Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-02-22

The location of Flower Beds should
he mostly near the front and side of the
dwelling, and in view from the parlor
and sitting room windows; but there
should also be a reserve flower garden
i little in the rear, or in connection
with the vegetable or fruit garden,
where liberal stock of ANIMALS and
other free blooming plants should be
grown for supplying cut flowers for the
parlor and dining room, sending to poor
or sick neighbors, or decorating the
. church or school house. The beds of
choice flowers near the house should
not be robbed for these purposes though
more than half the pleasure of grow
ing flowers is derived from seeing other
people enjoy them.
The ground in front of the dwelling
should if possible be la,on, with few
shade trees and shrubs planted near the
sides, and the central portions i'm grass
alone, kept smooth and neat by fire.
quent mowings. On this lawn few
flower beds should be neatly cut in the
sod, of such shapes and sizes as fancy
and convenience may dictate; but it is
best to choose shapes having few sharp
points or angles, and the size to be gov
erned by the size of the lawn and house.
From 3 to feet in width is a good av-
erage.
In preparing the beds, ,have the ground
made rich, deep and mellow. If the
sub-soil is poor or hard, remove it, for
a foot or more in depth, and wheel on
good soil, mixing in old manure. When
finished, the middle of the bed should
be little higher than the level of the
sod, and the outside little lower, but
not sloping so much as to cause water
from showers to run off quickly.
WHAT TO PLANT.-Don't attempt too
much at the first. Beginners are apt
TO plant too many varieties of flowers,
and spoil the effect by a mixture of
poorly grown specimens OH little space.
Better begin with only half dozen or
so of the best and easiest grown annu-
ais, like Asters, Balsams, Petunias,
PhloXs, Partulacas and Zinnias; get
the best seeds, and give the plants good
culture, and see what fine effect they
will produce. The next year add half
adozen or dozen more, and so on.
How TO PLANT The modern style of
planting flower beds is to have masses
or entire beds of one sort or color
rather than a mixture. A little expe-
rience and study will teach any one
how to do this with good effect. OF
course care must be taken to have the
taller growing plants in the rear or cen-
ter Of the beds and low ones in front.
RIBBON PLANTING is the name given
10 a new style of arranging flower
beds in vogue among fashionable flor
lists. 1t requires some skill and knowl-
edge of plants, but this can easily be
learned, and is very pleasing study.
The plan is to set plants of the same
height and color in a row, several rows
forming the bed. In making these rib
bon beds, be careful TO set plants of the
proper height, and those that will keep
in flower a long time, because when one
variety is done Towering the effect is
spoiled. \ very pretty ribbon bed is
made by taking different colors of the
same flower, like Phlox Drummondii,
Purtulaca, Stocks or Astcrs. Those
who make the trial for the first time
will do well to commence with differ
ent colors of the Phlox Drummondii.