72 BOOK OF THE COTTAGE GARDEN 



remember as growing in the gardens of the country- 

 side. Purple and white Rockets, beloved of cottagers ; 

 Night-scented Stocks, opening their pale flowers at 

 dusk; evening Primroses; Sweet Sultans and Helio- 

 trope, the old-fashioned Cherry Pie. These, with 

 Mignonette and the Brompton and Ten-week Stocks, 

 occur most readily to the mind, but there are many 

 more almost equally deserving. Certain of the Irises 

 are deliciously fragrant, notably the Netted Iris (I. reticu- 

 lata), which braves the snow to put forth its blossoms 

 of gold and purple ; and the Florentine Flag (I. floren- 

 tina). Among the Narcissus family are several sweet- 

 scented varieties, the commonest being the Pheasant's 

 Eye Narcissus (N. poeticus). In warm places we may 

 plant the Jonquils, which in sheltered corners and well- 

 drained soils are quite happy in the open. The Great 

 Jonquil (N. odorus), which grows wild in parts of Spain, 

 is one of the best, together with the Double Queen 

 Anne. A clump or two of the Rush Jonquil (N. junci- 

 folius) is a charming addition to the small bulb border. 

 The fragrance of the ordinary Daffodils, like that of the 

 Primrose, is almost too subtle for perfect appreciation 

 by our undeveloped senses. Maeterlinck, in one of his 

 essays, regards the perception of smell as our last-born 

 sense, which even at this period of our progress is still 

 strangely imperfect. The Grape Hyacinths (Muscari) 

 are mostly scented, the best in this respect (and one of 

 the least cultivated) being the yellow Feather Hyacinth 

 (M. moschatum) and its relative M. luteum. They are 

 much larger than the dark blue kinds, and though not 

 showy are incomparably fragrant. The Day Lilies 

 (Hemerocallis), especially Flava, which has been called 

 the yellow tuberose, the Cyclamens, many quite hardy, 

 Scillas, and the Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum) 

 are other easily grown flowers for the Spring and 

 summer gardens. 



