The Subtropical Garden; or, beauty of form in the flower garden.

by W. Robinson

*THE CANNAS.

If there were no plants of handsome habit and graceful leaf available for the improvement of our flower-gardens but these, we need not despair, for they possess almost every quality the most fastidious could desire, and present a useful and charming variety. The larger kinds make grand masses, while all may be associated intimately with flowering-plants—an advantage that does not belong to some free-growing things like the Castor-oil plant. The Canna ascends as boldly, and spreads forth as fine a mass of leaves as these, but may be closely grouped with much smaller subjects. The general tendency of most of our flower-garden plants is to assume a flatness and dead level, so to speak; and it is the special quality possessed by the Cannas for counteracting this that makes them so valuable. Even the grandest of the other subjects preserve this tameness of upper-surface outline when grown in great quantities: not so these, the leaves of which, even when grown in dense groups, always carry the eye up pleasantly from the humbler plants, and are grand aids in effecting that harmony which is so much wanted between the important tree and shrub embellishments of our gardens and their surroundings, and the dwarf flower-bed vegetation. Another good quality of these most useful subjects is their power of withstanding the cold and storms of autumn. They do so better than many of our hardy shrubs and plants, so that when the last leaves have been blown from the Lime, and the Dahlia and Heliotrope have been hurt by frost, you may see them waving as gracefully and as green as the vegetation of a temperate stove. Many of the subtropical plants, used for the beauty of their leaves, are so tender that they go off in autumn, or require all sorts of awkward protection at that season; but the Cannas last

in good trim till the borders must be cleared. All sheltered situations, places near warm walls, and nice snugly-warmed dells, are suitable positions for them. They are generally used in huge and ugly masses, both about Paris and London; but their true beauty will never be seen till we learn to place them tastefully here and there among the flowering-plants—just as we place sprigs of graceful fern in a bouquet. A bed or two solely devoted to them will occasionally prove very effective; but enormous meaningless masses of them, containing perhaps several hundred plants of one variety, are things to avoid and not to imitate. As to culture and propagation, nothing can be more simple: they may be stored in winter, as readily as potatoes, under shelves in the houses, in the root-room, or, in fact, anywhere if covered up to protect them from frost. And then in spring, when we desire to propagate them, nothing is easier than pulling the roots in pieces, and potting them separately. Afterwards it is usual to bring them on in heat, and finally harden them off previous to planting out in the middle of May; but a modification of this practice is desirable, as some kinds are of a remarkably hardy constitution, and make a beautiful growth if put out without so much as a leaf on them. The soil for all Cannas should be deep, rich, and light.

In rambling through the suburbs of Paris, I once came upon a tuft of Canna springing up strongly through a box-edging—pretty good evidence that it had remained there for some years. Upon inquiring of the proprietor of the garden I found this was the case, and that he had no doubt of the hardiness of several other kinds. They were planted not more than 8 ins. or 10 ins. deep. When we remember that the Cannas are amongst the most valuable plants we use for giving grace and verdure to the flower-garden, this surely is a hint worthy of being acted upon, as, of course, they will prove equally hardy with us. Considering their diversity of colour and size, their graceful pointed habit and facility of propagation, we must concede them the first place; but their capability of being used by anybody who grows ordinary bedding-plants, and the fact that they may be preserved so very easily through the winter, enhance their value still more. Cannas, protected by a coating of litter, have been left out in Battersea Park through severe winters, and during the unfavourable summer of 1867 attained a height of nearly 12 ft. Where it is desired to change the arrangements as much as possible every year, it may not be any advantage to leave them in the ground, and in that case they may be taken up with the bedding-plants, and stored as simply and easily as carrots. Wherever they are grown as isolated tufts, in small groups, or in small beds, it will be best not to take them up oftener than every second or third year. These noble plants would also adorn the conservatory, which is often as devoid of any dignified vegetation as the unhappy flower-gardens which are seen all over the country. Few subjects would be more effective, none more easily obtained.