Ju’y 30, 1831. | 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
81 
opposed to its continue! populaii'y, while foliage colouring alone 
G RADUAL changes have been noticeable for some years in 
the style of summer flower bedding, and the tendency to 
introduce greater freedom and variety has become more marked 
every season. Several causes can easily be found for this. In 
the first place, what is generally termed the Pelargonium style 
was, no doubt, for a considerable time carried to the extreme. 
The idea seemed to prevail that it wa3 almost impossible to 
have too many brilliant scarlet, ciimson, or pink masses of 
flowers in formal oblong, square, or circular beds, and the result 
was that public and private gardens of all sizes were almost 
•overwhelmed with these plants. The public taste became surfeited, 
a change was needed, and the system of carpet bedding was 
speedily developed to share the flower garden with the Pelar¬ 
goniums, Calceolarias, and Lobelias. Here, again, excess has 
brought about another- change, carpet beds have for several years 
been steadily decreasing in numbers, and many amateur and 
professional gardeners have awakened to the fact that hundreds 
of beautiful hardy and half-hardy plants, much more easily and 
•cheaply raised cr grown, have been neglected for the sake of 
their delicate but less interesting rivals. 
Pelargoniums of all sections are unquestionably useful plants, 
and the moderate employment of the Zonal section in summer 
bedding must be commended because they furnish rich colours 
that are always welcome in our usually sombre gardens. For small 
suburban and town gardens, where the supply of plants is renewed 
annually, they are also valuable, and the trade in such plants 
constitutes quite an important industry around the metropolis and 
large towns. In large gardens and parks, too, where bold, distant 
■effects are required, they serve an equally useful purpose. It is, 
therefore, apparent that no wholesale condemnation of Pelargoniums 
should be attempted, and it is only against their excessive employ¬ 
ment that reasonable arguments can be urged when considering 
their characters and qualities as bedding plants. But another 
matter has militated against them and similar plants, and that is 
the expense and care requisite in producing or preserving the 
necessary stock. When so many thousands were needed to fill the 
scores of large beds in extensive flower gardens, numbers of heated 
propagating houses or pits and frames became indispensable. The 
labour at the time of propagating and bedding out became a serious 
question in the annual expense of a garden, and when reductions 
were rendered inlispenmble in private establishments this was 
the department which had to suffer first, and cheaper substitutes 
had to be found. Beyond all these, in many places bedding plants 
had to be provided for with bub little additional accommodation, 
so that other plant and fruit houses had to be pressed into the 
service, often to the unavoidable detriment of their legitimate 
occupants. It is not surprising, therefore, considering all these 
difficulties and disadvantages, that Zonal Pelargoniums have 
•declined somewhat in popularity. 
Similar remarks apply to the foliage plants principally em¬ 
ployed in carpet bedding, with the additional point against them 
that much more time and trouble were requisite in the prepara¬ 
tion of elaborate designs, the planting, and the subsequent atten¬ 
tion. TheD, too, there were fewer positions where this style could 
be employed to advantage. The tendency to render the designs 
intricate and fantastic rather than simple and effective was also 
can never possess the same interest as floral pictures with a due foil. 
\v herever carpets are retained, and they are perfectly appropriate 
and even desirable in some situations, they cannot be too clearly, 
boldly, or simply designed, and affention to this has been the 
secret cf the success at Hampton Court and in other public parks. 
The mixed style has received more attention in recent years ; 
notwithstanding some obvious fau’ts there has been a steady 
improvement, and it appears destined in good hands to be the 
favourite method for years to come, as it admits of many distinct 
developments. In Hyde Park much has been done to lead the 
public taste in this direction, and we have had occasion to re¬ 
peatedly notice the pleasing changes introduced and the resulting 
effects. This season a still greater departure from conventional 
methods has been adopted with proportionate success, for while 
giving examples of different styles for their respective admirers, a 
combination of qualities has been effected in a more natural and 
free method of planting, which gives a distinctive character to the 
whole. It has attracted the notice and admiration of many 
critical observers, and a few notes on the subject are given as 
hints to these who are unable to visit the London parks. 
The bedding display in Hyde Park during the summer months 
is mainly confined to that portion which extends from the Marble 
Arch to Piccadilly, between the carriage drive and Park Lane, 
the principal beds being in the centre of this somewhat narrow 
tract. For a portion of the distance the beds are on one side only, 
then there is a central raised lawn with the beds in similar pairs, 
and then again a third division has the beds on one side, the left 
coming from the Marble Arch. The last named is an innovation 
and a decided improvement, for in the place of a narrow grass 
strip, which was chiefly occupied with beds, we have a fine turf 
slope from the outer walk towards the railings, which is utilised 
for the ordinary beds and for large plants plunged in groups as a 
background. The carpet beds are here seen to much greater 
advantage, as they invariably are on a moderate slope. Throughout 
the beds are cut in the dense bright green turf, and the plants in 
every case thus have a natural and pleasing foil. 
For many years it has been the custom to plunge large specimen 
Palms, Phormiums, Bamboos, and other plants between the beds or 
in the centre of the raised turf. This season several large flowering 
plants are employed in a similar way for the side slopes and with 
admirable results. Fuchsias are especially prominent either as 
scattered plants or in groups, and well-grown specimens 4 or 5 feet 
high, abundantly clothed with foliage and loaded with flowers, have 
a charming appearance, the season having evidently suited them. 
The favomite varieties are Annetti, Mrs. Marshall, Tower of 
London. Henry Brooks, Madame Cornelissen, Earl of Beaconsfield, 
Elegans, and Empress of Germany. Specimen Zonal Pelargoniums 
are planted in the same way, but mostly in groups, as also are 
Erythrinas, Clematises, Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums, and Plumbago 
capensis, these being chiefly confined to the new turf slope at the 
Stanhope Gate end of the Park Lane series of beds. 
Mixed beds are very numerous, and a few of the more d'stinct 
may be noted to indicate the general style. Fuchsias are employed 
in many instances as the tallest plants ; thus we note the following 
arrangements:—Mrs. Russell and gracilis variegata, with aground 
of Coleuses and Violas, and an edging of Iresine Herbsti and 
Lobelia Emperor William ; Madame Cornelissen is planted with 
Abutilons in a ground of Violas ; Mrs. Marshall and Carnations 
have a base of Violas ; Empress of Germany and Sunrise, with a 
ground of Viola Mrs. Turner, edged with Pelargonium Queen 
of Queens and Lobelias ; Empress of Germany is also planted 
amongst Vitis heterophylla and Violas; Tower of Loudon with 
Viola Mrs. Turner ; Mrs. Marshall with Coleuses and Viola 
lilacina ; Madame Cornelissen with Viola Holyrood ; Golden 
Treasure with Melianthus major or Violas, and gracilis variegata, 
Dracaena congesta, and Funkias cr Alternantheras. In all these 
No. 579.— Vol. XXIII., Third Series. 
No. 2235.— Vol. LXXXV., Old Series. 
