Forget-me-not and Stitchwort. The latter is a most useful May. 

 wild covering plant as it makes a spreading mass of delicate Peony 

 green without too many roots, and is lovely when spangled officinalis 

 with its white flowers. Peony officinalis flowers before the anc j Moutan 

 Tree Peonies are over, and looks so much at home that we hope 

 to establish a regular Peony garden near by, and grow many of 

 the new Hybrids and varieties imported from China and Japan. 

 The flowering period could thus be extended to quite the end 

 of June. 



The Moutans can be had double or single, pure white, and 

 from flesh-colour through a wonderful range of salmon-pink to 

 intense tawny reds, or in shades of purplish pink which are 

 beautiful if grown right away from the others. The singles 

 are lovely, but disappointing because the petals drop at once 

 in bad weather. They like a lot of manure, and resent being 

 moved. When planting, a hole should be dug, 2 feet or more 

 in depth, and manure put in at the bottom, and they are 

 grateful for a good mulching in Summer when they have done 

 flowering, and for many doses of liquid manure. 



About the same time as the Tulips many low-growing 

 plants are out, suitable for forming carpets or edgings, and for 

 growing over the Tulips themselves. One of the commonest is 

 Aubrletia^ too common to be grown some gardeners think, but it 

 gives an effect quite unlike any other plant with its soft creeping 

 cushions of mauve; given a suitable spot, it will spread itself 

 very quickly. In a mill garden near Ware it has taken 

 possession in this way, tumbling in cascades down the walls 

 which confine the rushing stream, and trailing over all the beds 

 in the garden. This old variety is called A, purpurea, but 

 there are many new sorts with larger blossoms and deeper 



5' 



