AND THEIR SETTINGS. 
257 
with gladiolii ; and for the outside of the same bed, the CoUeiis 
verschafelti, alternated with the Lady Pollock geranium. Some 
years will be required to grow the evergreens named to the size 
that will make them appropriate centres for such a parterre. If a 
showy bed is required the first season without the use of either 
vase, basket, or evergreen tree-centre, the following plants may be 
suggested to effect it, viz. : for the centre, the Canria gigafitea 
auriantica, ten feet high; around it on a circle eighteen inches 
from the centre, the Ca 7 i 7 ia sangiiinea chatei^ six feet high, to be 
planted one foot apart in the circle ; next on a circle one foot 
further out, the Salvia argentea^ or the mountain-of-snow geranium, 
to be planted one foot apart in the circle ; for the next circle, 
one foot from the same, the Amaranthus melancholicus ruber^ a 
plant of deep-red foliage from one to two feet high ; and for the 
edge of the bed the fern-like low white-leaved Centaurea gymno- 
carpa ; or if plants of the latter are too expensive to use freely, 
make a border of the common Indian pink, or the blue lobelia. 
These plants, if successfully grown, will make a magnificent bed 
from midsummer till frost. For a display in the first half of the 
season, early blooming bulbous flowers must be relied upon. We 
have thus far considered only the central-bed of the group shown 
in Fig. 51, and have suggested various modes of treating it which 
would be equally applicable to a round bed of the size named, were 
it disconnected with the surrounding beds. For the small circular- 
beds, each alternate one may have a cluster of the Japanese striped 
maize in its centre ; the other four beds might have in their 
centres the Canna jiaccida^ the Nicotiana atropurpurea grandiflora^ 
the Canna gigantea splendidissima^ and the Wigandia caracasa?ia. 
Around their edges may be planted any well-foliaged flowering- 
plants which do not exceed nine inches in height, and a different 
species in each bed. The outside tier of beds are for low bedding 
flowers or annuals, which should not exceed fifteen inches in height 
for the centres, or more than six inches near the borders. 
Fig. 52 represents a circular-bed with one of the pendulous firs 
mentioned in a preceding page, in its centre, and such tall growing 
brilliant flowers as the Japan lilies and gladiolii next to it; a circle 
of petunias around them ; and creeping plants near the margin* 
17 
