THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, June 2, 1857. 
ever likely to cause such plants to run too much into 
leaf, he the season what it may; whereas people who 
prefer young plants are obliged to keep to the natuially 
dwarf kinds like Tom Thumb, and thus cause a degree 
of sameness in large gardens which is perfectly tiresome 
to look at more than once or twice. 
There is no variety in either the Verbenas or the 
Petunias; therefore in the flower garden six well-selected 
Verbenas will tell on the eye just as much as sixty kinds, 
and therefore, also, collections of Verbenas ought to be 
confined to the mixed border of Verbenas. All the best 
gardens ought to have such a border, and in it only will 
the best shades and tints tell well as a whole. 
A Petunia border is not yet what it will be, but we are 
not far from the period when every gardener will save 
seeds of his best Petunias, sow them at the end of Fe¬ 
bruary, plant them out mixedly in May, and weed out 
those colours he dislikes as fast as the seedlings come 
into bloom, and his border in the autumn will be such 
as no one yet has dreamed about. Even on a small 
scale and in the most limited garden ten times more 
than at present might be done without more cost— 
merely a more systematic style of arrangement. 
D. Beaton. 
WINDOW GARDENING FOR SUMMER. 
(Continued, from page 115.) 
10. Plants that may he in Bloom in the Summer Months in 
a Window .—In general, where there is only a window or 
two, I would confine the selection chiefly to Pelargoniums, 
Fuchsias, shrubby Calceolarias, and Balsams. Of the first I 
would select the fancy varieties, and of these again such 
common, but ever-fiowering and sweet kinds as Prince of 
Orange , sweet; Citriodora , ditto; Fair Helen, oalc-leaved 
and sweet; Rollison’s Crimson Unique, Sidonia, Spleenii, 
Jcnkinsonii, Red Rover, &c. For fine things select from an 
exhibition table. Of Fuchsias such kinds as have compact 
growth should be chosen, as Globosci, Voltigeur, and Vanguard, 
for darks; Pearl of England, Duchess of Lancaster, and Clio 
among the light ones. Of scarlet Geraniums for windows 
none are better than Tom Thumb and Trentham Gem. 
As some, however, who have many windows would wish 
to have a good variety, I subjoin the following list of plants 
that may be in bloom where there is room for them :— 
Shrubs .—Acacias, Cytisus, and Daphne until the middle 
of June; Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, Roses, Nerium oleander, 
Sollya heterophylla, Hibbertia grossularicefolia, Wallflowers, 
Hydrangeas, &c. 
Plants more Herbaceous .—Calceolarias, Campanula pyra- 
midalis, Cinerarias, Bouvardias, Mimulus, Pentstemons, Pe¬ 
tunias, Salvia patens, Lobelia splendens, &c. 
Plants with Bulbs and Corms .—Anomatheca cruenta; Ixia 
aulica, &c.; Gladiolus Colvillii, pudibundus, alatus, &c.; 
Scilla corymbosa ; Sparaxis of sorts. 
Succulent Plants .—Aloe perfoliata, maculata, flavispina, 
nobilis, &c.; Crassula orbicularis, ericoides, &c.; Cereus 
flagelliformis, Russelliana, and Jenkinsonii; Eclieveria coc- 
cinea; Epiphyllum Ackermanni, &c.; Kalosanthes coccinea 
and versicolor; Mesembryanthemum glabrum, tricolor,mar¬ 
ginatum, versicolor, aurantium, capitatum, multiflorum, bel- 
lidiflorum, &c. Had we a large window or a small green¬ 
house, and little time to spare to look after plants, and 
yet wished such as would minister a great fund of variety 
and enjoyment, we should be inclined to patronise succulent 
plants only, alike for the grotesqueness of their forms and 
the beauty and diversity of their flowers. 
