10 
COMPANION TO THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 
plants among them. We have seen Hume a elegans so used, bnt it did 
not have the effect intended. It would seem to us to require not single 
plants, hut groups; and these, plants remarkable for grace or brilliancy 
of flower. 
The question, too, must be looked at in another point of view, namely, 
as to public and large gardens, and small ones. Now for the former, we 
do not think any system can at all equal the one under discussion. In 
most of the Paris gardens, where a promiscuous mixture is made, the 
effect is poor indeed compared with ours; and we believe few things 
struck foreigners more last year than the beautiful gardens of the Crystal 
Palace. Were those beds arranged on any other plan, we do not think 
that they would be half as attractive ; but as the same does not hold 
good in a private and small garden, it is absurd to expect the same 
effect; and we think that it w r ould be much better if this were more 
considered, and the wdiole appearance of many a villa garden w r ould not 
then be spoiled for the sake of being en regie with the fashion of the day. 
One great object in such a garden, where forcing-houses do not exist, is 
to be able to pluck a few flowers at nearly every season, to fill the vase 
for drawing-room or boudoir; but if this system be universally carried 
out, there is no room for this. Hence, we say, if possible, a combination 
of both: the rage for ribbons and beds has quite blinded people to 
everything else; a new flower was only of value if it could be brought into 
use for these purposes. We remember, when Bougainvillaea speciosa 
was exhibited, that a lady who saw it, and in whose mind her geometric 
garden held doubtless the first place, asked us, “ Is it likely to do out-of- 
doors ? What a charming contrast it will make !” On our assuring her, 
“ No,” she turned away in perfect contempt at a thing that would not 
bed-out. Our views thus, it will be seen, tend towards what we are told 
the opposite views of allopathy and homoeopathy are tending,—an amal¬ 
gamation of the two systems, a reduction in the extravagant lengths to 
which bedding-out has been carried, and a modified introduction of 
some of the earlier spring flowers to ornament the garden at the dead 
season of the year. 
NEGLECTED POSES. 
I am afraid that we never completely eradicate the desire to be some¬ 
body else. In childhood, we have early longings for pursuits and occu¬ 
pations which we are never likely to follow. We watch the plane as it 
whistles among the flying ringlets of wood, and the desire of our hearts is 
to be a carpenter. We hear the bellows roaring in the smithy, we see 
the sparks leap from the glowing metal, and w T e yearn to wield the mighty 
hammer. In boyhood, young ambition takes a loftier soar : a regiment 
goes by us, with its glorious roll of drums, and our small bosoms swell 
with the desire of battle, as though we w r ere game bantams; or we go 
