106 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



marked improvements is the planting of handsome bulbs in masses of 

 Rhododendrons and like bushes. These beds, as usually planted, are 

 interesting only when in flower, and not always then, owing to the 

 flat surface into which the shrubs are pressed ; Lilies, therefore, 

 and the finer bulbs may with great advantage be placed among the 

 shrubs. In many cases where this plan has been carried out, it 

 has almost changed the entire aspects of gardens, and given various 

 beautiful types of life instead of only one, and many fine rare bulbs 

 find a home in such beds, which should be sacred from the spade. 

 In placing choice, peat-loving shrubs, give the bushes room to fully 

 attain their natural forms, and plant the interspaces with finer bulbs. 

 Light and shade, relief and grace, are among the merits of this mode 

 of planting. Beds of the smaller shrubs will do admirably for the 

 smaller and more delicate bulbs, the shelter of low shrubs being an 

 advantage to many little bulbs whose leaves are apt to suffer from 

 cold winds. In this way we get relief, variety, and longer bloom, 

 and the shrubs show their forms better when they have free play of 

 light and air about them. 



BULBS IN BEDS ON TURF. Bold beds of Lilies and the taller 

 bulbs are admirable for the lawn, and for quiet corners of the pleasure- 

 ground. The showy beds of bulbs which are to be seen in public and 

 other gardens, and which come so largely into spring gardens, are 

 familiar to all. The beds suggested here are of a higher and more 

 permanent nature, and are intended to be placed where they will be 

 let alone. At Moulton Grange some years ago I saw on the turf in a 

 quiet corner a bed of Tiger Lilies which had no other flowers near to 

 mar its beauty. It was a large oval bed, and the colour of the finely 

 grown Lilies was brilliant and effective seen through the trees and 

 glades. In point of colour alone, nothing could be better ; the mass of 

 bloom was profuse, and the plants, about 6 feet high, told well in the 

 garden landscape. The plants had a great advantage in habit, form, 

 and colour over the usual dwarf type of showy "bedding" plant. 

 Many hardy flowers of the highest beauty would have as effective 

 colour if we took equal pains with them. Colour on a 6-foot plant is 

 usually more effective than on a plant 6 inches or 12 inches high, and 

 some hardy Lilies are well over 6 feet high. This Lily bed was 

 on one of those little strips of turf which occur by most shrubberies, 

 and within a few yards of a walk, so that it could be easily seen. 

 Among the most lovely beds are those of the nobler Lilies, while Iris, 

 and many beautiful Day Lily, Paeony, Gladiolus, and Cape Hyacinth 

 may be grouped with them or near them. It may be as well to note 

 that what is meant here is not wild gardening with bulbs, but very 

 good cultivation of them, and surfacing and edging the beds with 

 spring flowers. 



