proportions, allowing plenty of space between the beds ; 
'ad the effect, now that the plants are in bloom, is much better than it ever before 
/as ; while at the same time, from the beds standing free and open, they are seen 
: ) greater advantage, and are also better adapted for the purposes intended. 
It is not enough, however, that the beds in a flower-garden should harmonise as 
o colour, but it is also requisite that harmony should go further than this, and that 
hey should correspond in height and character of plants : thus, we would not plant 
wo corresponding beds, one with scarlet Pelargonium, and the other with scarlet 
r erbena, for though in point of colour such an arrangement might be near enough, 
be effect would be discordant, inasmuch as the two beds would not entirely 
Correspond; therefore we should either plant both with Verbenas, or both with 
Pelargoniums. Small plants are admissible in large beds, but not tall plants in 
mall ones ; but, as a general rule, it is the best to let the height of the plant be 
proportionate to the size of the bed. 
When the plan of a garden is decided upon, and the arrangement made, number 
>ach of the beds, and in a book, opposite corresponding numbers, enter the names 
>f the several plants which each bed will require, allowing of strong growing plants 
wo to each square foot, and of smaller ones, such as Lobelia compacta, azurea, and 
VOL. XIV. — NO. CLXIII. 
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