250 HORTICULTURE [FLOWERS. Before commencing to plant, it would be well to construct tables or lists of the plants, specifying their respective times of flower ing, colours, and altitudes. To diversify properly and mingle well together the reds, whites, purples, yellows, and blues, with all their intervening shades, requires considerable taste and powers of com bination ; and ascertained failures may be rectified at the proper time the next season. The one great object aimed at should be to present an agreeable contrast ; and, as at particular seasons a mono tony of tint prevails, it is useful at such times to be in possession of some strong glaring colours. White, for instance, should be much employed in July, to break the duller blues and purples which then preponderate. Orange, too, is very effective at this season. On the other hand, yellows are superabundant in autumn, and therefore reds and blues should then besought for. The flower-gardener should have a small nursery, or reserve garden, for the propagation of the finer plants, to be transferred into the borders as often as is required. As a rule, all the fibrous-rooted herbaceous plants flourish in good soil which has been fairly enriched with manure, that of a loamy character being the most suitable. Many of them also grow satis factorily in a peaty soil if well worked, especially if they have a cool moist subsoil. Pentstemons and phloxes, amongst others, succeed well in soil of this character, but the surface must be well drained ; the former are rather apt to perish in winter in loamy soil, if at all close and heavy. The herbaceous border should be a distinct compart ment, and not less than 10 feet in width, backed up by evergreens. Such a border will take in about four lines of plants, the tallest being placed at the back and the others graduated in height down to the front. In the front row patches of the white arabis, the yellow alyssum, and the purple aubrietia, recurring at intervals of 5 or 6 yards on a border of considerable length, carry the eye forwards and give a balanced kind of finish to the whole. The same might be done with dianthuses or the larger narcissi in the second row, with ppsonies, columbines, and phloxes in the third, and with delphiniums, aconitums, and some of the taller yellow composites as helianthus and rudbeckia at the back. Spring and autumn flowers, as well as those blooming in summer, sh.ould be regularly distributed throughout the border, which will then at no season be devoid of interest in any part. Many of the little alpines may be brought into the front line planted between suitable pieces of stone, or they may be relegated to a particular spot, and placed on an artificial rockery. Most of the hardy bulbs will do well enough in the border, care being taken not to disturb them while leafless and dormant. Some deep-rooting perennials do not spread much at the surface, and only require refreshing from time to time by top-dressings. Others, as the asters, spread rapidly; those possessingthis habitshould be taken up every second or third year, and, a nice patch being selected for replanting from the outer portions, the rest may be either thrown aside, or reserved for increase ; the portion selected for replanting should be returned to its place, the ground having mean- wdiile been well broken up. Some plants are apt to decay at the base, frequently from exposure caused by the lifting process going on during their growth ; these should be taken up annually in early autumn, the soil refreshed, and the plants returned to their places, care being taken to plant them sufficiently deep. General Only a selection of some of the best of trie decorative hardy per- ist of ennials can be noted, before we pass on to those popular subjects of lardy this class which have been directly influenced by the hybridizer and >eren- improver. Many more might be added to the subjoined list : dais. Accena. Neat trailing plants adapted for rockwork, thriving in sandy soil. A. microphylla and A. myriophylla have pretty spiny heads of flowers. Acantholimon. Pretty dwarf tufted plants, with needle-shaped leaves, adapted for rockwork. A. glumaceum and A. venustum bear bright pink flowers in July and August. Light sandy loam. Acanthus. Bold handsome plants, with stately spikes, 2 to 3 feet high, of flowers with spiny bracts. A. mollis, A. latifolius, and A. longifolius are broad-leaved sorts ; A. spinosus and A. spinosissimus have narrower spiny toothed leaves. Achillea. Handsome composite plants, the stronger ones of easy culture in common soil. A. Eupatorium