lyo 



OARDENFMS' CHROMCLE 



popular as the Daffodil is. a still more liberal use could 

 well be made in most tjardcns. Few flowers show to belter 

 advantaije when naturalized than the various forms of 

 Xarcissus. Along: woodland walks, on banks, and in any 

 piece of grass that is not good lawn, they display their 

 charms to perfection. Tlantcd about a pool or lake, their 

 effectiveness is enhanced by reflection, and against ever- 

 greens they show up wonderfully well. In my boyhood 

 surroundings, the Daffodil was a ccnnnon wild flower and 

 ever since I have preferred to see it looking as natural 

 as possible. The several divisions and sub-divisions into 

 which the Narcissus has been classified often leads to coii- 

 fusion, and many a Garden Club meeting could be en- 

 livened bv an innocent inquiry as to the difference be- 

 tween a Daflodil, a Jonquil, and a Xarcissus. This con- 

 fusion has not been recentlv brought about by the intro- 

 duction of the numerous modern varieties as might be 

 supposed, for Parkinson wrote three hundred years ago 

 that "There hath been great confusion among many of 

 our modern \\'riters of plants, in not distinguishing the 

 manifold varieties of Daffodils" — and again he writes 

 ".Manv idle and ignorant Gardeners doe call some of 

 these Daffodils Narcisses, when as all know that know 

 any Latine, that Narcissus is the Latine name and Daffo- 

 dil the English of one and the same thing." 



Such small flowered species as N. bulbocodium, N. 

 cyclamineus and N. minimus are gems for the rock gar- 

 den, their dainty flowers appearing very early. The true 

 Jonquil, X. jonquila, is well placed in the rock garden 

 also, but the stronger kinds hardly Ix'long there. Nar- 

 cissi ihat ha\e been flowered in pots should not be thrown 

 awav. A good place for them is in the shrub borders 

 where they will be '|uite ha]jpy and give much satisfaction. 

 It adds to the interest to have the different sections rep- 

 resented and to try out some of the lesser known varieties. 



In the Tnuni^et section, where the crown is at least as 

 long as the perianth. Golden Spur. Kmperor, King .Mfred, 

 \'an \\'averen's Giant and Lord Rol)erts, yellow ; Mme. 

 de Graaff and Loneliness, white ; Duke of Bedford. Em- 

 press, Glory of Noordwijk. and Victoria, bicolor; are all 

 first-class varieties. 



In the Incomparabilis or chalice-cupped section, where 

 the cu]) or crown measures up to three-fourths (jf Ib.e 

 perianth, Great Warley, Sir Watkin, and Lucifer makt' a 

 good trio. 



The old reliable Conspicuu';, l.ady (judiva and Red 

 Beacon represent very well the ISarrii group, in which the 

 crown measures not more than onc-tliird the len,L;lh of llie 

 perianth. 



The Leedsii section is similar in form to the Incom- 

 parabilis and Barrii groups but the flowers are all either 

 nearly white, or white and pale yellow. Mrs. Langtry. 

 Duchess of Westminister, and White Lady are three of 

 the best known varieties. The Poeta/. grouj) are hybrids 

 between the Poet's and the Polyanthus Xarcissus, a very 

 sturdy free flowering race of good lasting quality. Three 

 good ones are Admiration. l'-I\ira and Mignon. which 

 l)rifige the gap between the Trum])ct Daffodils :nid the 

 Darwin Tulips very nicely. 



N. poeticus is distinguished by a i>ure white perianth 

 of good substance and a flat wide cuji shaded red on the 

 edge. The old-fashiened Pheasant's Ii!ye is worth ])l.int- 

 ing in large quantity for naturalizing. Ornatus, Kim; 

 Edward \TI, and fllory of Lisse are improved varieties. 



I'etwcen the Daffodils and the Darwin Tulips, the 

 stately Hyacinth seems likely to be receding in ]iniiularily. 

