THE 
FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
December 1 , 1841. 
ON GROUPING FLOWER-BEDS, SO AS TO GIVE THE GREATEST 
POSSIBLE EFFECT TO THEIR, COLOURS. 
BY JOHN CAIE, AT HER GRACE THE DOWAGER DUCHESS OF BEDFORD^, 
BEDFORD-LODGE, CAMPDEN HILL. 
The grouping together of plants of species, so as to form a 
mass of colour, in the flower-garden, is of recent origin, but not 
less valuable on that account; for, in fact, it has very much to 
recommend its more general adoption, not only in large flower- 
gardens, but also in small suburban residences. As the plants 
are now numerous for such a purpose, compared with what they 
were, little difficulty will arise in making a proper selection; and 
when made, as little trouble attend the keeping of them, because 
the greater portion requires not much more care than what can 
be attained by pits filled with lqaves, or any fermenting material 
of equal heating properties. Previous to the winter setting in, 
it will be well to get the pit set in order. What we mean by 
this is, that the angle of the lights to the sun during summer will 
not be the angle for the wintering of such plants as we allude to 
•» 
during the cloudy days of winter ; quite otherwise, for we would 
raise the lights on the back very much more during the diminished 
light, than when the sun’s rays are powerful. Such raising of the 
lights does not only enable the wet to pass sooner off, but it in¬ 
creases the influence of light, and consequently dispels damp, 
that great barrier to the wintering of summer-flowering plants, 
because they are naturally found under a more powerful sun than 
we have. By September, the pits should be set in order ; then 
get a number of pots, or boxes, fill them up to within three inches 
VOL. II. NO, XIII. 
p p 
