Grouping For planting in front of the Peaches, if they are in a border 
and of shrubs, there are several early Spirzeas which are suitable. 
Carpeting S. TLhunbergii is the first of all, flowering so early that its 
of Peach delicate beauty is often spoilt by bad weather. It should make 
Treas t round bush six to eight feet high, covered the end of March or 
beginning of April with thousands of minute starry white flowers, 
to be succeeded very shortly by multitudes of tinyleaves. S.prunt- 
folia is the next to open, and should also be out with the Peaches; 
the stems are arched, and studded nearly their whole length with 
small white rosettes. It is a delightful plant also to force, succeed- 
ing well if taken from the open ground in autumn and potted. 
In considering plants to cover the bare ground below the 
Peaches, if they are standing, as in the sketch, in a group by 
themselves, it is perhaps more important to think of the future 
than of the moment of flowering, as the blossoms are so gay 
they do not really need any additional colour. The small 
white or blue Periwinkle always makes a good carpet, or ferns 
with groups of the white and mauve Scilla Hispanica, or if the 
bed is on a little slope and worthy of choicer plants, Veronica 
prostrata or Phlox Nelsoni may be used, both of which run 
with such delightful freedom, if they find the soil they like and 
a few stones to crawl over. But there are a good many 
unobtrusive little plants which flower with the Peaches and 
would be an addition to the picture, such, for instance, as the 
double white Wood Anemone—zemorosa flore pleno—white 
Violets, any Primroses, such as the double white or Harbinger, 
or the invaluable double Arabis, which starts with such a pretty 
effect of cream buds before its moment of whiteness. It is a rich 
time of the year for plants of this description, and the choice of 
bulbs is even greater—the only difficulty lies in selection. 
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