11. Arrangement of Plants in Rooms. —It will generally be 
found most advisable to group the plants on the principle of 
contrast in colour, &c. Much of the interest, however, will 
consist in having the plants in harmony with the furnishing 
and decorations of the room. I have such faith in the 
influence of the beautiful and the refined in taste, that I 
hope to see the plants in our cottagers’ and labourers’ win¬ 
dows grown in pots and vases beautiful and artistic in 
shape. The clean-scrubbed red pot answers pretty well in 
such windows, where everything speaks of the absolutely 
necessary instead of the elegant; but hardly anything looks 
more out of place than a clumsy red pot in a drawing-room 
or an elegant parlour, and where often the distinctive features 
of the plant are destroyed by the gorgeousness of the walls 
and furniture. Ladies who will arrange everything in their 
rooms in the most perfect taste will often disfigure the 
whole hy sticking a green-painted deal stand in front of their 
windows, and on that stand place little red pots with plants, 
and set in red saucers. To make plants in a richly-furnished 
room distinctive features of interest in themselves, in harmony 
with, and not overwhelmed by the splendour of surrounding 
objects, Mr. Fleming of Trentham uses elegant boxes lined 
with zinc, and supplied with trellises at their back covered 
with Ivy, which grows in a shut-off end of the box. I need 
not here detail how the plants are put into the box, covered 
with moss, &c.; hut it will he apparent that nothing in the way 
of a pot is seen, and the plants have a green background at 
once. When not wanted the boxes are turned out for the 
benefit of the Ivy. Useful as this mode is, I would just as 
soon have boxes, vases, &c., made of as costly material as 
you like, or of zinc, galvanised iron, &c., painted so as to be 
ornamental, and in these I would either place the pots out 
of sight or turn them out into soil at once. Plants grown in 
small pots could thus he easily managed, and if the pots 
were merely hid and covered over with ornamental moss a 
lady could shift and arrange them at pleasure. I need not 
suggest how, by means of a few little bottles hid, cut flowers 
could also be made to help the making up of a good effect. 
12. Arrangement for Effect Out of Doors .—Here the same 
principle will apply. One step is gained in the right direc¬ 
tion when, instead of the pots standing singly on the sill, 
they are either plunged or planted into a box, and the 
labour in either case is greatly diminished, for the sides of 
the box are a great protection from sudden changes of 
weather, and saves many a watering. How many a balcony 
in front of a nice house is disfigured by pots standing about 
without order or arrangement! Collect the plants in orna¬ 
mental vases or baskets, group these in pairs if possible, and, 
whatever the colours you prefer, have Lobelias, Verbenas, 
Anagallis, ivy-leaved Geraniums, &c., hanging over their 
sides, and the most fastidious will he forced to own that in 
your case there is no clashing of harmony and fitness 
between the beautiful without and the elegant within. 
R. Fish. 
(To be continued.) 
A FEW NEW STOVE PLANTS. 
It has been remarked to me by various cultivators 
that a brief description of new plants really worth 
having would always he acceptable. In the course of 
my visits to various gardens and nurseries it is always 
an object with me to note down any plants that are 
new and ornamental; and, as the season is fast 
approaching when stove plants will safely travel, I have 
determined to look over my notes, and give briefly a 
popular description of the best plants that have fallen 
under my observation, commencing this week with 
Aphelandra Leopoldii.—A plant with dark green 
foliage, marked beautifully with regular lines of pure 
white. 
Aphelandra squarrosa citrina. — This charming 
plant has large, variegated foliage, with square spikes 
of transparent citron-coloured flowers appearing in 
autumn and winter. 
Begonia opuliflora. —The Begonias are a numerous 
tribe of deservedly-valued plants. This species has 
thick, smooth leaves, and is very bushy. The flowers 
are united in a cluster, resembling the snowball-like 
flowers of Viburnum opulus (Guelder Rose), but of a 
more delicate texture and purer whiteness. 
Begonia semperflorens Saundersiana. —The name 
semperflorens means ever-flowering, and is a correct one 
as applied to this pretty species. I saw a plant of it in 
the stove at Meersbrook, near Sheffield, belonging to the 
Misses Shore, on the last day of April this year, covered 
with bloom. It is of a compact habit, neat foliage, and 
brigh t crimson flowers. 
