172 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



Rhododendron ferrugineum, and less extensively with the colder 

 color of the wood hyacinth; accordingly the large rhododendron 

 may be used to almost any extent in masses; the pale varieties 

 of the rose more sparingly and on the turf, the wild violet and the 

 pansy should be sown by chance, so that they may grow in undu- 

 lations of color and should be relieved by a few primroses." 



There never was so rich a time as the present for the great 

 quantity of material available for use in the study of garden 

 color. The range of tones in flowers today is almost measureless; 

 never before were seen pinks of such richness, such deep velvet-like 

 violets, delicate buffs and salmons, actual blues, vivid orange 

 tones, pale, beautiful lavenders. Through the magic of the 

 hybridizers we are today without excuse for ugliness in the garden. 

 The horticultural palette is furnished forth indeed. Take peren- 

 nial phloxes alone, for rich violet purple we have Lord Rayleigh, 

 for the redder purple. Von Hochberg, for the lavenders which 

 should be used with these, Eugene DanzanvilHers and Antonin 

 Mercie; for whites, the wondrous Von Lassberg and the low but 

 effective Tapis Blanc; while in the list of vivid or delicate pinks 

 not one of which is unworthy of a place in the finest garden 

 stand, G. A. Strohlein, Gruppen, Konigen, General Von Heutz 

 Selma, Bridesmaid, General Chanzy, Jules Cambon, and Elizabeth 

 Campbell, already an established favorite in England and now 

 offered in America. Ellen Willmott too, a pale grey phlox, should 

 be immensely useful. 



Speaking parenthetically I have to confess to a faint prejudice 

 against stripes, flakes, or eyes in the phloxes, principally because as 

 a rule the best effects in color groupings are obtained by the use 

 of flowers of clear solid tones, otherwise one cannot count upon 

 the result of one's planning. 



With the eye an unexpected element enters into our composi- 

 tion. Among irises what a possible range of color pictures in 

 lavenders, blues, bronzes, yellows, spring up to the mind's eye 

 with the very mention of the flowers' musical name. The immense 

 choice of species and varieties, the difference in form and height, 

 and more notably the unending number of their lovely hues 

 make the iris family a true treasure house for the good flower 

 gardener. The first comer at our spring iris festival is the shy stiff 



