Floricultural Calendar. 213 



The productions of the flower-garden at this season are not numerous; its 

 beauty depending chiefly on the green turf and evergreens, among which the 

 laurustinus is one of the most conspicuous, being now in full flower. Cydonia 

 japonica, common China roses, and the winter aconites, are also now in 

 bloom; and in mild seasons Neapolitan violets, Jnemone coronaria, A. hor- 

 tensis flore pleno, Aubrietza ^esperidiflora, -Daphne collina, and neapolitana, 

 Aletris aurea, white queen stocks, and a few varieties of heartsease. 



February. — We now begin to be more busy in the flower-garden. The 

 roses are pruned, except the evergreen varieties ; and the borders are well 

 dressed with strong stable manure, which is dug in a spade deep. Young 

 plants are put in to fill up any vacancy. Old plants that are become very 

 luxuriant are taken up, with as much earth as will adhere to then* roots, and 

 replanted. This checks their growth, and causes them to produce less wood 

 and finer flowers. A good heap of compost is now prepared, in which the 

 more delicate kinds of half-hardy and green-house plants are to be planted in 

 May and June. Ranunculus roots are now planted. The turf and gravel walks 

 and the destroying of slugs, require to be attended to as in the last month. 



We have but few flowers to boast of during this month, and what we have are 

 cbiefly Cyddnia japonica, laurustinus, daphnes, and a few common China and 

 Noisette roses. These roses flower nearly all the year in Miss Garnier's garden, 

 and, contrasted with the dark green foliage of the common hollies, against 

 which they are planted, have a beautiful effect ; flowering among the branches 

 to the height of twenty feet ; and I think it is owing to their being protected 

 by these hollies that they afford flowers during the winter months. 



March. — About the beginning of this month, I proceed to pot the geor- 

 ginas, and place them in a cold frame or pit. German stocks and asters, and 

 other tender annuals, are now sown on a slight hotbed. Lobel&a specidsa 

 and L. fulgens are potted and placed on a frame in a gentle heat. The seed 

 of georginas must be sown in large pans, and likewise placed on a gentle heat. 

 The seeds of Wicotiana fragrans, Lobeh'a bicolor and gracilis, and other 

 green-house plants intended for the open borders, are also sown during this 

 month. The edgings of the gravel walks are now cut with the edging-iron : 

 I mention the edging-iron more particularly, as this is the only time in the 

 year that I cut the edges with it, as I always cut them after, throughout, with 

 shears. The gravel is turned over, and fresh gravel added, filling the walks 

 so full as not to allow the edges to be more than half an inch in depth. The 

 turf is now repaired where it has been destroyed by the drip of trees or 

 any other cause ; and pots of hyacinths and tulips are plunged into the bor- 

 ders, to produce flowers in April and May. The flower-garden is now 

 beginning to be more gay. The daphnes and cydonia still continue in bloom. 

 Polyanthuses, hepaticas, single and double crocuses, periwinkle, Cyclamen 

 cdum, »Saxifraga oppositifolia, i?hododendron dauricum var., and R. dauricum 

 var. atrovirens, are now in bloom. 



April. — At the beginning of this month the turf is swept, rolled, and 

 mowed ; the flower borders are edged, carefully stirred up, and broken as fine 

 as can be with the garden prong : I defer using the rake until next month. 

 Seeds of hardy annuals are now sown in the open borders. The coverings of 

 moss, coal ashes, &c, are partially removed from the half-hardy and green- 

 house plants. Caprifolium flexuosum, Jasminum revolutum, and all the 

 varieties of evergreen roses, are now pruned and trained. Seedling georginas, 

 which were sown last month, are now pricked out on a slight hotbed, covered 

 at night with mats. Cuttings of Ferbena chamaedrifolia, pulchella, Lamberti, 

 &c, Salvia splendens, coccinea, involucrata, angustifolia, cardinalis, and Gra- 

 haim, are now planted on a slight hotbed under hand-glasses, to produce 

 plants for turning into the open borders in June. Heartseases are propagated 

 by cuttings during this month ; seeds of hollyhocks are sown, and tuberoses 

 potted for late flowering in the open borders. The box edgings are also cut 

 down during this month. 



The following shrubs and herbaceous plants, which are in bloom, are, Mag- 



p 3 



