SPRING-FLOWERING BULBS 241 



blend harmoniously If that be the intention, it may be well to 

 bear in mind a Tew simple rules. 

 The colours that blend well are : 



(1) Crimson, blue and white. 



(2) Lilac, purple and yellow. 



(3) Shades of red : rose, pink, salmon and scarlet. 



(4) Yellow and orange. 



Avoid at all costs such combinations as orange and crimson, red 

 and yellow, red and violet, ancjj yellow and blue. 



Again, it may be decided to devote the bed to the cultivation 

 of narcissi. In that case care should be taken hi order ng the 

 bulbs that the varieties selected flower all together. You may 

 decide to have them early, second early, or late, but in any event 

 ask the florist from whom you purchase them to keep the sect ons 

 distinct. 



Crocuses may be used for edging, and these will bring the first 

 real patches of colour in the spring garden. Here aga n the 

 variety is great, for the colours range through yellow, brown, 

 orange, lilac, purple, blue and white. Crocuses should be planted 

 close together, at a distance of not more than an inch or an inch 

 Mid a half apart, and in belts at least six inches wide. 



The depth at which each variety of the better-known bulbs 

 should be planted may be set out as follows : 



Two TWTTTMI. Crocus, anemrmp. ixia, scilla, winter^ aconite, 



jonquil, snowdrop. 



THREE INCHES. Early tulip, daffodil or narcissus, Spanish iris. 

 FOUR INCHES. Hyacinth, late tulip. 



In planting the larger kinds of bulbs it will be found that this 

 can be done most effectively by the use of a trowel. Care should 

 be taken in making the holes that they are of a uniform depth, 

 since if there be any variation it will influence the time of flowering, 

 and may spoil the symmetry of a whole bed. Next see that the 

 bulb rests firmly on the base of the hole, which should be large 

 enough to admit the bulb, so that it sinks easily into position. If, 

 as is sometimes done, the hole be made with a dibbler, there is 

 Q 



