THE WELL-CONSIDERED GARDEN 



flower colors; but what of the abuse of these 

 things? May I give an instance? Not long 

 since there came to my eye that which it is always 

 my delight to see, the landscape architect's plan 

 of a fine Italian garden. For the spring adorn- 

 ment of this garden such hyacinths and tulips 

 were specified as at once to cause, in my mind at 

 least, grave doubts concerning color harmonies, 

 periods of bloom. Were certain ones early, would 

 certain ones be late? as, to secure a brilliantly gay 

 effect, two or three varieties should surely flower 

 together. For my own pleasure, I worked out 

 a substitute set of bulbs and sent it to an au- 

 thority on color in spring-growing things in this 

 country, who thus wrote of the original plan: 

 "In regard to the color combinations upon which 

 you asked my comment, I can only say that they 

 are a fair sample of how little most folks know 

 about bulbs. In the bed of hyacinths, King of 

 the Blues will prove quite too dark for the other 

 colors; Perle Brillante or Electra would have been 

 much better. In the two tulip combinations I 

 can see no harmony at all. Keizerkroon, in my 

 opinion, should never be planted with any other 

 tulips. Its gaudiness is too harsh unless it is seen 

 by itself. Furthermore, both Rose Luisante and 



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