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A BRILLIANT BLOWER-BED. 
An English periodical of some months since, gives 
the following directions for making a brilliant Flower¬ 
bed : “ Select, or make a small isolated bed in some 
spot fully exposed to the sun, and let it contain fine sandy 
peat, or fine sandy soil of any other kind; let it be well 
drained, of course, and place a few rustic stones round 
the margin and through the bed, half 
or more buried in the soil, so that 
the whole will be elevated a little 
above the grass level. Over the 
bed, beside the stones, &c., plant 
a select few of the best dwarf Se- 
dums and Saxifrages of the in- 
crusted section, and, if you like, a 
few of the very choicest spring 
bulbs, such, for instance, as that 
little Siberian exquisite, Pusch- 
kinia scilloides, just to vary the 
bed a little at all points, and give 
it unsurpassed charm in spring. 
But for the brilliancy and chief 
beauty, you must have a number 
of plants of a very beautiful, hardy 
perennial, Calandrinia Umbellata. 
Make the ground-work of your 
bed of these, and put a few good 
specimens on the little elevation 
about the highest points, and tiny 
rocks in your little bed. Plant in 
spring; give a good soaking of 
water in dry weather, and wait for 
the result. The Calandrinia is a 
continuously blooming plant, and 
when it begins to flower, you may 
expect a display of the purest ma¬ 
genta-colored flowers for many 
weeks.” Of the Siberian exquisite 
alluded to, I know nothing, at 
least under that name. I imagine 
it cannot belong to the Scilla family, 
for they are all blue, and that color 
combined with purplish red, would 
hardly present a tasteful appear¬ 
ance—clumps of the Double White 
Daisy, or the well-known and 
universally admired little flower, 
the Lily of the Yalley, would make 
a good substitute. Every Flower¬ 
bed is immensely improved by ‘he 
addition of white blossomed plants. 
A white variety of Mathiola Annua, 
or Ten Weeks’ stock, combines 
fine foliage, with beautiful blos¬ 
soms of most delightful fragrance. 
Seed sown in the open ground, in 
May, if the soil be deep and rich, 
and they are allowed sufficient room 
to perfect themselves, cannot fail to 
give a satisfactory result. The Calandrinia is a very de¬ 
sirable plant, in every way deserving of more extended 
cultivation. Urnbellata is a perennial, but flowers the 
first season ; it grows about a foot in height, and bears 
a profusion of little cup-shaped blossoms, of various 
shades of purple. Speciosa alba is a pure white variety, 
growing only about four or five inches high, but pro¬ 
ducing myriads of blossoms, the latter, though in some 
situations quite hardy, it is safest to treat as a half- 
hardy annual. Mrs. W. J. Taylor. 
A FEW HINTS ABOUT ANNUALS. 
(Continued from first page.) 
The following list of seeds that will not cost more 
than two dollars, will be sufficient to plant one-fourth 
of an acre, and will furnish flowers from April until 
December: 
Abronia. Sweet-scented trailer; flowers in trusses 
like the Verbena. 
Alyssum (Sweet). 
Calliopsis. 
when once in. 
Candytuft, in variety, 
autumn, and protect. 
Celosia (Cockscomb). 
Clianthus Dampierii. 
Fine for mixed borders; seeds itself 
For early flowers, sow in 
Largest Rose-Bush in America, at Santa Rosa, Cal. 
Amaranthus Tricolor and Salicifolius. The latter 
new and desirable. 
Antirrhinum (Snap-dragon). Flowers the first 
season from seed, but a perennial. 
Asters. The newly introduced varieties are unsur¬ 
passed garden ornaments. 
Balsams. Camelia and Rose flowered; started 
early, flower the whole season. 
Browallia. A. charming little blue flower, for late 
summer and autumn. 
Well known border plants. 
The most beautiful and 
showy annual yet introduced. 
Cypress Vine. The most charming summer climber. 
Requires a warm situation. 
Delphinium. A perennial, but flowers the first 
season from seed, and has no equal 
for fall flowering. 
Dianthus. (Chinese Pinks). Bi¬ 
ennials, that flower the first season. 
Eschscholtzia. Showy and pro¬ 
fuse flowering plants, with ex¬ 
tremely fine foliage. 
Globe Amaranthus. A beautiful 
class of everlasting flowers. 
Helichrisum. Ornamental for the 
mixed border, and unequalled for 
dried specimens. 
Marigold. All varieties. Are 
grand for fall blooming. 
Marvel of Peru. (Four-o’clock). 
A border of this plant rivals the 
Azalea in beauty. 
Mignonette. Always in flcvver, 
but best in autumn months. 
Morning Glory. This should 
always cover out-buildings and old 
fences. 
Nasturtium. One of the most 
desirable plants for massing the 
tall-growing varieties. Are admir¬ 
able for rock work. 
Nemophila. A most charming 
dwarf annual, of compact growth, 
fine for masses, circles or ribbons. 
Pansy. If sown early in a cool, 
shady situation, they flower freely 
in autumn, and with a protection oi 
dry leaves, are good the second year. 
Peas (Sweet.) Plant four inches 
deep, and stick well with brush. 
Petunia. The blotched and 
striped varieties have no equals f ir 
free flowering and gorgeous display. 
Phlox Drummondii. Always ad¬ 
mired. If not allow’ed to seed, will 
flower all the season. 
Poppies should always be found 
in the border. 
Portulaca. The double varieties 
are particularly desirable. 
Scabiosa. The new double va¬ 
rieties are good for cut flowers, and 
are showy plants for massing. 
Verbena. It is not generally 
known that the first Verbena beds 
are from plants raised in the hot¬ 
bed. It is, in fact, the only way to 
have a good display of this charming flower. A good 
strain of seed will produce plants far superior to those 
usually sent out by florists. 
Zinnia. Where there is plenty of room, this plant 
should be grown in quantity. It blooms abundantly; 
colors of every shade, some of which are mo’st superb. 
All the plants here listed can be grown as easily as 
garden vegetables, if we except the Verbena, which 
should be started in the hot-bed, to prolong its season 
of flowering. 
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