THE ROCK GARDEN IN SPRING 29 



pencilled with darker markings. In the border, this 

 exquisite little flag would be lost, but a sunny corner 

 among the rocks offers a charming alternative to growing 

 it in pots, where its beauty is shown to but poor 

 advantage. 



Quite the best dwarf Iris for colour effect is I. 

 pumila, which, owing to the size of its flowers, forms 

 compact masses of violet or pale blue. It grows about 

 six inches high, and from the sturdy character of its leaf 

 growth, smaller plants are not required to hide the soil. 

 Most of the early flowering bulbs produce but few 

 leaves, and therefore look best rising from sheets of 

 dwarf evergreen foliage. This gives a far better effect 

 than the bare earth ; moreover, in the latter case the 

 blossoms are liable to be stained during rainy weather. 



There are many other Irises for the rock garden, and 

 it is a never-ending pleasure to experiment with new 

 kinds, supplying suitable soil and trying the effect of a 

 few bulbs in sunny corners. In addition to those 

 already mentioned, Korolkowi, rosy-lilac ; balkana, 

 claret and white ; and Cengialti, light-blue, should be 

 remembered. 



The Narcissi are another large family of bulbous 

 plants, and to them we owe an everlasting debt of 

 gratitude for many precious garden pictures. The 

 larger kinds should be naturalised in grass, in woodland 

 vistas, and among choice shrubs, but the smallest and 

 daintiest varieties are best in the rock garden. Most of 

 the dwarf Daffodils prefer a slightly peaty soil ; all 

 demand good drainage and sharp sand around the bulbs. 

 A light top dressing is an incentive to fine bloom, and 

 the delicate kinds, which are liable to injury from spring 

 storms, should be afforded the warmest and most 

 sheltered situations. 



The Hooped Petticoat Daffodil (N. Bulbocodium) is 

 found growing wild in many of the southern European 



