416 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
May 20, 1905. 
Ornamental Gardening. 
(Concluded from page 404.) 
Telantheras, Sedums, dwarf forms of Lobelia Erinus, Mesem- 
bryanthemums, and many others may be used, while the in¬ 
clusion of a few dot plants of Grevillea robusta, Sempervivum 
arboreum, and the hardier greenhouse Dracaenas will add to 
the effect. Returning to the freer style of summer bedding, 
that termed sub-tropical calls for some attention ; this mode 
of embellishment is only possible in gardens of considerable 
size and where facilities are available for the storing and grow- 
ing on of plants of large dimensions. 
In gardens containing beds of large size very effective 
arrangements can be made by the use of various Palms, such 
as Livistona chinensis, Howeas, Phoenix of different kinds, 
Bamboos, Cordylines, Lantanas, Plumbagos, Solanums, and SO' 
on indefinitely, but the use of such plants is restricted by the 
enormous amount of house room required to- store them in 
winter, and equally as much by climate; for only in situations 
which are sheltered, or in localities where the temperature is 
generally high in summer, can sub-tropical bedding be carried 
out with any hope of success. 
The farther north we go the more restricted is the use of 
such plants, but a sub-tropical effect may be obtained without 
resorting to plants like those just named. There are quite a 
number of plants which, if not attaining to the huge size of 
Palms, Bamboos, and so on, will yet give the desired effect. 
For instance, given an average summer, Abutilons, like Thom- 
soni, Souvenir de Bonn, vexillarium, Cannas, Veronica Ander- 
soni variegata, Iresines, Heliotrope, Solanum pyracanthum, 
Eucalyptus globulus, and Ricinus communis will succeed in 
most gardens. Quite a number of these plants may be raised 
from seeds annually, while the others will not require anything 
like so much house room in winter as Palms, for instance. 
So far, I have dealt chiefly with foliage plants, and indeed 
these play an important part in bedding out nowadays. How¬ 
ever, flowering plants are relied on in many gardens, and a 
notable feature in bedding arrangements of late years is the 
increased use of Begonias, both fibrous-rooted and tuberous. 
In Scotland Begonias have largely taken the place of Pelar¬ 
goniums in many gardens, and I think the change is for the 
better, because Begonias are less susceptible to inclement 
weather, are so easily stored in winter, and provide a wide 
range of colour. The scarlet Pelargonium is very much 
despised by some fastidious people, but it is still an effective 
and useful bedding plant. 
As I mentioned in connection with spring bedding, we have 
to bear in mind the position of each bed. It is quite passible 
to have a charming arrangement of such things as Streptoso- 
len Jamesoni, Abutilons, Standard Heliotropes, Iresines, and the 
like, which, when set off by a wide expanse of green grass and 
viewed from close at hand, would appear beautiful indeed ; but 
the same bed looked at from a considerable distance would not 
be half so effective as a bed of scarlet Pelargoniums. 
It is quite impossible, within the limits of this paper, to 
discuss all the plants which are used in the flower-garden. 
One might go on for any length of time dealing with Stocks, 
Asters, Zinnias, and hosts of other hardy and half hardy 
annuals which have been well tried in years gone by. 
I would, however, put forth a plea for lightness and sim¬ 
plicity in arrangement, and the use of only those plants which 
may be relied on to succeed in the locality in which they are 
used ; and this leads me to ask why do we go' to the trouble 
of raising annually enormous quantities of tender exotics and 
neglect many of the lovely plants which are quite hardy in our 
own country? I shall take Liliums as an example. I know 
very well we cannot fill all our beds with Liliums, yet I think 
we might with advantage reduce the number which require to 
be planted once or twice annually, and substitute for them 
beds of ornamental flowering shrubs of restricted growth, 
planting clumps of Liliums between. The majority of Liliums 
are of fairly easy culture; indeed, two. of the least suitable 
for permanent planting, speciosum and longiflorum, are the 
only ones used to any extent in public parks, and then they 
are grown on in pots before being planted out. There are 
many shrubs of dwarf habit which flower early in the year, and 
with these we might associate such highly decorative Liliums 
as Hansoni, pyrenaicum, pomponium, dauricum, croceum, 
elegans, all of which flower fairly early. These might be suc¬ 
ceeded by Brownii, auratum, umbellatum, testaceum, Marta- 
gon, and its beautiful white variety ; while, later still, we have 
superbum, pardalinum, and Henryi, and latest of all, tigrinum 
and its varieties. Thus with Liliums alone we might have an 
effective display through summer and autumn. Even in 
gardens where little bedding out is done, the herbaceous border 
receives considerable attention, if only to afford cut. flowers. 
As I have already said, the most effective way of planting 
herbaceous plants is to have groups according to the size of 
the border; to have a border of this kind effective over the 
longest possible period requires considerable knowledge of her¬ 
baceous plants generally, and some taste in arranging the 
groups both in shape and colour. A difficulty which arises in 
the massing style of planting is that, if one has a mass of, say, 
Lychnis chalcedonica in flower in June, when these flowers are 
over there is nothing for the rest of the season, though this, 
of course, may be made up for by later-flowering groups of 
other plants; but I believe that by a little selection and a little 
experimenting, a system might be developed by which we 
could plant within the same space two groups, one an early 
fiowerer, and the other a mid-season or late-flowerer. In this 
way I think an effect might be obtained over the longest 
possible period. 
It is largely a matter of taste' or convenience whether or not 
bulbous plants are included in the mixed border; for my own 
part I should certainly include many of the fine Liliums 
already mentioned. 
I know of no other genus of herbaceous plants whose species 
and varieties flower over such an extended season as those of 
Lilium, with Fritillarias, Daffodils and early Tulips in spring, 
late Tulips; Liliums, and Camassias in late spring and summer, 
and Galtonias and Liliums in autumn, a fine show may'be had 
the season through. The various sections of Gladioli are also 
effective in beds and borders, and lend themselves to 1 associa¬ 
tion with other plants, such as Roses and Paeonies-. 
As summer merges into autumn it is interesting and in¬ 
structive to' notice how the flowers which bloom at the latter 
season seem to accord with the changes previous to the fall of 
the leaf. The> bright orange-red spikes of Kniphofias, and the 
orange-scarlet trusses of Phlox Cocquelicot, and the crimson, 
bronze and yellow border Chrysanthemums, although maybe 
not so gaudy as some of the flowers which bloom in summer, 
yet give a brightness and warmth to our gardens which is much 
appreciated in autumn, and these colours will prevail far into 
the autumn in the leaves of the scarlet Oak, many of the Cra- 
taeguses, Ginkgo biloba, and many others. 
Wherever possible, these flowers of rich colouring should be 
planted in masses to get the best effect. White flowers are, of 
course, in harmony at all seasons, and one need not enlarge on 
the beauty of Anemone japonica alba, but good white Phloxes 
like Sylphide and Tapis blanc should be grown in quantity. 
Late blooming flowers of other colours are not wanting, of 
course, and there are about a score of pink varieties of 
Anemone japonica, some of which are lovely, while others are 
inferior to the type. 
Perennial Asters, which are much boomed nowadays, are 
good in some localities in good seasons. Early flowerers like 
acris, with bright lilac flowers, also' some of red and rose- 
coloured varieties of the Novae Angdiae section, are good for 
the herbaceous border; these latter, however, are as a rule 
very late, and in Scotland often fail to flower before the 
weather becomes too severe. 
I fancy our gardens w r quld be all the better if we gave more 
attention to autumn-flowering bulbous and cormous plants. I 
am sure we can ask for no better effect than that produced by 
colonies of Colchicum autumnale and speciosum, the rosy- 
