Where a choice arrangement is specially desirable with plants of fine foliage or those which flower freely, we always prefer a goodly number of standards. Extensive shubberies which we planted some years ago are now much admired, when the kinds formed as standards are in full flower, or at their best with foliage. First of all they were arranged as to height, colour, and form. The heads, cut rather formal the first year, for the sake of uniformity of growth, but afterwards encouraged to droop, the undergrowth are a proportionate mixture of showy flowering shrubs, of nearly every name worthy of cultivation. Plenty of Lilacs, flowering Currants of sorts, Cotoneaster Sim-ondsii, Hollies, Weigela, Deutzias of sorts, Rhododendrons, Kal-mias, Azaleas, double Furze, Broom, yellow and white, Syringas, etc. Amongst these are a great variety of evergreens, Coniferae of the Cypress and smaller-growing class, Yews in variety, Retinosporas, Portugals, and so on; and the whole surface of soil is carpeted with Ferns, such as Osmundas, Lastraeas, etc, with a goodly mixture of Berberis, St John's Wort, and other dwarfs. Plenty of Snowdrops, Hyacinths, Violets, Primroses, etc, occupy vacant patches.

These, with the Palm-like standards - Birches, double Cherries, Crabs, a selection of Apples and Pears, forming a large proportion of the flowering kinds, kept at proper distances not to overshade, - make a most pleasing picture. Under glass the same idea is carried out with standards of Fuchsias, Kalosanthes, Acacias, Azaleas, Heaths, Marechal Niel Roses, Tree-ferns, Camellias, and others; under which is a carpet of bushy forms of Ferns, Pelargoniums, Heaths, Begonias, and endless favourites, which are much admired by visitors. "Old Sub".