216 POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS 



Hyacinths are great lovers of water, and do best in 

 a heavy but friable soil that holds moisture well. Con- 

 trary to general belief, they thrive splendidly on clay, 

 provided it is well drained and is reduced to a fine 

 crumbly state. Some sand may be put around the 

 bulbs when they are planted in autumn. They may be 

 set nine inches apart, and covered with three inches 

 of soil. If the soil is light, poor, and dry, it ought 

 to be worked deeply, and dressed heavily with decayed 

 manure. 



A few clumps of Hyacinths go far to enliven a 

 mixed border in spring. The bulbs may be set in 

 clumps of three to twelve. The following colours go 

 well together : (i) red, white, and blue ; (2) light blue 

 and yellow ; (3) light blue and rose ; (4) pink, blue, and 

 yellow ; (5) mauve, red, and white. The same colours 

 could be arranged in beds. 



Town and suburban gardeners will find the Hyacinth 

 a good plant for them, and they may mix it in their 

 beds, if they like, with the Chalice-flowered or Star 

 Daffodils (see Chapter XIV.), which are generally in 

 bloom at the same time. Country amateurs may space 

 the Hyacinths out, and give the bed a groundwork of 

 coloured Primroses and Polyanthuses (see Chapter 

 XXXI.). The Hyacinths will go out of bloom before 

 the Primroses, but they will not spoil the bed if the 

 stems are broken off directly the flowers fade. Nothing 

 is much uglier than a batch of Hyacinths with the 

 flower trusses brown. Pale blue Hyacinths look charm- 

 ing amid Primroses. 



The " Grape Hyacinths " (Muscari) should not escape, 

 the attention of the bulb lover, as they are charming 

 little plants, and thrive on banks or rockeries. .The 

 ordinary dark blue only costs is. 6d. to 2s. per 100. 



