104 
THE LADIES MAGAZINE OF GARDENING. 
the pot a little larger ? (thought I to myself) for then a patch of its 
congener, the sweet hellebore ( H . odorus ), might have been thrust in to 
give a delightful fragrance as well as beauty to the room. Next followed 
another query : Why not have a box mounted on a stand, to form a 
domestic winter garden for aged or sedentary florists ? Such a thing might 
easily be contrived which would be at once both cheap and 1 successful. 
Let us suppose a box two feet square, six inches deep; the bottom 
formed of ledges placed not quite close together to allow of drainage into 
a tin case, in which the box is placed after being nearly filled with 
leaf-mould and a little sandy loam. The box would hold, besides the 
two sorts of hellebore (the name should not frighten timid people, 
because the plants are not intended to be eaten) patches, or what would 
be better, little pots, of aconite, snow-drop, crocus, cyclamen, hepatica, 
and a few hyacinths, which when done flowering, may be removed, to give 
place to the round-leaved campanulas, the money-wort ( Lysimachia num- 
mularia ), and sweet woodruffe ( Asperula odorata ), and also a few annuals 
sown in the spring to keep the box floriferous all the summer. All these 
little beauties are common and cheap; and bringing them into a living 
room, is only introducing them to see the owner , instead of the owner going 
to see them in their native beds. Another advantage of such a portable 
flower-bed is, that such plants as are mentioned above may be seen to grow 
and flower; whereas, other plants of higher character usually employed for 
decorating rooms are, in most cases, only brought in to be seen—to die. 
Very little floricultural skill would be required in stocking the box; 
and in giving water there would be but little nicety required, as there 
would be no danger of giving too much, (the most common error with 
potted plants) provided there was a plug at one corner of the tin case to 
draw off any excess of drainage from the box. 
The pleasure of growing those little rustics is not diminished merely 
because they belong to the lower order; and if by accident they are lost 
or destroyed, no keen regret is felt, because so easily restored. They all 
possess a high degree of beauty, and when closely examined, present as 
curious a structure and as complicated a system of organic tissues, as the 
most celebrated production of India. A real lover of nature is never 
baulked by any feeling of fastidiousness as to the rank or private 
character of any subject of Flora’s reign; and therefore, it is quite 
evident that as much real gratification may be derived from such an 
humble effort of floriculture, as from a far more costly apparatus. 
This idea of a domestic flower-bed may be much extended, but I shall 
leave the detail to be drawn out in your own way; and if I have but 
furnished you with one useful idea, I have my reward.—J. M. 
March 16 ^, 1841 . 
