CONSTRUCTION OF BEDS, BEDS IN LAWN, RIBBON GARDENING, ROCKERIES.
“Oh! who can speak his joys, when Spring’s young morn,
From wood and pasture open’d on his view;
When tender green buds blush upon the thorn,
And the first primrose dips its leaves in dew.”
In preparing gardens to receive our flowers, it is better to avoid
raised beds, with deep walks. They suffer from the intense heat of our
summers; and the rains wash them down, often exposing the roots of
the plants. Grass edgings are objectionable, on account of the labor
required to keep the sods from spreading.
Beds that are artistically cut in the grass-plat produce a better
effect; and the brilliant hues of the flowers contrast perfectly with
the soft, shaven, emerald tint of the grass. One of the most attractive
features about a house, is a garden tastefully cut in the lawn. It
is open to but one objection--the dew upon the grass makes it rather
unapproachable in the early morning, when its owner desires to feast
her eyes upon its beauties.
Three designs are given for cutting beds in the grassy lawn, and an
artistic eye will enable our gardeners to vary them as they please. The
walks can be well trodden down, and hardened with sifted coal ashes or
clay. Gravel is not so desirable, as it clings to the feet. The grass
can be left between the beds, or cut out, but if the latter is done,
they can receive more care in the early hours of the day.
[Illustration: DIAGRAM NO. 1.
In the center, A, place a stocky plant of Scarlet Salvia; at B, Scarlet
Geraniums; D, White Perfection Geranium; C, Heliotropes; E, Carnations;
G, Asters; F, Zinnias; H and I, Stocks.]
[Illustration: DIAGRAM NO. 2.]
A, Ricinus, Sanvitalia procumbens round it; B, Scarlet Verbenas; C,
White Verbenas; D, Purple; E, Striped, Pink and White; F, Richest
Crimson; G, Pure White; H, Brightest Pink; I, Darkest Maroon. The outer
beds can be each of one kind of plant, _Heliotropes_, _Carnations_,
_Geraniums_, _Pelargoniums_, _Asters_, _Balsams_, _Zinnias_, and
_Stocks_, or any flowers that suit the owner’s taste.
[Illustration: DIAGRAM NO 3.]
In the center mound, plant a fine specimen of Arundo donax, or one of
the Pampas Grass. In each of the pear-shaped beds, put a different
colored geranium, the tallest species at the stem end, and the Tom
Thumb varieties at the broadest edge. In the circles plant some white
flowers that will retain their beauty. In the crescents, brilliant
scarlet flowers; and in the bordering of the half moon, either try
ribbon gardening, or fill up with a mosaic in squares of scarlet,
white, purple, orange, blue, bright pink, crimson, and all the
numberless shades that flowers afford. These beds furnish a great scope
for exercising one’s taste in arranging colors; and very brilliant
effects may be produced without a great outlay of time or money.
The crescent-shaped garden can be approached from the main walk, and if
the walks are hardened with ashes, it can be easily tended. All flower
beds should be dug a foot deep; well enriched with animal or mineral
manures; the lumps all finely pulverized, and the surface of the beds
raked as smoothly as possible.
_Portulacca_, _Nemophila_, _Thrift_, _Gypsophila_ and _Dwarf Asters_
make very pretty edgings.
_Ribbon Gardening._
Flowers may be planted in ribbon fashion, that is, by employing
those of primary colors, and arranging them with the tallest for the
background, or in the center. If sowed in a circular bed, be sure to
have a brilliant scarlet or white flower in the center, which should
be taller than all the rest. A Scarlet Geranium (_Gen. Grant_), for
the center, White Feverfew surrounding that; Blue Larkspur should
come next; Yellow Calceolarias next; and then the Dwarf Asters, of
a rich crimson color, bordering on purple, would contrast well. For
borderings to the plans given in this chapter, the Hyacinth-flowered
Stocks would ribbon beautifully. Plant a row of the Scarlet, then
White, next Lilac, then Canary Colored, then Bright Pink. They will
grow to the same height, and produce a fine effect. Verbenas are also
excellent for this purpose, and can be planted in concentric circles
or in parallelograms, with six or seven colors, arranging them as a
rainbow. A narrow semi-circle thus planted could be called the rainbow
garden. Phlox Drummondii, Candytuft, Lobelias and Zonale Geraniums can
all be employed in ribbon gardening. Take care to arrange the colors
with vivid contrasts--orange and purple, white and scarlet, but do
not let blue and purple mingle. The arrangement of the ribboning must
depend, of course, upon the stock of plants you possess, and after one
year’s trial you will, doubtless, succeed in producing a fine effect.
