16 THE GARDENING WORLD. 
and 
-— Colour. 
■ One of the things that struck me, even 
as a chiid, as being particularly beauti¬ 
ful. is the effect of light shining through 
leaves. I can see now across the long 
years that have elapsed since that time, 
the little pantry in my grandparents’ 
house, which was always clusk because a 
Vine spread its branches over the win¬ 
dow. Indeed, the Vine seemed to do 
more than that, for it appeared to have 
strayed on to the shelves inside and made 
its leaves into dishes ! For there certainly 
was some of the old-fashioned China 
m the form of Vine leaves that has now 
become so rare, and consequently much 
prized. 
The light shining through the vivid 
green leaves in the window, and the dark 
green shadows where they crossed each 
other delighted me then, and I still think 
it a far prettier way of making a “reli¬ 
gious light” than most of the coloured 
glass one sees in churches. In a private 
house it is sometimes desirous to block 
out an ugly view, and then, what more 
beautiful than a tree planted in the way, 
such as an Acacia, a Lime, or a Plane,' 
for when bare of leaves the network of 
branches is often quite a sufficient screen, 
and a very superior substitute for opaque 
glass or creepers trained across the win¬ 
dow, as the Vine described above, if there 
is no room for a tree ? An evergreen Rose 
would be very suitable. 
We lose, I think, a good deal of plea¬ 
sure we might have from flowers and foli¬ 
age in rooms by placing them where the 
light does not fall on them. After all, 
the window is the best place, as they seem 
to know in cottages, and though we may 
not wish to keep out the light too much, 
or prevent the window from being opened, 
it can often be managed that a small 
“flower sable” is arranged at one side 
that can easily be moved when needful. 
I have seen little nosegays of flowers look 
charming on a window-sill, especially if 
pink and red shades of colour are used ; 
but they must be arranged loosely. 
Outdoors there is the same sort of 
extra pleasure in looking at flowers 
against the sky, or a blue misty distance, 
though this, of course, is not so easy to 
compass, but in a garden on the side of 
a steen hill, if formed in terraces, you 
can get most lovely effects, when stand¬ 
ing below, of stately Madonna Lilies 
standing up against a blue sky, or pink 
Rambler Roses hanging over, and all the 
brighter from the sunset glow behind 
them. 
One of the prettiest gardens that I 
know has the herbaceous border where 
it can been seen in perspective beyond the 
lawn, the tall plants glowing with colour 
on a background of distant hills covered 
■with trees, whose blue and purple shadows 
made an: admirable foil to the bright 
reds and yellows of the flowers. How¬ 
ever, we cannot all have such choice 
situations for our gardens, and so must 
be content to make the best of what we 
have. but 1 think if we study colour more 
we shall find -we have a greater enjoy¬ 
ment out. of what is perhaps but a “cab¬ 
bage patch.” 
Another idea that may not have oc¬ 
curred to everyone is that a bed of one- 
coloured flowers, such as, for instance, 
Geraniums, is much more pleasing to the 
eye, if various shades of that colour are 
used; it has a much more restful and 
satisfactory effect, as well as being more 
artistic. I think we see and recognise 
this in a bed of Begonias, which are very 
rarely all of exactly the same tint. 
Some pretty colour schemes that I have 
noticed may be worth describing. Daffo¬ 
dils, or other yellow Narcissus, growing 
among plants of pinks, for the blue-grey 
foliage of the latter makes a capital con¬ 
trast to the yellows; or pale mauve 
Spanish Irises between dwarf Tea Roses, 
whose beautiful red shoots and bronze 
leaves show off the “Fleur de Lys ” to 
perfection. Or, again, Belladonna Lilies 
standing up from a brocaded ground¬ 
work of pink Ivy-leaf Geraniums, pegged 
down. This makes in a fine autumn, 
such as the present one, an exquisite bit 
of colour in the garden. F. E. S. 
-- 
Break a mushroom perpendicularly; 
if it breaks straight-cut, gills and stem, 
it is quite edible. 
- Q. W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL 00NDITI0N8:—Competitors most 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any wayjl any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be oare- 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN 8HILLING8 will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making the award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
following date of isaae. Entries received later 
than Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
160 words, on any interesting garden ng sub¬ 
ject. 
^4 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Rome of the best papers in this competition 
are too - long, an l we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
A prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “ W Oh li ners,” tor the aroicle 
on “Pan ies for Exhibition,” page 2. 
The Prize Let er Competition has been held 
over owing to lack of space. 
January 9, 1909. 
The 
Herbaceous Border. 
A Word for Old Favourites. 
One of the most interesting and beau 
ful portions of any garden in my estim 
tion is the herbaceous border given 1 
entirely to the growth of the many har 
and useful flowers forming the sair. 
Being an ardent rosarian, I naturally p 
my Rose border first, but in planting 
garden I should give my second attentii 
to planting many of the old herbaceo 
favourites. With a spare border of fro 
three to six feet wide, a splendid show 
flowers can be had all the summer at 
very small outlay. A little order shou 
be observed in planting the border, pi; 
mg the taller-growing subjects behin 
and the shorter and those of dwarf hal 
nearer the front. 
The beautiful Delphinium (Larkspur : 
a tall, showy variety, in different shad 
of blue, some light and some very da: 
blue. There have also been some ne 
varieties of this beautiful flower raised 
recent years. They grow in any soil, ar 
should be in every garden. AnotF 
fairly tall flower is the Phlox, lookir 
well planted between or in front of tl 
Delphiniums; they are hardy, and to l 
obtained in a variety of shades, fro: 
pink to lilac and purple, and some ai 
of a clear white, while of late years 
number of double-coloured flowers ha\ 
been raised. Ordinary garden soil wi 
suit these well, and they are propagate 
by parting the roots, and may be raise 
from- seed. The Aquilegia (Columbia 
is one of the most elegant of the pcrei 
nials, is perfectly hardy, has handson 
foliage and throws up its flowers on preti 
branching stems. Some of the coloui 
are beautiful. It grows about a foot an 
a half in height and should be in ever 
garden. The Lupine is also a good pi ai 
for a small garden, growing from 2 to 
feet high, throwing up long closelv-si 
spikes of flowers in many shades, prii 
cipally blue, white and purple. CeJ 
taurea montana is a useful hardy pern 
nial, not so pretty as the others, but 
grows well and makes good plants.wit 
its thistle-like foliage and flower. 
Amongst others I might mention tl 
Anemone, a hardy perennial, whit 
grows very dwarf and in many varietii 
of colour, in blue, white, red and purpb 
The Campanula or Bellflower is a ham 
some herbaceous plant, with bell-shapt 
flowers not growing very tall. The Sol 
dago (Golden Rod), a tall perennial pn 
ducing yellow, daisy-shaped flowers i 
large clusters, blooms mostly in tl 
autumn. 
Three old favourites growing tall at 
the Foxglove, Canterbury Bell and Holl; 
hock. For odd. ugly corners or for a 
effective background the perennial Sut 
flower is useful and very effective. Witj 
the aforementioned plants, some Anti 
rhinums (Snapdragon), Stocks, some ; 
the hardy and beautiful Iris, and a fej 
of the smaller plants, a beautiful borde- 
can be made and maintained mostly b. 
sowing seed or by division of the clump 
in the autumn. 
A. D. C. 
