128 THE NEW GARDENING 



and attain their full beauty in May ; if the seed pods 

 are picked off directly the flowers fade they are in bloom 

 well into the summer. 



These beautiful Polyanthuses and Primroses also 

 form a charming groundwork for Rose beds. 



One of the cheapest and simplest of groundworks for 

 Tulips is the common Virginian Stock, and those who 

 try sowing it early in September in a bed planted, or to 

 be planted in autumn, with a heliotrope, purple or lilac 

 Tulip, such as Erguste, Fra Angelica or Rev. H. Ewbank, 

 will be delighted with the beautiful harmony created. 



Flower-gardeners who love to have bold harmonies of 

 colour in late spring are paying particular attention to 

 the hybrid Azaleas, owing parentage to the species mollis 

 and sinensis, of which several splendid comparatively 

 new varieties are available. I would instance Floradora, 

 salmon ; Anthony Koster, rich yellow ; Prince of Orange, 

 brilliant orange ; Duchess of Portland, cream and rose ; 

 Betsy de Bruin, yellow, crested with orange ; and Presi- 

 dent Oswald de Kerchove, salmon. These are hardy, 

 and make exquisite breaks of colour, reminding one of 

 sunset skies and ripening cornfields. They form per- 

 manent beds, and will thrive in loamy soil, but they like 

 peat. A groundwork of Primroses may be set among 

 them if desired, preferably cream and yellow shades, to 

 be followed by an orange or vermilion Snapdragon, like 

 Vesuvius, for summer and autumn bloom. Such a bed 

 of Azaleas looks beautiful on a lawn. 



With the Azaleas may be associated, if the flower- 

 lover so wills it, Lilies. There is no better place for the 

 beautiful auratum and other fine Liliums referred to in 

 chapter iv. than the Azalea bed, for the plants benefit 

 by the shelter which they receive when the tender young 

 growths are springing up in May. The stately L. gigan- 



