flowering white or yellow dwarf Chrysan- 
themum. ‘ 
Starting from early spring, a bed may be 
of Hepaticas, Winter Aconite, yellow 
Tulips, and golden Wallflowers ; when the 
two first are over let them be replaced by 
purple: Pansies ; these, when they look sorry 
for themselves in hot summer, can be fol- 
lowed by purple Verbenas, and the Wall- 
flowers must give way to Calceolarias .or 
‘African Marigolds (lemon). 
Ot course, beds that lie near windows 
should be kept so that they always look 
well; and these should harmonise in color 
with any flowers in the window boxes. If 
the latter are gay with pink Ivy-leaved 
Geraniums, for example, do not have a dis- 
play of orange or scarlet flowers in the beds 
beneath. 
In a new garden it is often desirable to 
shut out ugly corners, or make screens in 
places. 
possible. Tall Sunflowers grow up very 
fast, Convolvuluses and Nasturtiums, 
Canary Creeper, and Sweet Peas on a lat- 
tice formed of string criss-crossed between 
poles, will soon prevent much view being 
gained through them. They can, of course, 
be supported on a hedge of faggots, if pr'e- 
ferred. A mass of single and Cactus 
Dahlias is useful, too, or of early raised’ 
Hollyhocks, or the 3-feet high strain of 
Antirrhinum giganteum. ee 
There are Michaelmas Daisies 5 feet 
high. | Atriplex ‘Hortensis atrosanguinea 
is a valuable 4 feet high plant, quite a 
hardy annual, with red foliage that turns 
to deep purple. The graceful feathery, 
vivid green Artemisia annua grows quite 
tall in good soil. Then is there not the 
annual giant Hemp, Cannabis gigantea, an 
8-footer? The summer Gourds grown on 
a light, rough, rustic wood trellis (that any — 
man can knock up by sticking branches 
deeply in the ground, slanting them one 
across another, and binding them together 
with tarred string) will make a most in- 
teresting screen. So, by-the-bye, will the 
Runner Bean, Painteu Lady, or the Climb- 
ing Cucumber. 
I think one of the best of annual Sun- 
flowers is Helianthus giganteus, Russian 
Giant. 
Too many brilliant colors in the beds 
‘should be avoided, even when they are 
scattered over a large lawn or flat of the 
garaen ; if they cannot all be seen at once 
from any important point of view of 
course the gorgeousness of hues will not 
matter. The eye gets tired of too much 
gaiety, just as the mind does, An all 
white bed often comes as a welcome relief 
to sight. So would an all green one, 
which I doubt if we shall ever witness. 
Yet there are plenty of charming green 
foliage plants of various shades. Palms 
can be bedded out, large and small, among 
mossy Saxifrages that finish blooming 
early, or have insignificant florescence ; 
other plants, such as.Geraniums, can even 
be kept from spoiling the grateful green by 
blossoming. Artemisia annua will be very 
useful here. 
Then why not a bed of green and white 
' variegated foliage—one of all silver green, 
made up of such things as Pinks (whose 
To do this with annuals is quite’ 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
white bloom will soon be past), Cerastiums, 
Cineraria maritima, Grasses, Eucalyptus, 
plants, Zeas, Saxifraga cochlearis, Pyre- 
thrum cinerarie-folium, and Chamepeuce 
diacantha? Why not a brown or crimson 
foliage bed now and again? There are 
plenty of plants suitable for all ranks in 
it 
Then who would not admire ai bed of 
golden foliage, in which Thymes, Sedums, 
and variegated Abutilons might thrive, as 
well as plenty more yellow and white 
leaved plants that either do not bloom 
noticeably, or have yellowish flowers.—M. 
HAWTHORNE. 
SR RE A 
PITFALLS OF THE NOVICE. 
The greenhouse or conservatory holds an 
important place in the economy of the 
garden. It supplies, or. ought to supply, 
the house with flowering plants, and should 
itself be, during most of the year, the home 
of a fair number of flowering subjects. 
. Many a beginner in ithe art of gardening 
first experiences bitter defeati where the 
treatment ot these pot plants is concerned. 
The novice is able to take all needful care 
of his or her plants before and during their. 
flowering period, but directly the time 
comes for them to be cut back and pre- 
pared for future use, the inexperienced 
gardener is filled with misgivings, and. does 
not know how to proceed. 
