The Garden Magazine, September, 1921 



15 



long. The fragrance from these companions reaches far, and 

 is often the first reminder to look for the flowers. 



On the outer and colder side of Iris reticulata, and blooming 

 a fortnight later, is a nest of Iris pumila, very dwarf and fast 

 spreading. The type, a rich violet purple, comes first, followed 

 by the cream, sky-blue, and yellow sorts. This plant, unlike its 

 bulbous brother, has crowding surface rhizomes which will not 



spotted lungwort (Pulmonaria saccharata maculata), with 

 ornamental leaves rivalling hot-house treasures, and spikes of 

 pinkish blue flowers mimicking the sunrise sky. Beside it glows 

 Adonis amurensis, lovely in flower and cut-leaf. Other Scillas 

 there are, scattered about in groups in front of the Hyacinths, 

 all of which follow hard upon Scilla campanulata and nutans, 

 one the English Wood-hyacinth and the other the English 



Is there any more hilarious and pleasant period than spring-time in 

 the garden when the Primroses bloom in shades of gold and yellow and 

 maroon and rose? 



Above: Primula veris superba, the Giant Cowslip, with dwarf Iris 

 behind; Japanese Andromeda to its left, and Hyacinths next 

 (Garden Magazine grounds at Garden City.) 



Left: Old fashioned Gold-laced Polyanthus with the Japanese 

 Siebold Primula intermingled. Plant all these in late summer 



tolerate a plant carpet ; also broad permanent leaves, while the 

 rush-like, four-sided foliage of reticulata soon disappears for 

 the summer. 



CONSTANTLY trying to usurp the entire bed, and sprawl- 

 ing below the Iris, is Phlox subulata Nelsoni, white with 

 lilac eye. It is cut back severely after blooming, but by spring 

 its matted, awl-shaped foliage sits cosily on the edge of the 

 stone step. Some yards from the Iris, for the colors jar, Scilla 

 sibirica rises through trailing mats of single Rock-cress (Arabis 

 alpina). If you know anything bluer than this Squill or snowier 

 than the Cress carpet, tell me. Trailing off beyond is the Scilla's 

 striped cousin, Puschkinia, reminding me of little girls in blue 

 gingham frocks; also the bewitching gray blue Glory-of-the-Snow 

 (Chionodoxa Luciliae) and the larger grandiflora. For color 

 harmonics 1 am ever hoping that a blue jay may sometimes 

 choose the Chionodoxa walk. He would stop to admire the 



Bluebell, though both have pink and white forms as well as 

 blue. Both thrive in my garden, though I seldom see them 

 elsewhere. 



In an outer border, but still only a few yards from the big 

 south windows, are large patches of double Rock-cress (Arabis 

 alpina flore-pleno) , bearing long creamy spikes a fortnight 

 later than the single type; mingling with minarets of Grape- 

 hyacinth, variety Heavenly Blue. On their outskirts are the 

 no less exquisite white form known as Pearls of Spain, which 

 show best rising from the dark spring earth. 



WHILE these early treasures appear first on the warm south 

 sides of the Cot, groups of them continue right around it, 

 those on the north opening as those on the south fade. The east 

 side has its own speciality, however, an ancient Christmas- rose 

 (Helleborus niger) in the sheltered angle of a bay. So early are 

 its mandrake-like flowers that I keep a big glass jar to cover 



