214 THE GARDENER. [May 



Anemone apennina is one of the most beautiful of spring flowers. 

 It rises to tbe height of about G inches, including the flowers, which 

 are a bright blue. It flowers sometimes as early as February, but only 

 in mild seasons and in warm localities ; more generally it appears in 

 March. A fine companion to it is A, nemorosa, the white Wood Anem- 

 one, the double form of which is an excellent subject to grow largely 

 for cut flowers, as it stands well when cut. 



A. fulgens cannot be surpassed for the brilliancy of its large starry 

 flowers of dazzling crimson. As with most Anemones, the flowers are 

 most profuse ; and the plant thrives so generally well in gardens that 

 it should become a popular favourite — indeed no garden should be. 

 without a few of it. The Poppy Anemone, A. coronaria and the 

 varieties, A. hortensis, the Garden A., are also indispensable, while they 

 are also the most easily cultivated of all spring flowers. A. pavonina 

 (bright-red), A. ]ndsatilla (purple), and A. sylvestris (white), are each 

 beautiful, distinct, and worthy of attention where there is room for 

 variety ; but if only two or three may be grown, I would recommend 

 fulgens, apennina, hortensis, coronaria, and nemorosa pleno as being the 

 cream of the lot for spring flowering. 



Caitha palustris. — The double form of this is not one of the earliest 

 of our spring flowers. Still in ordinary seasons it begins to open its fine 

 golden-yellow flowers in April, and continues to display them during 

 the following two or three months. It is a very gay if a somewhat 

 common-looking plant, and is worthy of a place in every garden where 

 gaiety is desired. 



Eranthis hyemalis, the Winter Aconite — one of the most common of 

 spring flowers, and one of the earliest to appear. It is no unusual 

 thing to see it pushing its flowers and leaves through the melting snow 

 in February. It thrives everywhere — even in the smoky atmosphere 

 of towns — and is therefore most valuable as a town garden-plant. 



The Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger) is too well known and ad- 

 mired to require recommendation. Some forms of it flower very early 

 in the year, often in mild seasons throwing up flowers in November 

 and December. Others, such as the variety called major, are some- 

 what later, while the flowers are larger and more beautiful in colour ; 

 but all are worthy of culture, and should be grown largely where con- 

 siderable demand is made for cut flowers during the winter months. 

 A few plants lifted and put in a cold frame before winter sets in will 

 yield a fine crop of purely-coloured flowers, which are apt to be draggled 

 and soiled when left to the full exposure of the weather. 



Hepatica triloba. — All of these are worth growing more abundantly 

 than they are. They are profuse and bright, and very early flowers. 

 Only three colours are given by them — red, white, and blue. There 

 are double forms of the first and last, and a double white is mentioned 

 in books as having been in cultivation, but it no longer exists in gar- 

 dens, if ever it did — although some_aver that they have met with it in 



