40 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
producing a delightful confection of dainty or vivid colouring. 
Apart from their pleasing beauty, such plants are less expensive 
and troublesome to produce, and hence more within the means 
of the average amateur as regards cost and easiness of 
production. 
Spring bedding, too, is less formal than it used to be. 
Instead of the beds being planted with hardy bulbs only, and 
the surface left bare until spring, the modern idea is to grow 
between the bulbs such plants as Polyanthuses, Primroses, 
Forget-me-nots, Alyssum saxatile, Arabis alpina FI. PI., 
Aubrietias, Silene pendula compacta, and Wallflowers. These 
relieve the surface of the beds of their bare appearance in 
winter, and in spring form a pleasing green carpet to the bulbs 
as well as either accompany or follow them with a display of 
attractive flowers. Combinations of blue Forget-me-nots and 
white Tulips ; pink Tulips and mauve or lavender Aubrietias ; 
yellow Tulips and Silene compacta; yellow Daffodils and 
white Arabis are ravishingly beautiful. 
Another charming way of rendering flower beds interesting 
in winter and attractive in early spring, is to plunge small 
shrubs in their pots of Green and Golden Box, Golden 
Euonymuses, Green-leaved Cupressus lawsoniana, Euony- 
muses, and Veronica Traversi, also variegated Tree Ivies, in 
the soil, and plant between Daffodils, Muscaris, Scillas, 
Snowdrops and other bulbs. The shrubs can be removed 
late in spring and be re-plunged in a spare border until 
required again the following autumn. 
Beautifying Walls and Fences. — Bare walls and 
fences are a decided eyesore, and greatly detract from the 
charm of the garden beautiful. In furnishing a garden, 
therefore, with vegetation, these should come in for special 
consideration. Happily there is no lack of suitable material 
for their beautification. Lofty house walls can be furnished 
with a garniture of Climbing Roses, Jasmines, Clematises, 
Ivies, Honeysuckles, etc., and, indeed, the same may be said 
of fences, or the walls of buildings generally that come within 
the view of the garden. 
Walls that face the south will form a genial home for such 
climbers and shrubs as Banksian, Alister Stella Gray, 
Lamarque, Reve d'Or and Tea Rambler Roses; Clematis 
