April  2,  1903. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
The  Flower  Garden. 
Suggestions  for  the  Bedding  Season. 
Last  season  there  were  some  excellent  arrangements  of  plants 
jn  the  beds  of  Hyde  Park.  Some  of  the  bed.s  being  siDecially  in- 
teresting  because  they  contained  plants  not  usually  employed  in 
bedding.  They  afforded  an  object  lesson  of  the  very  attractive 
uses  which  can  be  made  of  a  variety  of  plants  which  are  generally 
considered  sacred  to  greenhouse  cultivation.  They,  however, 
give  a  welcome  change  from  the  stereotyped  classi  of  plants  we 
are  generally  accustomed  to,  and  must  give  pleasure  not  only 
to  the  designers,  planters,  and  all  connected  with  their  manage¬ 
ment,  but  tO'  the  thousands  of  persons  who  view  them  in  the 
course  of  the  season.  The  majority  of  the  beds  in  this  park  are 
arranged  in  a  grass  enclosure  alongside  Park  Lane.  Tliey  are 
.simple  in  design,  being  either  circular,  oval,  or  rectangular. 
Small  fanciful  shaped  beds  are  not  to  be  found,  though  there  are 
a  few  attractively  designed  carpet  beds.  All  the  beds  are  of 
ample  area,  which  sets  off  the  plants  employed  in  them  to  the 
best  advantage.  The  plants  which  require  support  are  neatly 
staked.  These  comprise  the  Ivy-leaved  Pelargoniums,  Fuchsias, 
Lantanas,  and  Erythrinas.  It  i.s  hoped  that  the  following  notes 
may  be  suggestive  to  some  who  have  not  seen  the  bedding  in 
question,  and  they  are  furnished  in  good  time  to  be'  of  use  for 
the  bedding  of  this  year. 
The  following  oval-shaped  beds  were  filled  as  follows  ;  1.  Pelar¬ 
gonium  (Geranium)  Suvarna,  a  strong  grower,  with  large 
flowers  of  a  light  crimson 
colour,  edged  with  Emperor 
William  Lobelia.  2.  Helio¬ 
trope  Roi  des  Noirs,  dark 
blooms,  a  groundwork  of 
white  Violas,  interspersed 
with  Nicotiana  afiinis,  and 
edged  with  Fuchsia  Meteor. 
3.  Fuchsia  Madame  Chrnel- 
lison,  white  corolla.,  pink 
sepals,  groundwork  of  Pent- 
stemons  and  Candytuft, 
edged  with  Lobelia  Blue 
King.  4.  Calceolaria  am- 
plexicaulis,  pale  yellow 
bloom,  groundwork  of  dark- 
leaved  Alternanthera,  edged 
with  Ajuga  purpurea,  dark 
shiny  crimson  leavesi.  5. 
Geranium  Dryden,  scarlet 
and  white  edged  Fuchsia 
Meteor.  6.  Tall  Fuchias 
Scarcity,  dotted  Artemisia 
arborescens,  a  ,  white  cut 
leaved  plant,  a  hardy  ever¬ 
green  shrub,  a  groundwork 
of  Mimulus,  and  edged  blue 
Lobelia.  7.  Ivy-leaved 
Geranium  Achievement, 
pink,  fine  blooms,  edged 
Alternanthera  amabilis.  8. 
Ihiberous  Begonias,  dotted 
Grevillea  robusta,  edged 
Lobelia  pumila  magnifica..  9.  Ivy-leaved  Geranium  Galilee,  dotted 
Statice  Lunoroivi,  having  long  spikes  of  mauve  flowers  inter¬ 
spersed  with  Francoa  ramosa,  edged  Alternanthera  amabilis. 
