122 STUDIES IN GARDENING 



moved at any time of year if only they can be pro- 

 tected against drought or cold until they have estab- 

 lished themselves. But since it is difficult to do this 

 in summer and in winter, the spring and autumn are 

 the favourite seasons for planting and division. There 

 is a common idea that plants cannot be moved when 

 in flower; but this is not always so. It is far better 

 to move Gentiana verna or even G. acaulis in full 

 flower than in late autumn, because they flower in 

 spring, when they can be fairly easily protected from 

 drought, and if they are well watered during the 

 summer they will be well estabUshed before the winter 

 comes again. But summer flowering plants suffer 

 much if subjected to the double strain of flowering 

 and moving in hot weather, especially if they have long 

 roots. There are some plants that are best moved 

 as soon as possible after they have flowered, so that 

 they make good growth before the next year's flower- 

 ing. This is the case with German and other Irises 

 of the same class, which will usually flower well the 

 year after moving if they are moved about a month 

 after they have flowered and are well protected from 

 drought until they have recovered. The reason of 

 this is that they begin to make their growth for next 

 year soon after they have flowered, and that this 

 growth is interrupted by a move in autumn. Bulbs, 

 of course, should be moved when they are at rest; 

 but some of them are only at rest for a very short 

 time. The Madonna Lily, for instance, begins to make 

 new growth in a few weeks after it has died down. 



