242 
THE AMATEUR’S FLOWER GARDEN. 
>lun ging, as shown in the second diagram, why not plant 
C and 6 with groups of hollies, or, if equally convenient (as it 
1 
2 
3 . v 
4 
5 
6 7 
8 
9 
10 
may he in a peat district), with hardy rhododendrons and 
azaleas, or with pampas grasses and tritomas, and a few 
other such striking and graceful plants, reserving the four 
1 
3 
5 
6 
8 
10 
ou -.side beds for the flowers. This diagram does not illustrate 
any body’s garden, but is intended to explain how easily the 
way to reform may be found by those who have reforming 
ten dencies. 
Plunging in common earth, that is to say, in the soil of 
the .place, is possible, but not desirable. So we may use saw¬ 
dust, or old tan, or even moss, or coal ashes. But there is 
nothing half so good as the cocoa-nut-fibre refuse; it is always 
clea. n and moist, never wet, never dry, pleasing to look at (as 
befoire remarked upon), harbours no vermin, and a lady 
caref ul of her hands may work at plunging pots in it, and 
scar cely find one stain upon her fingers when the work is 
don e. The next best thing is tan ; the next best, moss. 
Plu nging in mould is allowable, but not advisable; but coal 
ash es are simply filthy, and to adopt them in the “ plunging 
sy stem, 1 ’ that is, as an element in a decorative system, is 
h eresy. With cocoa-nut and tan there is no need at all to 
make provision for the drainage of the pots, but in plunging 
in common mould or coal ashes, it is necessary to place a 
brick, or an empty inverted pot, under every pot containing 
a plant, to prevent the plant becoming water-logged, and also 
to keep out worms. 
The question now is about the formation of the plunge 
beds. In places where stone or wooden edgings are already 
