Feb. 14th, 1885. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
371 
Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.”— Bacon. 
fckniitg lEorA 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY Urn, 1885. 
Caepet-Bedding. —The very elaborate, and, 
when planted, beautiful design in carpet-bedding, 
illustrated last week, serves to remind us that this 
fashion in flower-gardening is not scotched yet >' 
nay, it would seem as if it were as popular as 
ever, for in not one single garden, public or 
private, in which carpiet-bedding is practised 
does it seem as if its charms were fading. No 
doubt there are objections to this st}de of filling 
flower-beds that are, from the objector’s point 
of view, reasonable and just. Beds of that sort 
in no respect accord with old-fashioned methods 
of flower-planting, and they seem altogether out 
of accord with those styles found in mixed 
planting, wild gardening, or similar unstudied 
methods of disposing of garden flowers. But 
then there is even in what is called natural 
or unstudied planting much monotony, for the 
same effects always result; the divergences, if 
any, depending rather upon variety in plants 
and habit than on anything else. 
Many gardeners who have natural capacities 
for elaborating intricate or even beautiful designs 
in bedding, naturally feel their abilities are 
restricted if tied to the creation of such planting 
effects as shall be the most simple and devoid of 
taste. That natural aptitude will force itself to 
the surface in some way, and many a man who 
otherwise trained would have made a good artist 
or designer in other materials, has perforce been 
compelled to limit his artistic skill to such scope 
as carpet-bedding affords. Thus art of a peculiar 
kind has been served, and a new interest has 
been aroused in decorative gardening. 
We may take it for granted that the first 
development of summer-bedding which displayed 
itself some forty or fifty years since with such 
tender plants as Fuchsias, Heliotropes, Verbenas, 
Petunias, Lobelias, Scarlet Pelargoniums, was 
really little else than a revolt against the hum¬ 
drum decorative efforts of old days. From 
various sources interesting additions had been 
made to a limited selection of soft-wooded plants, 
which proved to be singularly floriferous, and, 
planted in masses, productive of effects more 
enduring and gay than ordinary hardy border 
plants afforded. Just then, also, glass-houses 
and frames were becoming cheaper, and systems 
of heating for the exclusion of frost were being 
rapidly developed, and so special stimulus was 
given to the growth largely of what now have 
become stereotyped as bedding-plants. 
But carpet-bedding, as now seen, was a product 
of slower growth, because we needed for its full 
development not only artistic skill in the designer, 
but also many suitable plants, and these require¬ 
ments were but slowly introduced. We have 
now not only men who design and plant carpet- 
beds with wondrous skill and perfection, but 
we have also almost a wealth of plants that 
lend themselves to the purpose, so that happily 
just as the demand for carpet-beds grew, elements 
to create them have arisen. We should really 
be thankful for this style of bedding that it has 
given to us the means of employing many in¬ 
teresting plants, the which otherwise would have 
been regarded with contempt, or perhaps would 
not have been found at all in gardens. 
Then there is that about all carpet beds not 
seen in other planting, and that is the perma¬ 
nence of the designs, indeed they are progressive 
as well as permanent for charming as any bed 
may be when first planted, it does but seem to 
improve with age, and thus the oftener seen the 
more thoroughly enjoyed. It is very instructive 
to note how the million when gathered in some 
of our public parks or gardens, will pause and 
cluster in admiring crowds around some carpet 
bed. They are not of course educated judges of 
what is appropriate or correct, nay, they do not 
trouble themselves with arguments on taste or 
fitness. To them the bed is a picture. It is a 
harmony, for spite of its many intricacies and 
varied plants, it is yet well-balanced, in no sense 
garish, and reflects itself upon the eye with a 
singularly pleasing effect. Ho admiration can 
be more gratifying than is that thus involuntarily 
acknowledged by the admiring crowds who are 
pleased and delighted beyond measure with a 
good “ Lobster Salad-bed.” To say that the vox 
populi is the vox dei is rather a far fetched 
assertion, but certainly in matters artistic, there 
seems to be a genuine capacity in the untutored 
mind to pick out that which is really beautiful, 
and loudly to express its admiration. 
It is perhaps a mistake in the planting of any 
carpet bed to make the design too intricate ; the 
forms large and small should always be even and 
distinctive, yet not too broadly apparent through 
the use of distracting colours. Greens, greys, pinks, 
blues, bronzes, and similar tints happily blended, 
evolve more pleasing effects than do those designs 
which include striking contrasting colours. Thus 
we find very many of the green, silvery, and 
bronzy hued succulents to be exceedingly 
pleasing when employed, and singularly strik¬ 
ing are those dense-growing moss-like plants 
which naturally make soft and effective carpets. 
