i64 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



leafage overhead, as are also the roots of the sky-blue Apennine 

 Anemone that bear them company. We are beginning to perceive 

 that, as a broad rule, some bulbous plants enjoy growing amongst the 

 roots of other plants, or of trees and shrubs, or in the grass of lawn or 

 meadow. The wild Daffodil and Bluebells do this as well as the 

 Snowdrop, and those who have tried to dig up bulbs of any kind 

 abroad with a knife or even with a botanical trowel, will remember 

 how tightly wedged they frequently are in roots of various kinds, or 

 jammed tightly in both roots and stones. F. W. B. 



How TO Plant. — I usually plant Narcissi in grass by turning 

 back the sod, making two cuts with the spade at right angles, and 

 then pressing up and back the sod, laying it back on a hinge, as it 

 were, putting in a few bulbs, mostly round the sides of the hole, turn- 

 ing the sod back and treading firmly upon it. The question is largely 

 one of convenience and the ground one has to plant. If one could 

 improve the subsoil it would be better for some soils, no doubt, but if 

 the work is done in a bold way and there is much other planting 

 going on, it is not easy to get time to plant things in the grass with 

 care. Sometimes in breaking new ground or carrying out changes 

 one gets a chance of throwing in some bulbs before the surface is 

 levelled up. Once in planting Grape Hyacinths in an uneven grassy 

 slope they were placed on the turf in the hollows and then levelled 

 up with earth, and both grass and bulbs soon came through. Once 

 some bullocks passed an evening where they " didn't ought to " in a 

 grassy enclosure near the house, and their footmarks suggested a group 

 of the Apennine Windflower, and a few of its roots were put in and 

 the holes filled up. A wily man will see odd ways now and then of 

 getting bulbs or seeds in. When the men are making sod banks^ for 

 the only true field fence — a live one — is a very good time to put in 

 Sweet Briars in the bank. In certain soils seeds may be sown be- 

 times — seeds of Foxglov^e, Evening Primrose, and stout biennials. 

 Fragile bulbs will want more care and less depth than the bolder 

 Narcissi. Many ways are good, though far more important than any 

 way of planting is thought as to the wants of the thing we plant, not 

 only as to soil, but association with the things that will grow about it 

 in grass, in hedgerows and rough places, for plants are not all garot- 

 ters like the great Japanese Knotworts and the big Moon Daisies ; 

 and little ducks must not be left among barn rats or we may not see 

 them again. 



All planting in the grass should be in natural groups or prettily 

 fringed colonies, growing to and fro as they like after planting. 

 Lessons in this grouping are to be had in the woods, copses, heaths, 

 and meadows, by those who look about them as they go. At first 

 many w^ill find it difficult to get out of formal masses, but they may 



