FF.BUUATtY 10. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
EI.OWERGARDEN PLAN. 
I 
I Ajr very glad to see you commence a series of papers 
on “ Gardening for the Many,” applicable to the flower- 
! garden. I hope to benefit by them; and, in the mean- 
j time, as I was the cause of your entering upon the 
I course of papers which you have already published 
under that head, with respect to the kitchen-garden ; 
and as I am aware that tlie small space which my 
flower-garden occupies (twelve yards by thirteen yards) 
renders it impossible that you should, in any respect, 
take it for the ground-work of your instructions, yet, as 
it is considered by my neighbours here, both amateur 
and professional, to bo managed with some degree of 
success, a few words respecting the place and process of 
managing it may he admissible into your columns as an 
introduction to your more extended remarks. 
I may observe, as an apology for troubling you, that I 
am encouraged to do so from finding many points of 
similarity between the planting of my garden (at least, 
the most prominent parts of it,) and the mixed bed, 
which you described and praised some weeks since. 
First, however, let me observe, that from the condition 
of these premises when 1 took possession, it was, I may 
say, impossible to lay the ground out quite symmetrically. 
The road marked h.r. in the plan was formed; at the 
same time, I did pay as much attention to symmetry as 
I could, for the lineal-rf, which is the width of the 
indispensable approach to the house-door, is exactly 
equal to the line r- ff; and the bed No. ii. is 
introduced, only to occupy a portion of what would 
otherwise have been hare gravel. 
Next, let me observe, that I hardly call this little hit 
of ground a (jarden. I endeavour to treat it as a bouquet, 
to he looked upon from the bay-windows of the library 
and di'awing-room ; and my object, therefore, is to have 
it as continuously and completely a mass of flowers as 
ray ingenuity can devise. 
From several remarks in the pages of The Cottage 
Gardener, I gather that you do not much approve of 
standard Roses. I like them in that form ; but my 
main reason for growing them almost exclusively in that 
shape is, that, whatever disadvantages may or may not 
attach to them, they have the, to me, very great 
recommendation, that they leave the surface of the 
beds free for other low-growing flowers. If I had dwarf 
Roses, they w'ould occupy exclusively so many square 
feet; by growing standards only, and climbers, I almost 
get my Roses in addition to whatever else I grow. 
I now proceed to details. Premising first, however, 
that I have made an alteration in the shape of one bed 
since you first noticed my little plot, which is (in 
reality, however it may appear in the diagram,) a 
decided improvement; and that the figures which mark 
each bed are those which you first affixed to them 
(Roman instead of Arabic). 
The diagram shows, in the first place, the distribution 
of the standard and climbing Roses. In the list of 
names which I append, I have marked with a * those 
which I have found to flower best in tbe autumn ; and I 
may take this opportunity of observing, that “autumnal 
I flowering” is a recommendation, outweighing with me 
I every other ; nay, even every defect; and that, in time, 
I my collection will consist almost exclusively of such 
Roses as I find, by experience, produce in this part of 
the country (York) a second crop of flowers. 
At the foot of each standard Rose is planted a 
Carnation, Picotee, or Anna Boleyne Pink; or else, in 
the summer, a Petunia, or other plant of similar habit. 
In bed No. t. the front outline is marked from a io h 
by a double row of Crocuses next to the Box. Large 
Yellow Dutch in front, David Ritzio (Purple) behind. 
This line is taken up in bed No. v., at c, and carried on 
to d, by Cloth of Qold (Yellow) and Sir Walter Scott 
(Striped). No. nr. and iv. have, froni^ to/’, Vcllow 
Dutch in front, and in No. rrr. Queen Victoria (White), 
in No. IV. Royal Mantle (a briglit Primi’ose Lilac), as 
the second row. I find from my register that the I 
Yellow Crocuses come into flower a full week before the 
others, consequently, these double lines pi-esent tliree 
phases—a yellow line, a mixed one, and a purple,white, 
or lilac one, during the three weeks or month tlie whole 
tribe of Crocuses are in flower. 
In beds i. tit. v., next to the Crocuses, are IDjaeintlis, 
which hegin to flower just as the Crocuses are fading; ; 
and between the Hyacinths will be planted, early in the S 
spring. Erysimum Marshalli and E. alinnim, which : 
will be in bloom soon after the Hyacinths are over. In ; 
the intervals between the Hyacinths, but in advance, ' 
ai’e Auriculas; and behind the Hyacinths again, but not 
so close together, a line of Polyanthus Narcissus and i 
Jonquils; and along the centre of the beds, patches of 
Tulips and Oladiolus alternately (not expected, of course, 
to flower at the same time). i 
In the outside beds, vr. vtt. vrii., the Crocuses are 
planted in detached patches of various kinds. Poly- I 
anihuses generally take the place of Aui-iculas, and ' 
White Perenniid, Candytuft is mi.xed with the Erysimums. 1 
In bed No. vi. a row of Hollyhocks occupies the space | 
next the wall, and in this bed, and No. v.. Dahlias ar-e i 
introduced as the season advances. In every interval 
of all the beds. Geraniums, Fuschias, Cinerarias, &c., 
as well as Stocks, German iVallflowers, China Asters, 
Zinnias, Phlox Drummondi, and other Annuals, are iu- 
ti’oduced wherever space can be found throughout the 
summer and autumn. 
No. TT. has, at present, at each end and in the centre, 
groups of the common British Myosotis sylvatica, which, 
from the middle of April to the end of June, will he 
masses of bright azure. There is also a white variety, 
which flowers equally well; but I am not partial to 
white flowers in early spring When the Myosotis be¬ 
gins to fade, the plants are removed to a place kept for 
them under a noi’th wall, and the spaces filled with 
Verbenas, or whatever else may be available. Last year 
this bed was a mass of Phlox Drummondi. Between 
the circles of Myosotis are Anemones and Ranunculus. 
It is unnecessary to specify the biennials and hardy 
herbaceous pei-ennials which are common to all gardens. 
I have only endeavoured to sketch the lines, which aie 
introduced with a view to particular effect, and which i 
are intended to strike the eye amongst the miscellaneous i 
flowering plants which fill the beds. 
Later on in the season 1 endeavour to have a mass of ' 
bloom covering the ground, or nearly so; and although ! 
this may not be so effective as the bedding system, it ’ 
must be remembered that it is capable of being made , 
more easily continuous, and that the bedding system 
requires a larger amount of glass, either houses or 
frames, than every body can command ; and I may, 
perhaps, be permitted to say, that I do not often see a 
garden which presents a gayer eoiq^ d'ceil than mine pre- j 
sents on a fine summer’s day.—Quis. ! 
P.S. I have three or four vacancies for Roses this 
spring. Can you recommend me some not in my list, ' 
as really good autumn flowers ? 
N.B. My diagram makes the beds in. and iv. more 
stumpy than they are in reality ; they are more like No. J 
in your sketch, page 450, No. 037. 
[Beginning with the list of Roses, the first thing 
which strikes us is, that No. 2, Baronne Prevost, one of 
the finest and best of perpetuals, does not flower in the 
autumn; while Mrs. Elliot, No. 17, does so, although it 
and Pio Nono often refuse to bloom in the autumn till i 
they are old plants and their vigour begin to languish. 
Madame Rivers is also apt to run too much to wood, and 
not to bloom in the autumn, until its strength is worn out 
a little by age. Lamarque and Jaime Desprez are in the 
