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GARDENERS' CHRONICLE 



(OF AMERICA) 

 Devoted to the Science of Floriculture and Horticulture 



■ Vol. XXiV 



JUNE. 19.^0 



No. 6 



Things and Thoughts of the Garden 



THE ONLOOKER 



Sl'KlNG flowers are always awaited \\'itli eager in- 

 terest in this northern chmate and never 

 were they more warmly welcomed than this 

 \-ear when everyone seemed to be "on edge" be- 

 canse of the tardy arrival of Sirring after an es- 

 pecially disagreeable Winter. In Midwinter we are 

 inclined to sigh for a warmer clime, but when at last 

 Spring really arrives the tropics no longer appeal. As 

 compared with la>t year the earliest plants noted were 

 three weeks later in coming into flower, but there was 

 this notable difference, that whereas last year the earliest 

 flowers were ruined by frosts after opening, this year 

 we enjoyed their beauty to the full, and for a longer time 

 than usual owing to the cool weather which prevailed 

 generally through the first part of May. .\t the time of 

 writing- though, the season is fast catching up and the 

 landscape is most beautiful with the delicate tints of 

 young foliage and opening A[)ple blossoms in great pro- 

 fusion. In this locality most flowering trees and shrubs 

 are making or give promise of a very good showing, 

 the Forsythias. Magnolias and the Pyriis faniilv being 

 especially noteworth\- in this respect. 



The fragrant flowers of the lovely Magnolia stcllata 

 were of perfect purity this year, and although some years 

 we may be disappointed because its flowers are discolored 

 by frosts, it is well worth planting in a favored spot which 

 might be found even in many small gardens. lleing 

 more of the nature of a large shrub, rather than a tree, 

 in habit, and of rather slow growth, it does not rcr[uire 

 nearly as much space for development Ms the larger and 

 later flowering kinds need. 



* * * 



Any place which has a piece of woodland included in 

 its area, or even a rough piece of boggy uncullivated 

 ground, presents an op])ortunity for a style of gardening 

 which many people would find very satisfying and rest- 

 ful. Fifty years ago Wm. Robinson, a noted Fnglish 

 gardener and author, wrote his book ''The Wild Garden," 

 in which he earnestly set forth the possibilities and pleas- 

 ures of the naturalization of both native and e.Kotic hardy 

 ])lanls. .^ince then the wild garden has become ipiile 

 a familiar feature in British gardening and seems to be 

 fully as pleasing as the stereolvped budding system so 

 much in vogue when "The Wild Garden" was written. 

 We have manv estates and gardens where ideal condi- 

 tions exist for this kind of work and it is ahvays a pleas- 

 ure to come across ])laces where these conditions have 

 been recognized and made use of to good purpose. There 

 is a ])eculiar beauty and charm possessed by many of the 

 native plants but which shows out to good advantage only 



when grciwn luider conditions approximating their native 

 haunts. Treated as ordinary garden plants most would 

 sutler in comi)arison with the more showy cultivated 

 kinds, but see them growing in masses in shady, moist, 

 uncultivated places and there is nothing to surpass them. 

 \\ hat is there more pleasing in the opening days of 

 Spring than a broad drift of Bloodroot or the little 

 Hepatica, or what more lovely than a big colony of the 

 giant white Trillium. \'iolets and Wood Anemones, Co- 

 lumbine and Virginian Blue Bells, Marsh Marigold and 

 Forget-me-not come readily to mind as beautiful features 

 in the Spring picture, while at the other end of the flower- 

 ing season we recall masses of Asters, Golden Rod and 

 Joe-Pye weed just as efi^ective and beautiful in their 

 natural setting as the finest well tended border plants of 

 the garden. Then there are lovely -Perns .suitable for 

 almost any situation, some for open sunny places, others 

 for shade, some which flourish in dry ground as well as 

 those which like much moisture. There is really a much 

 greater variety amongst the native Ferns than might at 

 first thought be supposed, some forty kinds being listed 

 by one New England nurseryman. A strong point in 

 favor of developing this kind of flower gardening wher- 

 ever conditions will allow is that all the subjects are 

 quite hardy and the labor and expense involved is not 

 great. There is every reason to suppose that we shall 

 see increasing interest taken in this very satisfying phase 

 of gardening. 



l"ew flowers show to better advantage when naturalized 

 ihan lio the various forms of Xarcissiis. .\long wood- 

 land walks, on banks, and in rough grassland the charms 

 of these delightful Spring flowers are dis|)layed to per- 

 fection : and we can think of nothing else that will give 

 greater pleasure for so little expense Mid labor. Once 

 established the\- will take care of themselves and make 

 a fine showing for several years if the foliage is allowed 

 to mature before any tidying up takes place. Of course 

 all formality in planting must be strictly avoided, such as 

 straight lines and even sjiacing. else the pleasing natural 

 effect sought for will be entirely sjjoiled. Some garden- 

 ers make it a practice to plant out Xarcissiis after the-'' 

 have been forced in the greenhouse and such chim])S will 

 flower splendidly the following year. It is really a pity 

 that any should be thrown away as long as there are any 

 emptv spaces wdiere they could be planted, such as in 

 the shrub borders for instance, where they would not 

 be in the way of anything else, but would bring added 

 life and beaut v before th.e regular occupants got under 



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