MAY 



Lilac Time 



MAY is the month of Bluebells and Tulips, Lilac 

 and Thorn, Golden Chain and Rhododendron, of 

 Poppy, Paeony and Iris. There is not the full flush of 

 beauty and colour that comes with the later days, 

 with June and early July, but the plants seem possessed 

 of the joy of hope and the vigour of youth ; there is no 

 suggestion of middle age in their lustiness, no semblance 

 of decay. The trees and shrubs still show their character- 

 istic leaf tints that later become merged in the green 

 monotone of summer, and the fading spring blossoms 

 are scarce noticed among innumerable others that are 

 progressing to greater beauty. It is Lilac time and 

 Bluebell time, the time of May and Fleur-de-lis ; the 

 garden is a sanctuary, a place of perfect peace, of frail 

 and fragrant loveliness. 



Among the Hardy Flowers 



The Rhododendron stands pre-eminent, even among 

 the hardy flowers of May, and ranks as the noblest of 

 evergreen flowering trees hardy in the British Isles. 

 It used to be said that a peaty soil was essential 

 to its successful cultivation, but fortunately it will 

 thrive just as well in loam. Rhododendrons prefer a 

 somewhat sheltered spot; in an exposed position the 

 blossoms are liable to be caught by late frost. Nothing 

 benefits them more than a mulch or top-dressing of 

 decayed leaves or manure in spring. Generally the 

 bushes need little pruning, though it is wise to remove 

 the faded flowers to prevent the formation of seed pods. 

 If, however, a bush is becoming unshapely, the branches 



206 