 Its special place is in the piu'ely formal garden where 

 regularity is the keynote, but uniform rows of i)lants out- 

 side the vegetable garden are not regarded with nnicb 

 favor nowadays. Ilowever. the stiffness of a bed of 

 Hyacinths can lie toned dr)wn considerably by car])eling 



with such Spring-blooming plants as pansies, English 

 daisies, forget-me-nots and .\rabis. l-"orget-me-nots un- 

 der pink or white Hyacinths, and .\rabis beneath a porce- 

 lain-blue variety are simple but effective combinations. 

 Thev show to very good advantage in the shrubliery, if 

 irregularlx- grouped along the front. Early planting in 

 good loose soil at a uniform depth of about five inches 

 ;u"e jireliniinary details it will pay to ol)serve. 



Tlic Tulip is an old established garden flower at present 

 riding on a high wave of popularity. Parkinson in his 

 "T^aradisus Terrestris" (1629) described and figured 

 many varieties. He classified the early-flowering group 

 into forty varieties, embracing four colors ; a middle- 

 llowering group into sixty-five varieties, also under four 

 colors; and a late-flowering group of five varieties. Iia 

 these davs. the early-flowering section has been eclipsed 

 in the outdoor garderi by the later Darwin, Cottage, and 

 r.reeder types, wonderful flowers in all shades of colors. 

 Welcome as the early Tulips are, we cannot spare the 

 room for them in a small garden but prefer to wait for 

 the later beauties that make up for their tardiness by re- 

 maining longer with us. All the space possible in beds 

 rmd borders can well be given over to them, for they can 

 be left undisturbed to ripen oft', planting in annuals be- 

 tween them if need be. They can remain, on the average, 

 about three years undisturbed. 



It is very difficult to look over a good assortment of 

 varieties when making up a planting list and decide which 

 ones to leave out. \\'c should like to have the rooin and 

 the means to grow them all. .\t any rate we can have 

 ])lenty of enjoyment li\- browsing through a good bulb 

 catalog. 



Cottage Tulijjs, so-called because re-discovered in 

 luu'opean cottage gardens, are distinguished from the 

 early floweritig section by their longer and more graceful 

 stems and slender flowers, some oval,' others pointed and 

 reflexed. They afford a wide range of color and the gen- 

 errd effect in the garden is very charming. 



■The Darwins ]3resent a more stately appearance with 

 their taller upright stems. The cup-shaped flowers are 

 also of greater substance, and seem to embrace about 

 every shade of color but yellow. Breeders, which are 

 seedhi\gs vv-ith a tendency to "break" into mixed colors, 

 resemble the Darwins in habit and form. They give 

 some of the most rare combinations of art shades to be 

 found in any flower ;in(I consec|Ucntly are becoming very 

 l)npular. 



In contrast to these late llowering giants are the smaller 

 growing species. Tulijia Clusiana. the Little Lady Tulip, 

 is a gem with pointed flowers of white, striped dee]) rose. 

 T. (ireigii is brilliant scarlet, a g<)rget)us flower with 

 ])ointed reflexed petals. T. Kaufmanniana has wide open 

 flowers of carmine and yellow, opening early in .Vpril, a 

 real beauty. T. iira?stans, scarlet, also comes early and 

 usually has more th;m one flower to a stem. The fra- 

 gr.ant. clear yellow T. sylvestris is also inclined to this 

 nuiltinorous habit. They are not hap]\v or long lived 

 evervwhere, but :\ix- well worth exiierimenling with in 

 roi k gank-ns or favored spots in borders, and are sure 

 to give nniisn.'d pleasure if they succeed. 



lie will, --aid, "Tlu're is no sentinieiU in lin>ini'ss" for- 

 got that business everywhere is conducted by lunnan 

 beings. 



That's why we .say "Flowers in an oflice m;ike a belter 

 business d;iy." .\ cheerful atmosphere makes thinking 

 easier and i)Uts vim into languid muscle. Petals of color, 

 stems of green: liie jiresencc of just a few fragrant 

 flowers will make those who come, remain or go, believe 

 that "This is indeed a place where efti.rt is |)leasnre .■md 

 work is joy." 



