REVIEW. 



257 



REVIEW. 



The Suburban Gardener and Villa Companion;— By J. C. Lon- 

 don, F. L. S., H. S., &c. ; London: Longman, #c Co. 



In Monthly Numbers. The fifth number, for October 1837 

 48 pages, has been sent us, on looking it over, we find it contains 

 many useful observations, and as the present number is doubtless 

 a fair specimen of the entire work, we have no hesitation in re- 

 commending it to our readers. The following is an extract from 

 the number now before us. 



On Planting Flower beds with fibrous-rooted Perennials and 

 Bulbs alternately. 



" The advantage of introducing bulbs in flower-gardens is, that their flowers 

 make a greater show than those of fibrous rooted plants generally do in spring; 

 and as, in small suburban residences, it seems more desirable that the gard- 

 ens should look well in spring than in summer (because at the latter season 

 many families go out of town for a few months), the use of bulbs appears very 

 desirable. The manner of introducing them may either be in beds by them- 

 selves, to be succeeded by fibrous-rooted plants when they go out of flower ; 

 or intermixed with fibrous-rooted perennials, by using only half the number 

 of the latter, and those of larger growth ; and by placing the bulbs and the 

 perennials alternately. As the bulbs come all into flower in March, April or 

 May, they will have faded before the perennials have come to their full 

 growth; and hence, notwithstanding the increased size of the perennials, the 

 bed will not appear crowded. In the selection of both perennials and bulbs, 

 we shall give, as far as practicable, only one species of a genus, in order to 

 produce as much botanical variety as possible within the given space. 



The perennials for the bed a may be 

 the 8 following kinds ; none of 

 which come into flower earlier 

 than June and which are all about 

 1 ft., or from that to 1 ft. 6 in., in 

 height : — 



Betonica grandiflora, large flowered 

 betony ; red, June. 



Campanula ariaefolia, the beam-tree- 

 leaved bell flower ; white, June. 



Oenothera undulata, the waved-leaf 

 evening primrose, yellow, July. 



Delphinium elegans, perennial lark- 

 spur, blue, July. 



Dianthus carthusianorum, Carthusian 

 pink, red, August. 



Scutellaria peregrina, white helmet- 

 flowsred, August. 



Gentiana Saponaria, the soapwort- 

 leaved Gentiana, blue, September 

 and October. 



Aster difl'usus, white Michaelmas daisy 

 September and October. 

 VOL. V. 



The bulbs may be the 8 following: — 



Scilla bifolia, blue two-leaved squill, 

 March. 



Crocus albiflorus, white-flowered cro- 

 cus, March. 



Anemone pavonia, the peacock's eye 

 anemone, red, April. 



Hyacinthus orientalis, white hyacinth, 

 April. 



Narcissus minor, small narcissus, yel- 

 low, April. 



Fritillaria tenella, slender fritillary, 

 purple, May. 



Erythronium Dens canis, the dog tooth 

 violet, reddish lilac, May, 



Muscaria pallens, pale-blue musk hy- 

 acinth, May. 



The bed b may be planted with the 

 3 following perennials : — 



Ononis ro(iitidifoli;i, the round-leave J 

 restharrow, red, June, 

 FF 