and filipendula, 3 to 4 feet, have showy yellow corymbose flowers ; A. rosea, 2 feet, rosy-crimson ; and A. Ptarmica ilore-pleno, 2 feet, double white flowers. Others suitable for front lines or rockwork are A. tomentosa, 9 inches, bright yellow; A. ocgyptiaca, 1 foot, silvery leaves and yellow flowers; A. umbellata, 8 inches, silvery leaves and white flowers; and A. Clavenna;, G inches, with silvery leaves and pure white flowers. Aconitum. Handsome border plants, the tall stems crowned by racemes of showy hooded flowers. A. Camariim, 3 to 4 feet, has deep purple flowers in August ; A. sinense, 1 J to 2 feet, has large dark purple flowers in September ; A. variegatum, 3 feet, has the flowers white edged with blue ; A. autumnale, 3 feet, has pale blue flowers, and A. japonicum, 2 feet, deep blue flowers, both produced in September and October. Adenophora. Bell-shaped flowers. A. stylosa, 2 feet, pale blue, elegant; A. denticulata, 1* feet, dark blue ; and in A. liliifolia, 1J feet, pale blue, sweet-scentedall blooming during summer. Light soil. A donis. A. vernalis, 1 foot, has large bright yellow stellate flowers in April. Deep light soil. Ajuga. Free-growing, dwarf, and showy. A. reptans, 8 inches, has creeping runners, which A. genevensis has not; both bear handsome spikes of blue labiate flowers. Ordinary soil. AlKum.HsteAy bulbs of the garlic family, some species of which are ornamental; the inflorescence is umbellate. In A. azureum, 1 to 2 feet, the flowers are deep-blue; in A. Moly, 1 foot, golden yellow; in A. ncapoli- tanum, 1 feet, white, very handsome ; in A. triquetrum, 8 inches, white with green central stripes ; in A. pedeiuontanum, 9 inches, reddish-violet, very beautiful, the umbels nodding. Alstromcria. Beautiful plants with fleshy tuberous roots, which are the better if not often disturbed. A. aurantiaca, 2 to 3 feet, orange streaked with red, in July and August ; A. chilensis, 2 to 3 feet, blood-red, streaked with yellow, affording many varieties. Deep sandy loam or peat. Should be planted at least or 8 inches deep. Alyssum. Showy rockwork or front row border plants of easy culture in any light soil ; the plants should be frequently renewed from cuttings. A. saxatile, with greyish leaves, and deep yellow flowers, produced in April and May, and the dwarfer A. montanurn are useful. Amaryllis. Noble half-hardy bulbs, for planting near the front wall of a hot-house or greenhouse ; the soil must be deep, rich, and well-drained. A. Belladonna, the Belladonna Lily, 3 feet, has large funnel-shaped flowers in September, of a delicate rose colour. The variety A. blanda has paler flowers, almost white. Anchusa. Pretty boraginaceous herbs, easily grown. A. italica, 3 to 4 feet, has blue star-like flowers. A. sempervirens, 1^ feet, rich blue, is well suited for rough borders. Androsace. Pretty dwarf rock plants, requiring rather careful manage ment and a gritty soil. A. Vitaliana, yellow; A. Wulfeniana, purplish- crimson ; A. villosa, white or pale rose ; A. lactea, white with yellow eye ; A. lanuginosa, delicate rose ; and A. Cliamsejasme, delicate rose, are some of the best. Antennaria. Composite plants, with everlasting flowers. A. margaritaeea, 1 to 2 feet, has white woolly stems and leaves, and white flower-heads. Antheriewn. Charming border flowers. A. Liliastrum, St Bruno s Lily, IV feet, bears pretty white sweet-scented flowers in May ; A. Hookeri (Chryso- bactron), 2 feet, with long racemes of bright golden yellow flowers, requires cool peaty soil. Aquilegia. The Columbine family, consisting of beautiful border flowers in great variety, ranging from 1 to 2 or 3 feet in height. Besides the common purple A. vulgaris with its numerous varieties, double and single, there are of choice sorts A. alpina and A. pyrenaica, blue ; A. glandulosa, A. jucunda, and A. coerulea, blue and white ; A. leptoceras, blue and yellow ; A. canadensis, A. Skinneri, and A. truncata (californica), scarlet and yellow ; A. chrysantha, yellow; and A. fragraus, white or flesh-colour, very fragrant. Light rich garden soil. Arabis. Dwarf close-growing evergreen cruciferous plants, adapted for rockwork and the front part of the flower border, and of the easiest culture. A. albida forms a conspicuous mass of greyish leaves and white blossoms ; A. lucida, which is also white-flowered, bears its bright green leaves in rosettes, and has a variety with prettily gold-margined leaves. Arenaria. Evergreen rock plants of easy culture. A. graminifolia and A. laricifolia are tufted, with grassy foliage and white flowers, while A. balearica, a