10 
The Australasian Scientific Magazine. [August i, 1885, 
FLOWER GARDENING OF TO-DAY. 
BY 
E. L. A. 
We may say of the system of flower gardening that used to prevail years 
ago — of beds filled with plants bearing flowers of one colour, or riband 
lines, or beds divided into panels of blue, white, red, and pink — that it is now 
a thing of the past. It gave way to a system of gardening that is called 
mosaic or embroidered, in which succulents, very dwarf bedding plants, 
both flowering and foliaged, but mainly foliaged, played an important part. 
Flower gardeners appear to have tired somewhat of that, and the method 
now followed in places that may be assumed to take the lead in flower 
gardening is a kind of compromise between the two ; and we must admit 
that it is one of a valuable character. There is now to be seen much more 
of natural grace and beauty and less of formality than we used to perceive 
in flower gardens, and we are sincerely grateful for the change. During 
the summer we made a list of plants best suited to meet the new condition 
of things, and commencing with hardy plants suitable for edgings and 
groundwork, the frames, we may term them, which enclose the floral 
pictures, are as follows : — Herniaria glabra , Sedum acre elgans , Seduni 
ly diuni , Echeveria secunda glauca , Sent pe rvivitim montanum , S. calif or nicum, 
and Veronica rupestris . Of these all are hardy excepting Echeveria secunda 
glauca ; but it is a plant suffering more from wet than from frost, and all 
these are as useful for winter gardening as for summer decoration. There 
are several tender plants that can be used in the same way, but only during 
summer, and they should not be put out into the open ground until all 
danger from frost has passed away. They are : — Alternantheras in variety, 
pyrethrum golden feather (though in a general way this will stand through 
the winter), Mesembryanthemum cor difolium variegatum , Koniga variegata 
(an old plant too much neglected in these days), and Gnaphalium 
lanatum. Then there is a very useful group which we can appro- 
priately term “ dot ” plants — that is for planting among dwarf ones, 
to rise above them and develop themselves at a higher level. These 
are: — Acacia lophantha , Abutilons in variety. Grevillia robusta , Cen- 
taur a ragusina , Chamapeuce diacantha , C. eassabonce (the fish-bone 
Thistle), Lobelia fulgens , and its variety, Queen Victoria; Alee varie- 
gata ; Yucca alcefolia and Y, variegata. As there are many abutilons, 
we may state that the three best are Due de Malakoff, orange red ; Boule 
de Niege, white; and Lemonei, yellow. Now, no summer bedding of any 
kind may be said to be complete without what are popularly termed 
geraniums. The best variegated kinds are Sophia Dumaresque, Mrs. 
Pollock, the Shah, Marechal M’Mahon, Crystal Palace Gem, Robert Fish, 
Mrs. Laing, Prince Silverwings, Happy Thought, Princess Alexandra, May 
Queen, Flower of Spring, Lady Plymouth, aed Manglestii. Of the ordinary 
zonal types, the best are Waltham Seedling, Henri Jacoby, John Gibbons, 
