FLORAL CALENDAR. 



609 



are always within the power of the cultivator of 

 ornamental plants. Every family, too, has its 

 peculiar period in the year of flowering, and 

 thus an annual succession of plants, appearing 

 and disappearing add to the present gratification 

 and the excited hope of the florist. No arrange- 

 ment could have been more judicious than this 

 successive blossoming of plants, and thus the 

 diversified beauty of these natural ornaments of 

 the soil is prolonged from the chill of January 

 to the latest glow of receding autumn. We shall 

 here insert an interesting table drawn up to 

 illustrate the monthly development of flowers.* 



January. — The crocus, tulip, and some alliums 

 beginning to emerge from the ground ; if mild 

 weather, perhaps some choice plant in flower, 

 as the Cliristmas rose, daisy, winter aconite, but 

 generally no flower is to be seen at this season. 



But ever-greens now display tlieir foliage to 

 much advantage, especially the holly, with its 

 coral berries, chimonanthis fragrans, and fra- 

 grans grandifloris, with the laurestinus, are in 

 flower. The glossy leaves of the Portuguese 

 laurel glisten in a lively cheerful manner in the 

 gleams of sunshine with which we are favoured 

 even in this month ; those of the common laurel 

 do the same. In the green-house, the camellias 

 are in full bloom, and some heaths and Austral- 

 ian plants. In the stove strelitzia, and some 

 other plants. From the pits and hotbeds in the 

 reserve garden, forced roses, hyacinths, and other 

 bulbs, with early mignonette, are ready to adorn 

 the cabinet or drawing room. 



February/. — The snow drop, Christmas rose, 

 and winter aconite, in flower. The crocus, 

 crown imperial, and other bulbs, fast advancing, 

 if the weather be favourable. The buds of the 

 weeping-willow bursting, or about to burst, a 

 proof that this species has not yet become accli- 

 mated to Britain. The male flowers of the 

 hazel, yew, erica camea, and some other shrubs, 

 appear. In the green-house, camellias and 

 heaths are in great beauty, as also some species 

 of oxalis, protea, &c. In the stove, strelitzia, 

 and some bulbs and succulents, with forced 

 flowers from the pits, as in January. Tlie lark 

 sings about the beginning of the month, and 

 the thrush about the middle. 



March. — Among florist's flowers, the crocus, 

 scilla, some hyacintlis, and crown imperials, and 

 also the primrose and polyanthus ai-e in bloom 

 in the latter half of the month. Saxifraga 

 oppositifolia, among the alpines; and viola odor- 

 ata, in a warm border or on rook work. Saxi- 

 fraga retusa, chrysosplenium oppositifolium, and 

 alternifolium. Some pines, poplars, and wil- 

 lows show their catkins; the sloe, cornelian 

 cherry, mezereon, different varieties, daphne 

 pontica, and coUina, the lonicei>a nigra, and 



* Loudon's Gardener's Magazine. 



rosemary in flower. In the green-house, some 

 camellias still in flower, numerous lieaths in 

 great beauty, also aletris, lachenalia, oxalis, some 

 geraniums. In tlie stove, some scitamineae, and 

 bulbs, solandra grandiflora, eugenia, and justicia. 

 The ring dove begins to coo iii the first week of 

 tlie month. 



April. — The hyacinth, narcissus, auricula, 

 polyanthus, forming the most valued florist's 

 flowers, are in perfection in the course of this 

 month, also the scilla, fritillaria, wall-flower, 

 daisy, pulmonaria officinalis, omphalodes vema, 

 various saxifrages, and other alpines. Most of the 

 wild fruit trees, as crabs, pears, cherries, and 

 those allied species, are now in flower ; most of 

 the willows, birches, elms, and oaks show tlieir 

 catkins. Among ^hrubs, tlie honey-suckle, 

 some robinias, andromedas, daphnes, ericas, and 

 xanthoriza apiifolia, are in flower. In the green- 

 house, above tliirty species of ericse, and nearly 

 as many of the ixias family, with lachenalia, 

 oxalis, acacia, and various other genera in perfec- 

 tion. In the stove, dracena, bromelia, kemp- 

 feria, and stapelias. Abundance of forced arti- 

 cles, including annuals, as sweet peas, larkspurs, 

 &c. in flower. Most of the British summer 

 birds of passage arrive during this month. 



May. — Tlie auricula stage still a fine object 

 in the first week, and the polyanthus and nar- 

 cissus family not yet over. The collections of 

 tulips, anemones, and paeonies in full beauty from 

 the middle of the month. Many showy herba- 

 ceous plants, as statice, lychnus, phlox, come 

 into flower. Among the aquatic, Huttonia pal- 

 ustris, and ranunculus aquatilis. The horse-chest- 

 nut, hawthorn, sorbus, mespilus, and snow-drop 

 tree in great beauty. Among the American 

 shrubs, several species of magnolia, azalea, kal- 

 mia, andromeda, and many common shrubs ; the 

 lilac, spiraea, guelder rose, honey-suckle, the 

 cinnamon, Scotch, bumet-leaved, and monthly 

 roses. In the green-house a fine display of 

 heaths, ixiae, and gladioli; also several geran- 

 niums, salvias, protese. In the stove, passion 

 flowers, justicia, heliconia, and various other 

 genera. From the forcing department, pelar- 

 goniums, and other green-house plants ; hydran- 

 geas, balsams, and tender annuals. Most of the 

 singing birds are in this month in full note. 



June. — The collection of peonies and anemones 

 not yet faded. Those of ranuncules, iris, 

 xiphium, and xiphioides, and of the hardy 

 gladioli, and ixese, in fuU beauty; assortments 

 of pink and sweet-william, in flower towards 

 the end of the month; also, hemerocallis, aquil- 

 egia, campanula, veronica, and many sliowy 

 herbaceous perennials : some biennials, as agros- 

 temma and abyssum; annuals, as crepis, silene; 

 aquatics, as butomus, hydrocharis, potamogeton, 

 viola, saxifraga, and various alpines. Heart'sease- 

 now in greatest beauty. 



