OCTOBER GLORIES 145 



Any householder in the South who allows his lawn to become 

 brown and stay so all Winter is cheating himself, his family, and 

 his neighbors — to say nothing of his section of the country. Noth- 

 ing appeals to the tourists from the snowbound sections more 

 than our green, mossy lawns and dooryards, when January 

 snows have driven them to our more favored clime. Plant, 

 then, grass seed and plant it generously. 



As the Summer flowers wither and die, fertilizer should be 

 put in, the perennials carefully attended to and the bulbs planted. 

 If the lawn does not have to be made over from the beginning 

 it is possible to plant the bulbs as the borders are ready for them 

 and, in this way, a natural succession of bloom is assured. All 

 the standard bulbs. Hyacinths, Narcissi, Daffodils, Crocuses, 

 Jonquils, Tulips and Snowdrops, are perfectly hardy in the South 

 and may be put out safely until December. It is only when a 

 sharp, cold snap comes after the blossoms are showing that dis- 

 aster results. This does not often happen. In buying bulbs 

 remember that the best are always the cheapest. Plant them 

 in masses, as many as you can possibly buy, follow any good 

 article on the planting of the same and no mistake or disappoint- 

 ment will result. 



When making out your list — which ought to have been done 

 in August — do not forget to include the Irises, /. hispanica^ those 

 orchids of the Spring garden, /. Kaemp/eri and /. germanica. 

 Iris hispanica is not usually seen in the South but all of the group 

 are radiantly lovely, easily grown and as well adapted to the 

 formal bulb garden as to the naturalized plantings. 



The most wonderfully beautiful Iris planting that I have 

 ever seen, however, was where bulbs were planted by the thousand 

 on the banks of a small brooklet that made merry music as it 

 rippled over the stones from one level to another and sang its 

 song of Springtime and Summer as it made its way between these 

 lovely. flowers of softest Hlac, clearest azure, deepest violet, golden 

 yellow, silvery white, and softest ivory and creamy tones. One 

 associates them with water and if it is possible plant them near 

 a pool or pond or brook, but, if not, plant them anywhere, always 



