248 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
[ Novembbe, 
Liberal culture in a hot moist atmosphere is desirable, in order to bring out 
the characteristic features of this Dracaena in their fullest beauty; but these 
being secured, it is a plant of the easiest possible culture.—T. Moore. 
PERMANENT BEDDING. 
HE flowering season of any plant is only a short period of its history. We 
know of one, the night-blooming Cereus^ that hardly remains in perfection 
for the space of half-a-day, but this is an extreme case, for the rest of the 
species of the same genus boldly face the sun shining in his strength, 
taking plenty of time to impregnate their flowers. But after all, the flowering 
season of most plants is but short, as compared with the life of the plant; 
hence gardeners have to make relays of different species of flowering plants in 
order to keep up a supply of blossom for the flower-beds, especially such as are 
immediately under the windows. 
The spring-time, otherwise the bulb season, is a grand one, when the Tulip 
shows its beauty, and the Hyacinth its sweetness, and the Crocus, the Anemone, 
and Ranunculus lend their blaze to the parterre; nor may we omit the lowly 
Snowdrop, and even the Lent Lily and the family of Jonquils, from the list, for 
they are of the first to tell of the approach of spring, when plants of more note are 
still hiding their beauties in the lap of earth. One patent fault lies in our having 
discarded the hardy herbaceous plants, and taken to exotics; but that gardener 
would assuredly be behind the spirit of the age in which we live, who did not 
use greenhouse plants almost exclusively for his flower-garden in summer, and he 
might ask awkward questions as to what else he could substitute to produce the 
same effect, for any plant that had to flower and seed before harvest-time could 
then only give its stubble in place of its flowers, and thus be altogether out before 
grouse was in, and the families at their country seats. 
Now I have been watching the materials closely out of which flower-beds are 
constructed, and I find the two Violas, blue and yellow, to the fore along with 
the bulbs in spring, and here they are still full ^ of flowers all the summer long, 
and as neat and trim as plants can be. Moreover, let any one go the round of our 
nurseries where herbaceous plants are kept in stock, and he will be amazed to 
fend many beautiful “ gems of purest ray serene,” cramped in a 48-pot. I 
called attention some time ago to the value of Nertera depressa as a carpet-plant, 
when it was exhibited by Mr. Stansfield, of Todmorden. Such plants are not 
effective at a distance from the eye, but they tell on closer acquaintance, being so 
very neat. 
The height of the plants that can be admitted into a modern bedded-out 
garden seems to be only about a foot, or even less. This, of course, excludes a 
whole host of beautiful flowers. I recollect seeing a show-place in Kent many 
years ago, and there was one walk planted after the fashion of an amphitheatre ; 
the background was a thick shrubbery of evergreens, rising some 10 or 12 feet, in 
front of that there were thick massive lines of gorgeous Hollyhocks, and in front 
