May 10, 1894. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
355 
M ay is a busy month in the flower garden, the embellishment of 
which brings forth the characteristic tastes of many gardeners. 
There may be less utility derivable from this department than from 
any other portion of a garden, but it gives ample scope to the 
artistic mind, and affords much pleasure to the observer when 
properly carried out. How this should be done is, to a very great 
extent, a personal matter. Conventional methods are practised in 
numerous private gardens, the changes wrought each season being, 
in some instances, hardly perceptible ; but there is no legitimate 
reason why these should be persistently followed. A turning aside 
from the well-worn track is frequently welcomed and productive of 
good, even though it be of a slight character. Many gardeners who 
are now busily engaged preparing for “ bedding out ” may therefore 
do worse than to take a second thought prior to commencing 
operations. Much, of course, depends on the circumstances of each 
case and the material that is forthcoming, but the remarks that 
follow may prove suggestive to some readers of the Journal of 
Horticulture, particularly to young gardeners who are responsible 
for the judicious adornment of flower gardens. 
With regard to what is known as the flower garden proper— 
that is, a series of beds more or less geometrical in design, it is the 
general rule to fill this section with summer-blooming plants imme¬ 
diately the spring flowers are past their best. It will not be long 
ere the latter have done their work for the season, inasmuch 
as many of the plants are already commencing to fade, and 
the sooner they are removed the better. When this is accomplished 
the preparation of the beds demands attention. If they were 
manured and well dug during the autumn nothing further need be 
done to them now other than levelling the soil with a rake, but if 
stimulants are needed no time should be lost in getting them in 
the soil. Rich ground, however, is not desirable for bedding. It 
causes flowering plants to make gross growth at the expense of 
bloom, and, as a rule, detracts from the beauty of foliage plants. 
On the other hand, very poor land is equally unsatisfactory, and 
should therefore be avoided ; a moderately light fertile medium 
being the desideratum. There is another point that is worthy of 
more than a fleeting consideration—the proper hardening of the 
tender plants. Last year “ bedding out” was commenced in some 
gardens much earlier than usual, owing to the remarkably warm 
weather which then prevailed, and it has been prognosticated that 
a similar period will be experienced this summer. The past 
though has taught many of us that the weather prophets are not 
always to be relied upon, and however favourable the season has 
proved up till the present, it does not follow that May will be 
entirely free from cold winds. Most gardeners are acquainted 
with that brown tint on the leaves of improperly hardened Zonal 
Pelargoniums, and which does not enhance their appearance. 
Then it not unfrequently happens that Coleuses, Alternantheras, 
and numerous tropical plants lose their bottom foliage when planted 
prematurely, and never recover their normal health all through the 
season. These little disappointments can be easily prevented by 
exercising forethought, and the learned may pardon the apparent 
superfluity of mentioning them, this being done for the benefit of 
inexperienced readers. 
In the southern counties the second week in May is an excel¬ 
lent time to commence bediing, and after the middle of the month 
No. 724.— VoL. XXVIII., Third Series. 
the work should be pushed forward as expeditiously as possible. 
Where cold winds and late frosts are liable to occur, however, 
it is advisable to defer planting for a week or so, commencing 
then with the hardier plants. This rule, in fact, ought in every 
case to be adopted, it being fatal to many plants if placed in the 
open beds too soon. As to the actual arrangement of the plants, 
that, as before remarked, depends on local circumstances. No 
hard and fast rules can be laid down in regard to this matter, but 
some suggestions might easily be given, and if possible these can 
be put into practice. Those readers who have the opportunity 
of paying an annual visit to the metropolitan parks doubtless 
sometimes learn “ a wrinkle ” as regards bedding, for in these 
popular resorts many choice combinations may frequently be seen, 
and some which might advantageously be imitated in private 
gardens. It has been for some years past my fortune to see and 
take a special interest in the summer bedding as practised in many 
parks and gardens in different parts of the kingdom ; but, to my 
mind, some of the best examples were in a metropolitan park last 
year. Some of these beds were simple and yet wonderfully 
effective. Two in particular attracted attention, these presenting 
quite a fairy-like appearance. The beds were round in shape, the 
centre of one being filled with Dactylis glomerata variegata and 
Lilium lancifolium album, amongst which were plants of Asparagus 
plumosus. The latter had made excellent growth, and being of 
a light graceful character contrasted with the erect Liliums, but 
harmonised splendidly with the edging of Begonia Worthiana, a 
mass of blossom. The companion bed to this was occupied with 
well flowered plants of Begonia t-emperflorens rosea and Koniga 
maritima variegata, from which rose the charming Eulalia graoil- 
lima. One could do no other than notice how freely the various 
forms of Begonia seraperflorens were used for bedding purposes 
in the parks last summer, and it would appear that there is a 
probability of their proving dangerous rivals to the tuberous- 
rooted ones. Whether this will really come to pass or not is 
a matter of no importance so far as these notes are concerned, but 
private gardeners will do well to obseive the usefulness of the 
fibrous-rooted Begonias for the purpose mentioned. 
Within the limit of one article it is practically impossible to 
enumerate all the good examples of bedding that have come under 
my notice, but a few more arrangements may be worth recording. 
A bed filled with Begonia seraperflorens rubra, Kouiga maritima 
variegata, and Dactylis glomerata variegata was very effective, the 
same applying to another devoted to B. seraperflorens rosea and 
Mesembryanthemum cordifolium variegitum. When planted out¬ 
doors the leaves of the above-mentioned Begonias assume a rich 
reddish brown tint, whioh forms a pleasing contrast to the lighter 
foliage of the Koniga and Mesembryanthemum. Another effective 
combination noticed last season consisted of Begonia Worthiana, 
pink and white Z mal Pelargoniums, with dot plants of Acacia 
lophantha, and an edging of blue Lobelia. An attractive bed may 
be formed by associating scarlet tuberous Begonias and Acacia 
lophantha with a groundwork of Lysimachia nummularia aurea, 
edging the whole with white Lobelia. Of a similar character 
crimson Begonias and Grevillea robusta, set in a groundwork of 
Harrison’s Musk inside a broad band of a white Viola, such as 
Snowflake, make a charming arrangement. Many other instances 
could be mentioned, such as richly coloured Begonias, white Violas, 
with dot plants of the variegated Maize inside a circle of Iresine 
Lindeni, and an edging of Mesembryanthemum. But tastes in 
this direction vary, and what is looked upon as being effective by 
some may not be so considered by others. 
Most persons, however, cannot fail to have noticed the immigra¬ 
tion of hardy plants into the flower garden proper during the past 
decade. This is a step in the right direction, and further progress 
might be made. There are so many beautiful hardy flowering and 
foliage plants in cultivation that it is a matter of surprise to find 
they have hitherto been so rigidly excluded from the flower beds. 
Na 2380.—Voi>. XC., Old Series. 