The only requisite rules are, to arrange the plants according to
their height and coloring, always planting the outer edges with some
dwarf plant that contrasts strongly. The _Alternantheras_, ornamental
foliaged plants that grow but four or five inches high, are unsurpassed
for edgings. They will receive due attention in the chapter devoted to
Variegated Leaved Plants.
For planting in masses of coloring, _Truffanto Asters_, _Smith’s
Prize Balsam_, _Dianthus florepleno_, _Linum coccineum_, _Schizanthus
atropurpureus_, _Calceolaria_ and _Centranthus macrosiphon_ make a fine
show. Plant a small bed of each.
A bed of miniature flowers is always charming. _Lobelia marmorata_,
_Leptosiphon hybridus_, _Clintonia azurea grandiflora_, _Fenzleria
dianthiflora_ and _Grammanthes gentianoides_ are all dwarfs, and
planted together with a bordering of _Gypsophylla muralis_, the effect
is lovely! A bed of Mignonette is indispensable, and it will flourish
in the shade, and in damp places, blooming luxuriantly.
_Rockeries._
There are many plants which thrive much better in a sheltered, rocky
situation, and thence has sprung up the fashion for constructing
“Rockeries.” Or it happens that some large rocks crop out on a portion
of ground which is within view of the house, and it is desirable to
ornament them. In the latter case, you have only to plant strong
growing vines with large foliage, such as the Wild Grape Vine; the
Clematis, or Virgin’s Bower, that trails its white, starry blossoms,
and its puffy, wooly seed pods all over the forests of this country.
These two vines will render the offending rocks most picturesque.
Southern ladies can entwine among them the lovely Yellow Jessamine
of their woods, which throws a golden hue over all their forests.
The _Ampelopsis_ (or Virginia Creeper), or Five Fingered Ivy, and
the _Aristolochia_ (or Dutchman’s Pipe), are also desirable for this
purpose; also the _Periplo cagræca_, or Silk Vine of the Southern
States.
One, or all of these vines, will soon render the obnoxious rocks a
joy forever! Artificial Rockeries are usually constructed of stones
of various sizes, with the soil firmly embedded betwixt them. They
can be made very easily from the clinkers of the coal furnace. If
large pieces can be obtained, whitewash some of them to increase their
picturesqueness. Boulders, stones from brooks, or hill sides, can all
be used advantageously.
Commence with the largest-sized stones, and build it up in an
irregular, jagged shape to imitate nature. A Rockery can be made as a
receptacle of Mineralogical Specimens, which would increase its value.
If you send to the woods and brooks for the stones, bring the soil
thence, and, if not rich enough, add a little compost, but native
Ferns and Vines do not require a large supply of stimulants. Plant
the Ferns and Mosses on the shadiest side, and trail over the stones
small vines, like the _Lysimachia numerlaria_, Vinca, minor and major,
Moneywort, Lobelias, varieties of the Sedums, and the various Annuals
mentioned under that head, as desirable for rock work. The varieties of
the Saxifragora, with their broad leaves, and large clusters of bright
pink or red flowers, are very effective among the trailing vines and
ferns.
A small Evergreen tree will show to advantage from some rocky point.
The Alpine Plants are also lovely for such constructions.
Crocus bulbs can be planted among the smaller stones, and in the early
Spring will make a fine show. After they have bloomed, their places
can be filled with Dwarf Asters and Dwarf Stocks, Phlox Drummondii and
Pinks.
Rockeries can be rendered very ornamental additions to the lawn or
shrubbery, but they require a tasteful eye to construct them, and a
loving hand to tend them; without these they can never be eye-sweet.