Ecbinops rutbenicus for instance, or the Cotton Thistles, with August, 

 their spiked leaves and stalks, covered with white down, and Hyacinthus 

 their purple heads. On op or don illyricum and arabicum are both candicans 

 good biennial sorts. We are planting a handsome very blue- 

 green grass called Elymus glaucus, with ribbon-like leaves, as a 

 neighbour, and a most successful bed can be made with clumps 

 of Hyacinthus candicans between the Tritomas. Bamboos, 

 Pampas, or Spirtea Douglas i form a fine background for them. 

 This Spiraea grows splendidly here, making bushes ten or twelve 

 feet high, covered with large white plumes ; it is said to like 

 chalk, and of that it certainly gets plenty. 



In the flower garden just now our only really good effect 

 is given by Hyacinthus candicans (Galtonid] and Gladiolus, 

 in the beds running down each side of the Rose pergola. 

 For weeks their handsome blue-green foliage and the 

 crowded heads of unopened buds have been ornamental ; now 

 their pendant bells rising on firm stalks, make a twinkling mass 

 of white, with promise of much lasting beauty. The bulbs 

 were planted in the early Spring between young Roses for which 

 the ground had been well prepared. They were second size 

 bulbs, only costing 35. a hundred, and very small. In spite of 

 this many of them have sent up three spikes of flower, all five or 

 six feet high and very strong. Plenty of nourishment seems to 

 suit them ; the Roses are watered once a week with manure 

 water, but I fear they are robbed by the Hyacinthus, as it must 

 be confessed they have not done so well as I had hoped. 



The Gladiolus, hybrids of Gandavensis^ Childsii and 

 Lemoinei^ are throwing up fine spikes of bloom too ; they like 

 good rich soil and a mulching of manure in hot weather, and 

 are very suitable for planting in Rose beds, as they flower when 



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