108 LITTLE GARDENS 
Tulips, as they are called, have long tapering flowers of elegant form 
and rich and delicate shades of colour on stems quite 18 inches high. 
The Darwin Tulips, which bloom with the Cottage varieties in late 
May, have cup shaped flowers on stems 18 to 24 inches long ; their 
soft and often bizarre colouring renders them distinct. Tulips are 
planted in October and November, 3 or 4 inches deep, according 
to whether the soil inclines to be heavy or light. Many Tulips 
prefer the latter kind of soil. Some indispensable sorts are 
Artus, deep scarlet; Canary Bird, bright yellow; Cottage Maid, 
rose and white; Kaiser Kroon, red and yellow; Rose Gris de Lin, 
rose and white ; Thomas Moore, rich orange, sweet scented ; Prince 
of Austria, orange scarlet, sweet scented; Yellow Prince, golden 
yellow, sweet scented ; Queen of Whites ; Chrysolora, pure yellow ; 
Couleur de Cardinal, crimson scarlet ; Proserpine, rich rose. 
Among the May flowering or Cottage Tulips the following are 
a few of the best: Fulgens, scarlet; Gesneriana lutea, yellow; The 
Sultan, maroon; La Merveille, orange bronze, sweet scented ; 
Picotee, white, with rose margin. Good Darwin Tulips which also 
flower in May are Clara Butt, salmon rose; La Tulipe Noire, very 
dark maroon ; Isis, rose with blue centre. Any good catalogue will 
give other varieties. 
Hyacinths,—Many handsome varieties of Hyacinth are now 
offered, but I do not think they are so well suited to little gardens as 
Tulips and Daffodils. They like a sandy loam but thrive in average 
garden soil, provided it is not too heavy. A fresh supply must be 
obtained every autumn in order to make sure of a good display in 
spring. Plant in October and November about 3 inches deep. 
Some good double varieties are Empress of India, bright carmine ; 
Charles Dickens, blue purple ; Murillo, bright blue ; Jaune Supréme, 
yellow; Czar Nicholas, rose. Excellent single varieties are King of 
the Blues; Thackeray, mauve; Yellow-hammer, rich yellow; 
William [., purple ; Grand Maitre, porcelain blue. 
Crocuses and Snowdrops.—These are among the most welcome 
of all the flowers of spring, since they come the earliest. They cause 
little bother in the flower border, for their leaves die down in good 
time. They are rather in the way when the border is dug, and 
uniess care is taken much damage may easily be done in a very 
short time. They are planted 4 inches deep, not later than Septem- 
ber, and preferably in August. They look best in clumps and not in 
lines. Crocuses and Snowdrops thrive admirably in the grass, even 
close about the trunks of large trees, but the grass must not be cut 
until the foliage has died down. 
Other Spring Flowering Bulbs.—The Winter Aconite, 
dainty yellow flower in a frill of green, comes earliest of all: it 
grows and flowers well in grass and among shrubs that lose their 
leaves in winter. The blue flowered Squills, Scilla Sibirica and 8S. 
bifolia ; Glory of the Snow, Chionodoxa Luciliae, blue and white ; 
the Grape Hyacinths, Muscari, with spikes of deep blue flowers— 