10.  Lantana  Ne  plus  Ultra,  mixed  colours,  dotted  Begonia 
semperflorens,  groundwork  of  Alternanthera,  edged  Lobelia 
Crystal  Palace  compacta.  11.  Ivy-leaved  Geranium  Abel 
Carriere,  deep  pink,  dotted  Verbena  venosa  and  Coreopsis  tinc- 
toria,  edged  blue  Lobelia  Earl  of  Beaconsfield.  12.  Pink 
Geranium,  interspersed  with  Veronica  Andersoniana  and  purple 
Viola,  edged  with  Alternanthera  magnifica. 
A  few  round  beds  are  filled  as  follows :  13.  Lantana  delica- 
tissima,  tall  plants  with  puce  flowers,  dotted  with  Oreocome  Can- 
dollei,  with  dark  green  Fern-like  foliage  growing  from  centre, 
edged  Alternanthera  ainoena.  14.  Cuphea  platycentra,  dotted 
Scabiosa  caucausica,  with  a  groundwork  of  Lilac  Viola,  edged 
Alternanthera  versicolor.  15.  Abelia  mnestris,  shrubby  plant, 
small  white  flowers,  dotted  Celosias  and  Amaranthus  tricolor, 
edged  Alternanthera  amcena. 
Some  oblong  beds  are  variously  filled.  Earlier  in  the  season 
Carnation  Raby  Castle  would  be  effective  (16)  with  Viola  Blue 
Bell,  but  in  the  late  summer  the  latter  had  grown  so  that  it 
entirely  covered  up  the  Carnation.  17.  Erythrina  crista-galli 
having  five  stems  to  each  plant,  Walnut-like  leaves,  with  dark 
red  “  leguminaceous  ”  blooms  borne  in  threes  from  axils  of  leaves. 
18.  Fuchsia  Warinka,  dark  purple  corolla,  scarlet  sepals,  dotted 
Coreopsis  tinctoria.,  edged  with  diamond  panels  alternately, 
Alternanthera  amabilis  and  Leucophyton  Browni.  19.  Lilium 
speciosum,  dotted  Celosia  plumosa  (vellow),  edged  Alternanthera 
versicolor.  20.  Hydrangea  paniculata  grandiflora,  groundwork 
Pansy  Earl  of  Beaconsfield,  edged  Alternanthera  amoena.  21. 
Yellow  Lantana  Drap  d’Or  and  Viola  Blue  Bell.  22.  Bouvardia 
291 
mtermedia  President  Cleveland,  intermixed  with  Abelia  rupestris. 
Begonia  semperflorens,  edged  with  Alternanthera  amabilis,  having 
triangular  dots  in  it  of  Pachyphyton  biacteosum.  23.  Lilium 
speciosum  lancifoliiim  rubrum,  dotted  Celosia  plumosa,  dark 
crimson,  line  of  a  small  dwarf  Chrysanthemum,  yellow  pompon, 
broad  edge  of  Alternanthera  amabilis.  24.  Tower  of  London 
Fuchsia,  Nicotiana  afiinis  (Tobacco  plant).  Fuchsia  Meteor  (small 
golden  foliage),  edged  with  blue  Lobelia  Blue  Beard.  25.  Round 
bed  of  Geranium  Wellington,  a  strong  grower  with  large  scarlet 
blooms,  edged  white  Lobelia.  26.  Round  bed  of  Fuchsia  Display, 
Acacia  lophantha  and  Begonia  semperflorens  intermixed,  edged 
with  Koeniga  maritima.  27.  Ivy-leaved  Geranium  Madame 
Mougeot,  colour  deep  pink,  mixed  with  blue  Viola  lilacina,  edged 
with  Mesembryanthemum  cordifolium  variegatum..  28.  Fuclisia 
Lye’s  Excelsior,  intermixed  with  Acacia  lophantha  and  Solanum 
pyracanthum,  edged  with  blue  Lobelia. — E.  D.  S. 
