n6 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



simplex, tenuior, gracilis, moschatus, and some of the newer dwarf- 

 growing hybrids, such as Beryl and Diana. 



For Grass. Nearly all the larger Daffodils and Narcissi do well. The 

 following should always be tried : Pallidus prcecox, Horsfieldii, Lobularis 

 (small early trumpet), Princeps, John Ball, Autocrat, Sir Watkin, Poeticus 

 recurvus, the wild Lent Lily, Emperor, Barrii conspicuus, Vanessa, 

 Minnie Hume, and in some places Albicans or Mrs. Thomson. 



For Borders. It will be most useful to enumerate a few of the new 

 ones of sterling merit which can be safely bought : Duke of Bedford, 

 Firebrand, Lucifer, Lady Margaret Boscawen, White Lady, Seagull, 

 Argent, Beethoven (soft yellow trumpet), Hall Caine, Madame de 

 Graaff, Vanilla, Ben Jonson (poet), Horace (poet), Cassandra (poet), 

 King Alfred (when the climate suits), Whitewell, Elvira (poetaz), 

 Orient (poetaz), Torch, Diana (Giant Leedsii), Solfatare, Noble, Occident, 

 and Olympia. 



For Cutting. Such decorative or light-looking flowers as Frank 

 Miles, Countess of Southesk (a white Frank Miles), Torch, Duchess of 

 Westminster, Golden Bell, Maximus, Golden Spur, Castile, Eyebright, 

 Thora (Giant Leedsii), Beethoven (yellow trumpet), Mrs. Langtry, Barrii 

 conspicuus, Princeps, Olympia (very large yellow trumpet), and the 

 Rugulosus variety of the Campernelle Jonquil. 



Ornithogalum (Star of Bethlehem). Attractive plants bearing heads 

 of white flowers. 0. arabicum and 0. pyramidale throw up flower-spikes 

 four feet in height, while comosum, latifolium, the greyish green nutans, 

 and umbellatum are also attractive. Plant in autumn. 



Puschkinia scilloides is a pretty little blue-flowered plant suitable 

 for nooks in sunny borders. Plant in autumn. 



Schizostylis COCCinea (Winter Flag). This bears crimson flower- 

 spikes in late autumn. Its place is against a warm fence, wall, or in some 

 sheltered corner. It enjoys rather a moist soil, but nothing approaching 

 stagnation. During very severe weather protect the crowns with bracken 

 or similar material. Plant in spring. 



Scillas or Squills. The common bluebell (S. nutans) is well known 

 throughout England, and many of the family are well worthy of garden 

 culture, amongst these being S. bifolia, S. hispanica, S. italica, and S. 

 sibirica. The Scillas form a very charming family of bulbs, very easily 

 grown by the amateur. They are a sheet anchor in the small garden 

 from the time of 5. bifolia, the earliest of the family to bloom, until the 

 spikes of S. campanulata, or hispanica, as it also is called, have faded. 

 S. bifolia is a very pretty kind, very hardy, and with spikes of deep blue 

 flowers a few inches high, whilst there are varieties of it, such as the 

 pretty taurica alba or Candida, white, rosea, or carnea, the names indicat- 

 ing the flower colouring. S. sibirica has intense blue flowers, and is very 

 free and cheap. The amateur should plant the bulbs in quantity. Of 

 the Bluebell there are white, rose-coloured, and French-grey varieties, 

 but more satisfactory in a confined place is S. campanulata, the Spanish 

 Scilla, which will flourish in town and country gardens alike. It is very 

 strong in growth, with stems eighteen inches high, and deep blue, but 



