Sep timber 2, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
197 
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COMING EVENTS 
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Crystal Palace Fruit and Da hi' a Shows (two days), 
11th Sunday after Trinity. 
[Show. 
Royal Horticultural’Society Committees at 11 am. Fruit and Dahlia 
Edinburgh Show. 
MIXED FLOWER BEDS. 
IFFERENT styles of beddiug plants in the flower 
garden have gained public favour at successive 
periods, have been brought into great promi¬ 
nence, only to be subsequently neglected, and 
in some cases after the lapse of a few years 
have been revived and resumed their former 
position in popular estimation. A remarkable 
example of this is afforded by the beds or 
borders of hardy flowers, which in the last 
century and early in this formed the principal portion of the 
floral attractions of the outdoor garden. The introduction 
of numerous exotics for bedding out in summer, and especially 
the rapid development of the Zonal Pelargoniums for such 
purposes, gradually displaced their hardy rivals, and the 
“mixed border” was relegated to som9 obscure position, or 
only received the attention it had previously enjoyed in some 
old gardens, the owners of which were not so readily affected 
by the changing fashion of the day, and who were reluctant 
to discard their old favourites for their more gaudy suc¬ 
cessors. As the massing system of bedding extended its 
advocates became proportionately opposed to the hardy plant 
beds which were stigmatised as weedy and ineffective, and 
it is quite probable that the unreasonable opposition thu 3 
offered to the former method of garden adornment, together 
with the undue patronage accorded to the tender plants, con¬ 
tributed in a great measure to the revival which commenced 
some years ago and has steadily proceeded ever since. 
Pelargoniums, Calceolarias, Lobelias, and similar plants 
with brightly coloured flowers are valuable for some posi¬ 
tions, and in moderation, but masses of beds furnished with 
such plants are very tiring, and, however the association of 
the colours may be varied, it is difficult to avoid monotony. 
The increasing number of Pelargonium beds led to the intro¬ 
duction of sub tropical beds of foliage plants as a kind of 
foil fo the brilliant colours of the others, but they are not 
usually adapted for the same positions as the flower beds, 
and from the taller habit of their occupants they require to 
be placed in the background unless they have a quarter 
specially devoted to them. For parks and large private 
gardens sub-tropical beds are admirable in suitable positions, 
but they are generally unfitted for the flower garden proper, 
except in wide expanses where there is plenty of space to 
isolate them and avoid close association with the others. 
In addition to the monotony and glare of flower gardens 
planted exclusively with occupants of the Pelargonium type 
there is another consideration which has tended to decrease 
the number of their admirers—namely, the expense attending 
propagation and housing sufficient stock for the next season’s 
display. This is a matter of great importance, and many 
gardeners are too well aware of the difficulties experienced in 
finding accommodation for the thousands of planes requisite 
to fill large flower gardens. Frames suitable for the purpose 
are never too numerous, and they are required in so many 
other ways in the spring that it is often a serious puzzle to 
provide for all. Where the demands for a summer display 
No. 323. —Vol. XIII., Third Series. 
of the ordinary bedding kind are urgent other plants too 
frequently have to suffer in order that space may be found 
for those that are being prepared to fill the beds. 
Such facts as these have induced many persons to try other 
plants either in combination with those of the Pelargonium 
type or alone, so as to reduce the number of tender occupants 
needed and to vary the attractions of the flower garden. It 
has been found that hardy and half hardy annuals and 
perennials of mauy kinds can be utilised in this way to excel¬ 
lent purpose, as they require much less time and attention 
in preparation, and a large number can be grown all the 
season out of doors, thus relieving the houses and frames 
of the winter crowding. Amateurs like the late Miss Frances 
Jane Hope, of Wardie Lodge, Edinburgh, were the first to 
sec the fashion in this respect, and it has now been taken up 
and followed in many private gardens, while in the past 
season or two the London parks have also shown some good 
examples of what can be done in this direction. In large 
establishments it would be impossible to dispense with 
Pelargoniums altogether, nor would it be desirable, but by 
introducing effective hardy and other plants a compro¬ 
mise is effected between the advocates of the two styles of 
bedding, and the results have been so satisfactory that the 
mixed system is likely to extend considerab’y. Most readers 
of the Journal are no doubt well acquainted with the style 
of bedding under notice, but a few remarks upon some of the 
most pleasing “ mixtures,” or best hardy plants to be thus 
employed, will furnish a few hints to those who may intend 
devoting a few beds to them next year, or increasing the 
number of those already occupied. 
The two principal ways in which the system is carried 
out is first to plant several distinct kinds together in one bed, 
either arranged in alternate diagonal lines or dotted over a 
groundwork of one kind, and second to devote beds to the 
seedling varieties of one species or strain like Phlox Drum- 
mondi, Zinnias, or Tuberous Begonias for example, tli9 
colours of which are greatly varied, and afford an agreeable 
mixture alone. In the first method Pelargoniums, Lobelias, 
Calceolarias—indeed all the ordinary tender bedding plants, 
are employed with hardy or half-hardy plants. For instance, 
a bed that early this season was very attractive had a ground¬ 
work of Fuohsia Golden Treasure pegged down, amongst 
which were scattered plants of Geum coccineum, Pansies of 
varied colours, and the variegated form of Carex riparia. 
Another bed with a mixture of Mignonette and purple Stocks 
margined with Iresine Herbsti and white Lobelias had been 
very satisfactory, though the dry hot weather has somewhat 
spoiled its beauty. Fuchsias of several varieties associated 
with Phlox Drummondi and Zonal Pelargoniums on a ground 
of dwarf white-leaved Centaureas or Cinerarias also have a 
good effect. A favourite combination, and one that has been 
employed for some time in the parks, is formed by planting 
Pelargonium Daybreak or Princess Alexandra in alternate 
lines with Iresine Lindeni and Viola cornuta, or any 
moderately tall blue-flowered variety, like Blue Bell, which 
is very useful for the purpose. The Violas have also been 
used with Pelargonium Mrs. Pollock or any of the bright 
tricolor and silver edged varieties. Pelargonium Robert 
Fish and Iresine Herbsti or Lindeni has a distinct appear¬ 
ance, as also have Pel. Stella variegata and Iresine Lindeni, 
Pel. Manglesi variegatum and Verbena venosa, or the last- 
named with Centaureas or Cinerarias as a groundwork, and 
taller plants of Abutilon marmoratum. Lobelia fulgens is a 
handsome plant for mixed beds, and has a grand effect when 
rising from a ground of some white or grey-leaved plant, such 
as Centaureas, Cerastiumtomento3um,orMesembryanthemum 
cordifolium variegatum, with the addition perhaps of a few 
Violas of the Blue Bell type. Beds in which many kinds of 
plants are associated do not as a rule look so well as those 
with a few boldly contrasted or agreeably harmonised. 
Occasionally, however, an effective bed may be formed, and 
an example of this was one in which the foundation comprised 
No. 1979 —Vol. LXXV., Old Series 
