ON DAFFODILS AND NARCISSI 141 



In Beds. Where can we grow Daffodils ? How 

 can we utilise them so as to get the most individual 

 interest, as well as the finest collective effect from them ? 

 Before we put one bulb into the ground, we have to 

 remember that the plants bloom only at one parti- 

 cular season. An amateur who developed an interest 

 in Daffodils might rush a large collection of them 

 into the ground in autumn, and after enjoying them to 

 the full in spring, find himself embarrassed in May 

 onwards by beds and borders full of nothing but decay- 

 ing leaves. 



The Daffodils do not make the garden entirely 

 they only adorn it for a few weeks. From May to 

 July, inclusive, they are worse than useless as decorative 

 plants for the garden. The flower gardener should do 

 one of two things: (i) Fill the beds with them in 

 autumn, lift the bulbs in May, and lay them in a spare 

 plot, then plant the bed with something else ; (2) plant 

 them in groups among the other occupants of beds 

 and borders, and sow annuals, or plant dwarf, free- 

 blooming perennials near them in spring, to come 

 on for summer bloom. 



In the public parks the first plan is adopted, and 

 amateurs who do not mind the little trouble of lifting 

 and replanting may follow it also. Let us suppose 

 that an amateur has one flower bed which he wishes 

 to be gay with Daffodils in spring, and with hardy 

 plants Asters, Petunias, Phloxes, Verbenas, Carna- 

 tions, Begonias, Zonal Geraniums, or some other popular 

 flower in summer. He could plant his Daffodils in 

 October, when the summer flowers were over. First, 

 he should clear the bed ; then dig it deeply, and work 

 in steamed bone-flour at the rate of four ounces per 

 square yard. He should now plant the Daffodils. 



