Fall Planting for Spring Flowers ISABELLA 1 ENDLET0N 



Important Part that the Bulbs Play in Early Spring — Planting Now for a Succession of Bloom in Proper Harmony 



•-•~\ 



WHAT entrancing work it is to plan bulb 

 effects for the spring garden! These 

 "rainbow creatures" lend themselves 

 to many, many forms of colorful ex- 

 pression. Graceful drifts of Narcissus may 

 follow the ups and downs of undulating stretches 

 of ground. With the ever-changing light and 

 shade on this sea of ivory white and yellow, I am 

 put in mind of the sand dunes. Darwin Tulip 

 studies near still water inspire many charming 

 arrangements, as mirrored effects never fail to 

 charm. Groups of Muscari (Grape Hyacinth), 

 Tulip Clusiana, and the triandrus form of Nar- 

 cissus are happily placed in a rock garden. 

 Breeder Tulips planted in front of shrubbery 

 belts open the door to varied color combinations. 

 And is there anything more alluring than the 

 flowering bulb tableaux in the old 

 fashioned hardy border? These 

 and many more fantastic oppor- 

 tunities are awaiting the flower 

 gardener who is eager to plant a 

 bulb garden this fall. 



TT MAY interest the reader to 

 ■*- follow a bulb planting plan 

 through each flowering season. 

 The first significant spring picture 

 comes in late March and early 

 May. Crocus in variety, Tulip 

 Kaufmanniana (Water-lily Tulip), 

 Scillas, Chionodoxa (Glory-of-the- 

 snow),Galanthus (Snowdrop), Iris 

 recticulata, early Daffodils, Fritil- 

 lana imperialis (Crown Imperial), 

 and Hyacinths take the centre of 

 the stage. 



Let us walk through an early 

 spring garden of my acquaintance. 

 I am looking at the groups of Red 

 Cedars (Juniperus virginiana) in- 

 terspaced with fluffy White Pines 

 (Pinus Strobus). In front of this 

 grayish green sheen Magnolia stel- 

 lata points myriads of white faces 

 toward the spring sunshine. Un- 

 derneath these saucy bushes is a 

 carpet of blue purple and gold, 

 Scilla sibirica, Crocus Hero and 

 Matador, and Tulip Kaufman- 

 niana (orange suffused with salmon 

 pink). In another nook Crown 

 Imperials with their pendant cups 

 of yellow and Indian red are stun- 

 ning against Forsythia which atthis 

 moment is a shower of gold. Chi- 

 onodoxa, early Daffodils and pur- 

 ple Hyacinths cover the ground. 



atile with double Arabis are used. Through these 

 break tall heads of the semi-double Tulip Blue 

 Flag and the gold and orange tinted double Tulip 

 Yellow Rose. This latter hangs its head, and 

 the golden flowers resting on the white Arabis 

 look more beautiful for the surrounding white 

 sprays. 



Near the end of the border one group is planned 

 of many colors and many varieties. This tends 

 to unify the planting scheme. Narcissus Mrs. 

 Langtry and the Poetaz strain intermingle among 

 pale pink Tulip Queen of the Netherlands. A 

 suggestion of sky-blue Mertensia virginica 

 (Virginia Cowslip), Anemones blanda and ap- 

 penina are followed by the mauve Anemone 

 Pulsatilla; nearer the edge of the border the dwarf 

 forms of Narcissus (triandrus albus, cyclami- 



Tulips Inglescombe Pink, Suzon, the creamy 

 vitellina, and Yellow Perfection are gorgeous 

 with the cool mauves of Darwin Tulips Ewbank, 

 Melicette, La Tristesse and with the bronzy 

 tones enjoyed in Sultan and Louis XIV. 

 The beauty of these is enhanced by skillfully 

 disposed masses of blue Phlox Laphami. If 

 placed near a red mauve the beauty of all is 

 spoiled. 



Away from these I planted Clara Butt, Nau- 

 ticus and Mrs. Potter Palmer Tulips carpeting 

 the ground with Forget-me-not. If the fawn- 

 colored Tulips like Mr. Groenwegen, Garibaldi, 

 and Panorama are chosen, plants of Viola Apri- 

 cot, Pansies, and Primroses will help the effect 

 very much. Viola Apricot is a gem, there is no 

 salmon-pink quite like it! 



Bulbs Bloominc In i^Yarch And Early April, 



-r^ed Cedar 



Vtute Pine 



\ Frit. Imp Hyacinths purple/ \Frir~lmp T Tulip Kaurmanianna 



-..Chionodoxa Daffodj[s_,- - ----; Scilla Sibirica 



l \ Crocus deep purple 



Mapnolia Stellala 



Bulbs Blooming In April And Early May 



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 TThomas lioore 



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Late IyIa.^' Flowering Bulbs 



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* I TIE next period introduces 

 •*■ Breeder Tulips and Iris. The 

 mahogany-colored John Ruskin 

 and the wine-red Cardinal Man- 

 ning look well with rich purple 

 German Iris. To offset these 

 deeper tones Tulip Dream, a 

 mauve, and Apricot supply the 

 necessary diversion of color. 

