THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



245 



clumps of eight or ten at regular intervals along a bor- 

 der, and if a hundred or more of the same kind — say, of 

 Gesneriana or Picotee — are then planted in the same bor- 

 der, they will produce a brilliant effect of color just when 

 it is most needed, whether in contrast with flowering 

 plants about them such as Wallflower or I'"orget-me-nots, 

 •or with shrubs not yet in flower, such as Lavender or 

 Santolina. And. if necessary, they may be lifted when 

 they die down, just as Wallflowers and I>"orget-me-nots 

 are taken up when they go out of flower, and other plants 

 or bulbs may be put in their place. 



The later and larger growing bulbs are much easier to 

 ■deal with in the border than the many little bulbs that 

 flower early in the sjjring and then die down and remain 

 •dormant until autumn. It is ])ossible, of course, to lift 

 bulbs like Crocuses, Scilla Siberica, Scilla Bifolia, the 

 'Chionodoxias, the Pushkinnias, and the Aluscaris as soon 

 .aS they are dormant, and to plant them again in the 

 autumn. But it is a troublesome business ; and many of 

 them do better if left undisturbed. Yet, though they 

 make tiie border beautiful in early spring, thev leave 

 blank spaces just when it is expected to be fullest. If 

 they are to be grown in the border they can be covered 

 with .^eilum album, which will not interfere with their 



grown in the grass, where it is not too thick and coarse ; 

 but it usually thrives better under a Sedum. 



\\'hen the foregoing was written the author evidently 

 had not yet recognized the "Darwin Tulip" as the most 

 popular bulbous flower to be used in borders. 



It is wonderful how popular this majestic Tulip has 

 become within the last three years and yet one should not 

 be surprised for its merits deserve its popularity. Art 

 shades such as mauve, wistaria, lilac, lavender, bronze 

 and purple are found in all tones among hundreds of 

 varieties offered today. 



I shall refrain from suggesting superior ujj-to-date 

 varieties, for the introduction of scores of novelties each 

 season would make any selection obsolete in a compara- 

 tively short time. 



Darwin Tulips in the hardy border should be planted 

 with the set purpose in mind never to disturb them unless 

 they have degenerated into poor, unsightly flowers ; then 

 they should be lifted and discarded and new bulbs should 

 take their place. Before planting Darwin Tulips the spot 

 where they are intended to be planted should be well pre- 

 pared by removing the soil to a depth of two feet and 

 placing in the bottom a layer of well decayed stable 

 manure, fully six inches deep. The balance of the soil to 



KXHiniT OF ORCHinS BY I.OUIS P.URK (CHAS. WURST. CARD RNKR). AT PIHLAI iKI.l'l 1 1.\ Sllow; K\KRY PLANT WAS TAGGED 

 WITH A NUMBER; THE KEY TO THE NUMBERS WAS IN TIIE HOOK HANGING ON CASE. 



growth, and which is green all the winter and very pretty 

 ■when in flower. In this case they must be planted well 

 in the front of the border as the Sedum, if it is to do well 

 and flower, must not be overshadowed by other plants. 

 But, indeed, these smaller bulbs always do best in the 

 front of the border, as they are apt to I)e forgotten and 

 dug up if they are among large herliaceous plants, and 

 also they do not get the summer sun which most of them 

 need to ripen them. It is also possible, of course, to sow 

 some low growing hardy annual over them, especially 

 over the Scillas and Chionodoxas, which like to be planted 

 deep in a light soil. But this is not so easy to manage 

 with Crocuses, which like to be planted just under the 

 surface. The best plan of all, perhaps, with these little 

 tulbs is to plant the Crocuses and Muscaris in the grass, 

 where they will thrive, and the Scillas and Chionodoxas 

 and Pushkinnias on some sunny bank which they can 

 liave to themselves. Such a bank may be carpeted with 

 Sedum with excellent effects. Scilla Siberica may also be 



be replaced should be well mixed with ground bone, but 

 where the bulbs are set the soil must be pure. Darwin 

 Tulips should be set six inches deep so that you can jjlant 

 annuals such as Lavatera or Gypsophila right over them 

 when they have ceased blooming. 



What would otherwise be a barren spot can be a sheet 

 of color for the balance of the .season. Next to the "Dar- 

 win Tulips" the other classes of late flowering Tulips 

 should be more frec|uently employed ; for instance, the 

 Rembrandt Tulip with its wonderful markings, the 

 Breeder Tulip with its sombre color, the Bybloomen and 

 Bizarres with its fantastic stripes and flakes, the newer 

 sorts of Cottage Garden or May Tulips which are as gay 

 as the "Swiss Sennerin," and last but not least the family 

 or species of Wild Tulips, these more than all the others 

 are bv nature fitted for the hardy border, for all perennials 

 are only cultivated wild flowers. The Wild Tulips do 

 wonder's when they receive a taste of prosperity, and some 

 varieties are without doubt superior 'in colors, markings 