The green Herniaria glabra, Pennyroyal, and 
Sedum Lydium, cannot be well excelled ; neither 
can the silvery Sedum glaucum, and S. acre 
elegans or Antennaria tomentosa. Of golden 
carpet plants the Golden Spergula, and compact 
habited Golden Feather are most valuable, and 
the Alternantheras that propagate so freely and 
give such beautiful though subdued reddish and 
bronzy tints are indispensable in the creation of 
varied and striking carpet designs. 
Perhaps some large beds have a flattish aspect, 
because they have no raised surfaces or lack those 
dot or dress plants which many good designers 
employ to such great advantage. All carpet beds 
should be somewhat raised, if not over their 
entire area at least in their centres. Most designs 
will readily lend themselves to such elevation, 
and the introduction of but a few suitable dress 
plants, materially helps to enliven any bed how¬ 
soever large its area. The objections made to 
the labour involved in planting and keeping 
neat a number of carpet beds are of little moment, 
weighed against the many compensatory advan¬ 
tages which result. Gardening would be robbed 
of its chief charm if those who garden were not 
permitted to exercise their varied tastes in what¬ 
soever way they esteem as best adopted to give 
pleasure and delight. 
Peoposed Oechid Confeeence. —We are 
pleased to hear that the Council of the Royal 
Horticultural Society propose to hold a Con¬ 
ference on Orchids, in the large conservatory at 
South Kensington, on Tuesday and Wednesday, 
May 12th and 13th, and at which the President, 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., M.P., will very 
appropriately preside. The Council hope to 
assemble at the proposed Conference a thoroughly 
representative exhibition of Orchids, embracing 
plants in flower and in seed as well as cut 
blooms, and, with the hearty co-operation of 
the leading amateur and trade growers assured, 
there should be no doubt about the result, 
though the date selected be somewhat late. 
With respect to the plants in flower little need 
be said, as no doubt every collection of note will 
be well represented, but with regard to the plants 
bearing seed, let us hope that every possessor of 
such will send them, as everything connected with 
the fructification of Orchids is of special interest, 
giving, as it does, a new and sure point from which 
to study and determine the plants. When both 
natural and cross fertilization of Orchids is more 
extensively gone into new light will be shed on 
many points which are now considered knotty. 
Of course it would be useless to say that seed 
bearing does not draw on the strength of the 
plants, but now that they are properly grown in 
healthy temperatures the ill effects is but slight, 
and only results in checking the plants a little, 
without injuring their health. It is therefore to 
be hoped that amateurs will at once fertilize any 
odd species they may have, as the subjects will 
be interesting even in the caidiest stages of 
development. Those who have perfect seed- 
vessels on imported plants would do well to 
preserve them carefully, and send them to 
the Conference correctly named. From the 
programme before us we learn that the plants 
will be staged in the conservatory, where the 
atmosphere will be specially attended to, so as 
to ensure in all respects the well being of the plants. 
Tuesday, the 12th, the ordinary meeting day of the 
Committees, will be devoted to a general exami¬ 
nation of the various subjects presented, and the 
doors will be open at twelve noon. On Wednes¬ 
day, the 13th, the Conference will meet in the 
conservatory for the reading of papers and 
discussion, the chair being taken by the President 
at 10.30 a.m. precisely. 
National Aueicula, and National Cae- 
NATION AND PlCOTEE SOCIETIES (SoUTHEEN 
Section). —The Schedules of the above Societies 
have, we are informed, been issued to all 
subscribers, as far as their addresses could be 
ascertained. There may be some members, 
however, who subscribed for the first time in 
1884, who have not yet received them, and who 
should apply to the treasurer, Mr. Rolt, of 170, 
Hartfield Road, New Wimbledon, who has failed 
to obtain from Mr. Dodwell any account of the 
funds in his possession or a list of the subscribers 
for last year. Hnder these circumstances, the 
treasurer would be glad to receive promises of 
support. This can be given in various ways. 
The first and best way is for each present 
subscriber to obtain a new one; the second 
would be for those interested in the success of 
the societies to double their subscription ; or, 
thirdly, to give a donation for this year, and so 
place the societies again on a sound financial 
basis. 
--H*.—— 
Suspended Geowth. —It is one of the marked 
features of what is still a very open and com¬ 
paratively mild winter that all things seem 
resting still, in fact are, as compared with some 
previous seasons, quite backward. It has been 
suggested that this torpidity in nature may be 
traced to an intuitive perception that hard 
weather is yet to follow, but that is problema-" 
tical. What seems more probable is that, in 
spite of a comparatively mild temperature, we 
have had little sunshine, and that the bursts of 
warmth found in February in some previous 
years have been wanting, and, therefore, the 
early forcing warmth, which seems so out of 
place in winter, is being reserved for more 
congenial seasons. But there is still another 
reason, obvious enough as far as common hardy 
