SPRING FLOWER GARDEN. 483 SPRING FLOWER GARDEN. 



should be well manured, dug deep, and 

 well pulverised, and ought also to be 

 thoroughly drained. This attention will 

 be especially necessary for hyacinths, ane- 

 mones, and ranunculuses, which delight in 

 a rich deep soil, and are impatient of stag- 

 nant moisture during the winter. 



" For assistance in making a selection, 

 it will be useful to name the classes of 

 bulbs which we have found by jxperience 

 to be the most suitable for spring decora- 

 tion, and indicate how we think they can 

 be arranged in planting, so as to secure the 

 best possible effect. 



"Beginning with the snowdrop, which 

 is the first to make its appearance, is uni- 

 versally admired, and very cheap, let us 

 say that it should be largely used, both for 

 edging beds filled with other things, and 

 for planting in clumps and masses ; but as 

 it blooms too early to flower at the same 

 time as tulips, hyacinths, &c., it should not 

 be planted with a view to its forming any 

 combination with these ; and the same 

 warning must be given respecting the 

 pretty little winter aconite. The crocus 

 also blooms too early to allow of its being 

 successfully used in combination with 

 tulips, &c. But there are so many varieties 

 of this flower in different colours, that a 

 very effective garden might be produced 

 with it alone. It is also very cheap, and 

 should be largely planted as edgings to 

 beds, in clumps about shrubbery borders, 

 or in any desired arrangement in the beds. 

 The lovely scillas bloom shortly after the 

 crocus, but as they last many weeks, they 

 may. if desirable, be planted in any 

 arrangement with the later-blooming bulbs ; 

 but these are so beautiful that we recom- 

 mend that they should be planted where 

 there will be no necessity to disturb them 

 until their leaves decay, the dog's-tooth 

 violet is also a beautiful little plant, with 

 prettily-speckled leaves, blooms early, and 

 may be used as an edging, but, like the 



scillas, is well deserving to be grown in a 

 bed by itself. 



"The most effective display will be ob- 

 tained from hyacinths, the various sections 

 of tulips, ranunculuses, and anemones. 

 The hyacinth and tulip bloom before the 

 ranunculus and anemone ; but by planting 

 the latter early in November, and the 

 former towards the end of the month or 

 early in December, they may generally be 

 had in flower at the same time. Both the 

 hyacinth and tulip furnish so many colours 

 that a varied and effective display may be 

 produced from each ; and the same is 

 nearly true of ranunculuses and anemones. 

 We have known persons plant flower 

 gardens with the various spring-flowering 

 bulbs, and arrange them according to 

 height and colour, but with a total disre- 

 gard of the time of flowering, and then 

 expect the bed of blue crocuses to be in 

 bloom at the same time as the one of 

 scarlet anemones. It is to be hoped, how- 

 ever, that the remarks made here on this 

 subject will prevent any reader from 

 making a similar mistake. 



"All should plant bulbs without stint, 

 nay, to plant them profusely for a spring 

 display in the open garden; and if the 

 recommendation made here as to treatment 

 is only acted on, it will surely follow that 

 they will be amply recompensed. The 

 most suitable arrangement, perhaps, for 

 spring-flowering bulbs in the borders is the 

 ribbon planting ; the taller growers, as 

 Crown Imperials and fritillaria, being 

 placed in the back, then tulips, &c. But 

 if the error of expecting all to bloom to- 

 gether is avoided, the display will be satis- 

 factory whatever arrangement of planting 

 may be adopted. 



" In addition to bulbs, the reader must 

 remember that there are many plants and 

 shrubs which flower so early that they con- 

 tribute to the floral decoration of spring. 

 Among them may be mentioned the yellow 