 Jaune d'CEuf and Prince of 

 Orange may be used here, as a 

 dash of orange with this group 

 is irresistible. 



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Bulbs Blooming 



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June 



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Breeder Tulip Ganbaldi 



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 ! John Ruskin P \ 



Insert Here Breederlulip , 



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Insert There 



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 iroenWcpe_n_ . 



Plan For, Herbaceous Perennials 



Mphinium. Hanl/Asttr.'Sliasb DaiiyD^lia ' Delphinium 'HarJyAslejj DaMia — iftlpttnium 'aViAsler'Mlia'-rr 



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S^«t vf Carp Pert 1; 

 h Pfitox Klincard^fVo"ny , .~CdCmT ) i 



Scale ■! 



TN LATER April and early May 

 -*■ the landscape is more in tune 

 with thespiritof spring. Here ever- 

 greens are not sonecessaryas in the 

 preceding season. The bronzy tints of the young 

 leaves and the gay blossoms of the flowering trees 

 form an exquisite setting for the bulb groupings. 

 Weeping Cherries (Prunus subhirtella pendula) 

 bloom at the same time with salmon-pink Azalea 

 mollis; near by is a mass of mauve Phlox divari- 

 cata. Through this lavender sheen bloom 

 Narcissus Sea Gull, Flamingo, and Salmonetta, 

 and Tulips Primrose Queen and White Hawk. 

 A stronger note is supplied in orange Tulip 

 '1 homas Moore. Another group blazes with 

 scarlet Japanese Maples bursting into leaf just 

 as the rose I ulip Proserpine and the black purple 

 tulip Wouverman open their cups of wondrous 

 beauty. I he purple-leaved plum (Prunus cer- 

 asifera Pissardi) and a haze of pink peach blos- 

 soms (Prunus persica flore pleno) in the distance 

 satisfy the whims of the foreground display. 

 As groundwork, Aubrietia and Alyssum Sax- 



Landscape Architect Isabella Pendleton 



These diagrams represent the flowering effects for the same border and if superimposed the complete 



planting plan will be produced 



neus Queen of Spain), and Grape Hyacinth 

 (Muscari botryoides) are sprinkled among rich 

 purple Iris pumila and Phlox subulata lilacea. 



T^HE late May flowering effects follow. The 

 •*- softness of color of the late Tulips fastens 

 a spell upon the lover of garden beauty. There 

 are certain of these which should be in every 

 garden; the British Tulipa sylvestris with its 

 gracefully drooping head, Tulipa Didieri alba 

 sweet-scented white, and Tulip retroflexa a 

 yellow with recurved lily-like petals. Mingled 

 with pale blue Indian Quamash (Camassia 

 esculenta) and Star of Bethlehem (Ornith«galum 

 arabicum) white with blackish pistil, the group is 

 charming! Although not quite so apparent, the 

 lily form is seen in Tulipa elegans and in a slighter 

 degree in Tulip Picotee and Tulipa Clusiana. 

 The latter has unusual charm. 



88 



"THERE are always a few places 

 A in the garden which should be 

 saved for accents, novelties, gems 

 of the collection or whatever you 

 wish to name them. Eremurus 

 blooms in June and is a rare orna- 

 ment for the border. The flower- 

 ing stalks shading from pink to 

 yellow are seven feet high; planted 

 with Iris pallida the effect is 

 stunning! 



The ButterflyTulipof California 

 (Calochortus venustus) is well 

 named, for the brilliantly colored 

 petals with eye-like spots and 

 other markings are suggestive of 

 butterfly wings. Calochortus will 

 require winter protection. Ane- 

 mones coronaria and "St. Brigid" 

 may be planted in a coldframe 

 and set out in the garden in 

 early spring. These come in the 

 richest tints of blue, red and 

 purple and therefore care must 

 be taken to place them har- 

 moniously. 



Fritillaria meleagris (Guinea- 

 hen-flower) is attractive planted 

 with Muscari (grape hyacinth). 

 The spotted brown and purple 

 flowers of the Fritillaria supply 

 an interesting neutral note to the flowering groups. 

 This takes us pretty well through the spring 

 season of flowering bulbs. That does not mean, 

 however, that the border is colorless for the re- 

 maining summer months. On the contrary 

 perennials (which may well be planted in the 

 fall and mulched) bloom and cover the spaces 

 occupied by the bulbs. The June picture 

 continues with Columbine, Foxglove, Peach- 

 leaved Bell-flower, Sweet William, and Del- 

 phinium. 



In the hot weeks of summer white Gypsophila 

 paniculata, Phlox Miss Lingard, Shasta Daisies 

 and Salvia farinacea satisfy the eye. Then in 

 fall, Dahlias — Geisha, Countess of Londsale, 



iack; and hardy Asters — nova-angliae, amellus — 

 loom until frost. Thus the garden is a de- 

 light from the earliest peep of spring until quite 

 late fall. 



