CHAPTER VI 

 WHEN THEY BLOOM 



THE PERIODS 



In the region of New York City at least, the garden 

 bloom may be divided into eight flowering periods, be- 

 ginning about May 1. 



If, however, the beds are to be filled with color, con- 

 tinuously during the long season, which ends only with 

 frost, then usually space must be saved somewhere by 

 the omission of at least one of these periods. 



Accordingly, the opening time in some gardens is 

 generally the second period, May 22, when German 

 Iris appears, and the late Tulips are still blooming; 

 though it is often possible to include the first period 

 by the use of a profusion of early Tulips, which oc- 

 cupy no space when their flowers are gone. 



The other plants that have ceased to bloom when the 

 German Iris begins, belong to the first period, and as 

 a rule are deemed eligible only for the spring garden 

 set apart by itself. Ordinarily this plan is preferable, 

 as early May flowers are mostly low growing and 

 small-flowered, necessitating too much of each variety 

 before the color effect is obtained, and therefore making 



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