creeping plant, has broad leaves and solitary white flowers. Armeria. The Thrift or Sea-Pink, of which the common form A. maritima is sometimes planted as an edging for garden walks ; there are three varieties, the common pale pink, the deep rose, and the white, the last two being the most desirable. A. cephalotes, 1J feet, is a larger plant, with tufts of linear lance-shaped leaves, and abundant globular heads of deep rose flowers, in June and July. Arum. Remarkable plants, with tuberous roots, and erect hood-like spathes, enclosing the spike of flowers (spadix). A. crinitum, 1J feet, has pedate leaves, and fetid dark chocolate hairy spathes ; A. Dracunculus, 3 feet, has spotted stems, pedate leaves, and dull purple spathes ; A. itali- cum, with greenish spathes, has the cordate hastate leaves conspicuously veined with white. Asdepias. A. tubcrosa is a handsome fleshy-rooted plant, very impatient of being disturbed, and preferring good peat soil ; it grows 1 to li feet high, and bears corymbs of deep yellow and orange flowers in September. A. incarnata, 2 to 4 feet, produces deep rose sweet-scented flowers towards the end of summer. AspJwdelus. Handsome liliaceous plants, with fleshy roots, erect stems, and showy flowers, thriving in any good garden soil. A. albus, 4 feet, A. cestiyus, 4 feet, and A. ramosus, 4 feet, have all long tapering keeled leaves, andlsimple or branched spikes of white flowers ; A. luteus, 2 feet, has awl- shaped leaves and dense spikes of fragrant yellow flowers ; A. capillaris is similar to A. luteus, but more slender and elegant. Aster. A very large family of autumn-blooming composites, including some ornamental species, all of the easiest culture. Of these, A. alpinus, 1 foot, and A. Amellus, 1J feet, with its var. bessarabicus, have broadish blunt leaves, and large starry bluish flowers ; A. longifolius formosus, 2 feet, bright rosy lilac; A. clegans, 3 to 5 feet, small pale purple or whitish; A. laxus, 2 feet, purplish-blue ; A. pendulus, 2i feet, white, changing to rose ; A. pyrenseus, 2 to 3 feet, lilac-blue; A. turbinellus, 2 to 3 feet, mauve- coloured, are showy border plants ; and A. Nova: Anglire, 5 to G feet, rosy- violet ; A. cyaneus, 5 feet, blue-lilac ; and A. graudiflorus, 3 feet, violet, are especially useful from their late-flowering habit. Astilbc. A. japonica, 1 to 1 feet, better known as Hoteia japonica or Spiraea japonica, thrives in peaty or sandy soil ; its glossy tripinnate leaves, and feathery panicles of white flowers early in summer, are very attractive. It proves to be a fine decorative pot-plant, and invaluable for forcing during the spring. Astragalus. Showy pea-flowered plants, the smaller species adapted for rockwork ; sandy soil. A. dasyglottis, G inches, has bluish-purple flowers in August and September; and A. monspessulanus, 8 inches, crimson-purple in July; while A. hypoglottis, 6 inches, produces in summer compact heads of pretty flowers, which are either purple or white. There are many very ornamental kinds. Aubrietia. Beautiful dwarf spring-blooming rock plants, forming carpety tufts of flowers of simple cruciferous form. A. deltoidea is of a deep lilac- blue ; A. Campbellio) is more compact and rather darker, approaching to purple; A. grandiflora and grrcca are rather larger, but of a lighter hue. Light sandy soil. Bambusa. The Bamboo family, some of which are hardy, at least ii sheltered positions, are elegant arborescent grasses. B. japonica or Metake, 4 to 7 feet, has broadish leaves ; B. uigra is about the same height, but more slender ; B. aurea, 6 to 10 feet, is slender and graceful ; and B. (Arundinaria) falcata sometimes reaches 20 feet in height. Baptisia. Stoutish erect-growing, 2 to 3 feet, with smooth foliage and spikes of leguminous flowers. B. australis is purplish -blue, B. alba, white, B. exaltata, deep blue,; all flowering in the summer months.! Bellis.T: perennis flore-pleno, the Double Daisy, consists of dwarf showy 3 to 4 inch plants, flowering freely in spring if grown in rich light soil, and frequently divided and transplanted. The white and pink forms, with the white and red quilled, and the variegated-leaved aucubocfolia, are some of the best. Bocconia. Stately poppyworts, G to 8 feet. B. cordata has heart-shaped lobed leaves, and large panicles of small flesh-coloured flowers. Sometimes called Macle.iya. Deep sandy loam. Brudia a. Pretty bulbous plants, li. grandiflora, 1 foot, has large bluish- purple flowers ; B. coccinea, 2 to 3 feet, has tubular campanulate nodding
flowers of a rich crimson with green tips. Sandy loam.