Value  of  Mutual  Iinprovement  Associations, 
This  wa,s  the  subject  for  the  evening’s  discussion  at  the  meet¬ 
ing  of  the  Bristol  and  District  Gardeners’  Mutual  Improvement 
Association,  held  at  St.  John’s  Rooms,  Redland,  on  "Thursday, 
the  26th  ult.,  when  Mr.  E.  Binfield  presided  over  a  good 
attendance.  The  lecturer 
W'as  Mr.  W.  Ellis  Groves, 
the  energetic  Secretary  of 
the  society,  who'  has  so 
much  at  heart  the  welfare 
of  Bristol  gardeners,  and  to 
whom  this  association  owes 
to  a  very  great  extent  the 
prominent  position  it  holds 
to-day  amongst  Gardeners’ 
Mutual  Improvement  Asso¬ 
ciations  of  England.  If  we- 
look  at  the  gardening  pro¬ 
fession  we  find  it  commands 
more  scope  for  individual 
thought  and  action  than 
eighty  per  cent,  of  other 
trades  and  professions.  How 
varied  ancl  how  many  are 
the  experiences  which  the 
gardener  comes  into  daily 
contact  wuth!  Here  it  is 
that  these  mutual  improve¬ 
ment  societies  render  that 
assistance  which  only  those 
engaged  in  gardening  can 
and  do  appreciate.  To  have 
our  “  fads  ”  and  errors  ex¬ 
ploded,  to  listen  to  the  ex¬ 
periences,  of  others,  to  have 
their  advice,  all  means  that 
we  gain  that  knowledge 
.  which  is  so  essential  to  the 
building  up  of  a  sound  reputation  in  the  horticultural  world. 
One  of  the  chief  advantages  of  these  societies  is  to-  cause 
the  younger  gardeners  to  take  a  deeper  interest  in  the  pro¬ 
fession,  thereby  making  themselves  better  gardeners,  and  con¬ 
sequently  more  valuable  servants.  Then  again,  the  fact  of 
bringing  gardeners  into  closer  contact  with  each  other  has  un¬ 
doubtedly  a  mutual  benefit.  Mr.  Groves  emphasised  the  fact 
that  employers  were  certainly  reaping  the  harvest  from  the  good 
seed  sown  by  the  associations,  and  he  appealed  to  them  to  in¬ 
terest  themselves  more  deeply  in  the  good  work  these  were  doing, 
and  the  provision  of  horticultural  libraries)  has  been  of  the 
greatest  assistance  to  the  British  gardeners.  The  age  of  secrets 
is  passed,  and  the  gardener  no  longer  locks  his  knowledge  up  in 
his  own  .self,  but  imparts  it  to  his  confreres,  through  the  societies. 
The  advantages  wliiqh  the  young  gardener  has  to-day  over 
his  forefathers  are  manifold,  and  he  may  no  longer  be  in  the 
dark.  It  should  be  the  duty  of  all  gardeners  and  lovers  of  their 
garden  to  join  one  of  these  associations,  thereby  helping  on  the 
interest  of  horticulture,  which  in  itself  is  so,  ennobling  when 
rightly  enjoyed.  A  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Groves  brought 
to  a  close  a  most  enjoyable  evening,  and  it  was  decided  that  the 
lecture  should  be  printed  and  circulated  free  of  charge  tO'  the 
gentlemen  of  the  di.striot  and  their  gardener.s\ 
The  prizes  for  the  evening  for  a  vase  of  flowers  for  table 
decoration  were  awmrded  to  Mr.  J.  B.  Brain  (gardener.  Mr. 
Atwell),  Mr.  N.  C.  Dobson  (gardener,  Mr.  Thodavi.  Mr.  W.  H. 
Davis  (gardener,  Mr.  Curti.s),  Mr.  A.  Baker  (gardener.  Mr. 
Orchard),  and  Mr.  J.  C.  Aiken  (gardener.  Mr.  Clarke).  Certi¬ 
ficates  of  Merit  went  to>  Mr.  W.  Howel  Davi.s  (gardener,  Mr. 
Curtis),  for  Dendrobium  Wardianum,  and  to  Mr.  Coleman 
(gardener,  Mr.  Spry)  for  two  pots  of  Mignonette. — H.  K. 
Celmisia  coriacea. 