The sooner the novice grasps the why 
and the wherefore of this shortening back 
of all growth after flowering, the sooner 
will he lose his timidity in using the knife. 
Old wood does not branch freely, while if 
it be cut back bushy growth is induced, 
and much new materia! is formed to bear 
flowers in the future. 
I should have hesitated to enlarge on 
this simple matter, embracing as it does, 
one of the first principles of gardening, if 
a very enthusiastic beginner had not 
begged for guidance. “The majority of 
writers on gardening matters presuppose 
that their readers know toomuch. A few 
simple and definite directions interspersed 
amid the reading matter for those who have 
advanced farther along the road to know- 
ledge would be very acceptable to the real 
beginner,” this novice said thoughtfully, 
and added, “Write an article that presup- 
poses the crassest ignorance, and it will be 
most useful.” This, then, is my excuse 
for writing of so simple ai matter. 
This timidity on the part of the novice 
was strikingly exhibited the other day. I 
stepped on the border, and, without ask- 
ing permission, cut off a Brier that was 
growing up from a Rose tree, and was, in 
fact, taller than the Rose itself. Ex- 
planations followed, but the poor novice 
wad with difficulty convinced that it could 
be the best thing for the tree in question 
to cut away so large a portion. 
The same thing virtually occurs when 
sowing seed. The beginner invariably 
sows the seed too thickly, and with the 
greatest reluctance thins out a few of the 
seedlings when told that the whole patch 
will be ruined if left as they are. To ex- 
pect a proper thinning at the hands of thé 
absolute novice is hopeless. But I have 
Jan. 9, 1904 
heard an experienced gardener confess 
that he also went through this phase, and 
thought that it was the same with nine out 
of ten amateurs, and, therefore, that none 
need despair. 
BUDDING ROSES. 
To me the most interesting gardening 
operation in summer is Rose budding. ITté 
is a pity lady amateurs do not attempt the 
art of budding. Their fingers are light 
and deft, while their natural expectancy 
would ensure success. Many amateurs 
would like to know whether it is best te 
get a bud into a lively condition at once, 
or whether “dormancy” is the best policy. 
Many argue that the finest_blooms are cut 
from “dormant” buds, and that they stand 
the winter better. My long experience 
sides for “dormancy.” Then, why will 
buds remain dormant two years, them 
break out and make beautiful heads? 
These “liers in wait” seldom send up @ 
single stem, but always proceed to bushi- 
ness at once. Last year I budded. a stock 
in the orthodox style, but as every bud 
failed I budded again in an unorthodox 
manner by inserting a bud of a strong 
growing variety above the place where the. 
previous bua had been, resulting in a most 
DEE head. Has anyone tried this? 
ODD PLANTS IN WINDOWS. 
One has to be careful when conversing 
with lady window gardeners, even if one is. 
a professional. It is surprising what a 
cottager can and will grow in a window. 
She will cultivate Alpine Auriculas, and 
get them to flower, too. Her Zonals may 
be poor varieties and resemble Jacob’s. 
ladders, yet they are rarely out of bloom. 
She will crowd a dozen plants in a space 
only large enough for three, yet present x 
brilliant show from outside. An item 
which startled me was a Doronicum in ful 
bloom in a front window in mid March. 
She can show Chrysanthemums in January 
—even February, in fact. I saw some 
very good blooms of W. H. Lincoln as late 
as the 20th of the latter month. True, the 
plant was inelegant enough, but the flowers: 
were there.—T. A. W. 
A SUBURBAN MYSTERY—CHEAP 
LAVENDER PLANTS. 
For some time recently men have beer 
hawking cartloads of Lavender plants im 
the suburbs of London. The plants are 
about 18 inches (to 2 feet high, and as far 
through, and are grown as standards gener- 
ally, with a main stem as thick ag one’s 
thumb. Housewives in -Suburbia havee 
bought them with avidity, and many of 
them now adorn front room windows in 6- 
inch pots. As they are sold for 2d. each, 
one wonders if they have been stolen.; or 
is it the practice to throw away old plants 
from the Lavender fields in spring? IF 
should be glad if any reader with know 
ledge of the subject would enlighten me, 
for I am sure that the plants are not grown 
to sell at the price.—Rears. 
) 
