SUBTROPICAL ’ GARDENING. 
T HIS term “ subtropical ” does scant justice to a most 
ornamental order of gardening: that in which 
beauty of form in growth and foliage takes the place of 
mere coloring, as in ordinary bedding out. It is mani¬ 
festly an indescriptive title, for we do not by any means 
confine our attention to tropical or half-tropical plants ; 
whatever offers stately habit or handsome leaves may 
be used. The prime idea of the subtropical gardener 
should be harmony with nature; the arrangement should 
not be suggestive of a line and plummet; it should be a 
“ Naturall wildnesse.” 
A very handsome border or bed of this class may be 
filled with hardy grasses, doing best in a light rich soil, 
with unlimited sun. The South American Pampas Grass 
(Gynerium argenteuni) and our native Pampas Grass, 
so-called ( Erianthus Ravennae), will form a most 
effective centrepiece or background from their tall and 
stately growth. They may be surrounded by th e Eulalia, 
a Japanese grass having a feathery, dun-colored plume 
like an ostrich.tip. There are two variegated forms; 
E. japonica variegata, with longitudinal green and 
white stripes, and E. japonica zebrina , with horizontal 
markings, giving a unique effect. Such a bed might be 
bordered with Funkia coerulea, the Purple Day Lily ; 
its spreading leaves and purple flowers are very attrac¬ 
tive. All the Funkias are suitable for subtropical gar¬ 
dening in shady spots ; they form an effective ground¬ 
work for tall-growing shrubs, or may be associated with 
herbaceous plants. F. Sieboldiana is a handsome Japan¬ 
ese variety, with greenish-gray leaves and lilac flowers. 
E. subcordata is a white variety, flowering in August or 
September. F. variegata is a spring bloomer. 
The Canna, or Indian Shot, is one of the most useful 
plants we have for foliage gardening; it is always stately 
and graceful, and runs through innumerable graduations 
of color. The finest growth of Cannas I have ever 
seen was in central New Jersey, where the soil was 
poverty itself, being little besides sand and totally devoid 
of shade. The border was well spaded up with manure 
in the early spring; when the roots were planted, late 
enough to avoid risk of frost, a top-dressing of manure 
was put in a slight circular depression two feet in diam¬ 
eter around each plant. During the dry weather each 
plant would receive a can of water poured into this 
depression every day. The growth made under these 
circumstances was marvelous—they flourished like the 
proverbial green bay tree. 
We will give first rank to Canna Ehmannii, one of the 
newer sorts. It differs from other varieties in having 
conspicuously beautiful flowers, as well as fine foliage ; 
as a rule, the flowers of this plant are merely a secondary 
consideration. It grows, under favoring conditions, to a 
height of about four feet; the leaves are bright green, 
rather long, and pointed; the flowers very large, clear 
geranium red, borne on a drooping spike. It is strikingly 
beautiful, always attracting much attention. I have been 
asked on several occasions if it were not some new and 
wonderful Lily. If taken up in the fall and planted out 
in a cool greenhouse, this Canna will flower profusely all 
winter. I have never seen other varieties tried under 
such circumstances. 
C.jlaccida bears some resemblance in habit to the above, 
though smaller ; the flowers are large, resembling an Iris, 
brilliant yellow in color, but they are flaccid, as the specific 
name implies, few in number, and transitory in char¬ 
acter. It is our only native Canna, being described by 
Willdenow as a native of the Mississippi valley, while 
Paxton gives South Carolina as its habitat. Robinson, 
however, describes two separate and distinct Canna 
flaccidas, one a native of North, the other of South 
America ; but I think this must be a mistake on his 
part. 
Ca?ma August Ferrier is a tall-growing variety, with 
reddish-bronze leaves and scarlet flowers; it usually 
attains a growth of ten feet. However, it is overtopped 
by C. heliconicefolia , the tallest of the tribe, with tre¬ 
mendous green leaves, like a Banana. Either of these 
will form a noble object, solitary on a lawn or towering 
above other plants in a border. The Eulalia mingles 
well with Cannas, while Achyranthes and Alternanthera 
make an effective groundwork. 
Canna tricolor is a striking dwarf form ; the leaves are 
handsomely striped with green, white and pink. C. Bi- 
horelli, another familiar form, has the stem and leaves 
green, with red ribs and veins; very fine. C. atropur- 
purea is a tall-growing variety, with bronzy, purple 
leaves. C. Warscewiczii is one of the best bronze 
dwarf sorts. C. Bre?mingsii is a beautiful dwarf grower 
with variegated leaves, light green, white and yellow. 
C. zebrina-nana is a small variety, having green leaves 
striped with red. It makes an excellent border for a 
subtropical bed. This list of Cannas comprises but a 
few out of many; it is an extensive family, and the 
hybrid section receives new additions every year. They 
are of simple culture; in the autumn, when the foliage 
is blackened by the frost, the tops should be cut off and 
the roots dug up and stored in a dry place, free from 
frost, with as little ceremony as if they were potatoes. 
A familiar half-hardy annual for the subtropical border 
is the Castor-oil Bean. It gives a picturesque, half Ori¬ 
ental air to the mixed border, when judiciously planted 
among other foliage plants. There are several varieties 
commonly grown, the dark red form, Ricinus sangui¬ 
neus, being one of the handsomest. R. Gibsonixs a very 
dark variety. R. viridis is a uniform green. They all 
grow to a considerable height with us; in the tropics 
they run up like Jack’s beanstalk. R. communis borbo- 
niensis often attains a height of twenty-six feet in one 
year. Some of our common annuals, such as obtain 
almost rank luxuriance in a single season, are not out of 
place in this style of gardening—in fact, anything giving 
picturesqueness of form is admissible. Take, for exam- 
