The Garden Magazine, October, 1921 



79 



do much to prevent injury of this kind, but it does not justify 

 shallow planting. Too early covering during a mild fall is 

 likelv to excite top growth into action only to be damaged later 

 by hard frosts. 



Nor is it enough after going to great pains to prepare the soil 

 for the bulbs to take a trowel or dibble, and simply make a hole 

 and push in the bulb, cover it up, and expect a dainty spike of 

 bloom. For small bulbs, this practice may be all very well, as 

 thev can readily be pushed into contact with the soil when 

 planting, but in the case of Tulips, Hyacinths, Narcissus, etc., 

 it not infrequently happens that an air space is left between the 

 bottom of the hole and the base of the bulb — and the bulb is 

 "hung." 



In a square or an oblong bed begin at one end making a trench 

 the requisite depth, for the particular kind of bulb to be planted. 

 Into this place the bulbs at proper intervals, i.e., four inches for 

 Tulips, six for Hyacinths and Daffodils, and six to twelve inches 

 for Mammoth Narcissus. When that row is completed start 

 another trench six inches from the first, using the soil from the 

 second trench to fill up the 

 first and so on until the 

 whole bed is planted ; the 

 last trench being filled in 

 by raking the bed over 

 level. In a round bed it 

 is good practice to start in 

 the centre and work in the 

 same manner, in circles, or 

 if preferred in straight lines 

 across the bed. 



The centre of a round 

 bed may be a little higher 

 than at the sides, yet the 

 slope should not be suffici- 

 ent to carry water to the 

 outside of the bed. In 

 heavy soils a layer of sand 

 placed in the trench and 

 the bulbs planted on it is 

 of considerable benefit, 

 providing drainage from 

 the base of the bulbs. 



For the Rock Garden 



JUST any bulbs will not 

 do for the Rock Garden, 

 which is on such a dim- 

 inutive scale, compara- 

 tively speaking, as to 

 require quite special 

 types of plant material. 

 Large Daffodils and 

 gorgeous Tulips are en- 

 tirely out of their element 

 here. Choice must be 

 limited to the small Daf- 

 fodils, Tulips like T. Clus- 

 iana, Crocuses, the tiny 

 wax-like Lilium tenuifol- 

 ium, and to Scillas, Chion- 

 odoxas, and Snowdrops if 

 they are available. Nar- 

 cissus minimus is among 

 the tiniest of the Daffodils 

 and one of the earliest to 

 flower. Then we have N. 

 Bulbocodium, N. cyclam- 

 ineus, N. minor, N. mos- 

 chatus, and others. These 

 are for sunny nooks and 



TULIPS IN INFORMAL EDGING 



The variety Picotee, opening white, edged pink, and gradually becom- 

 ing pink all over was used in this border in The Garden Magazine 

 gardens. It is early flowering and useful also for indoor decoration 



corners where they will be safe from rough winds. Planted 

 in bold groups, with a ground cover of some creeping plant, or 

 clean gravel to guard them from spattering mud, these miniature 

 members of the Narcissus family are worthy of more than pass- 

 ing mention. 



Small Tulips planted in the rock garden should be permanent, 

 as they dislike annual or even an occasional lifting and drying 

 off. T. Clusiana requires a warm position and protection in 

 winter in cold climates. Another desirable member of the Tulip 

 family is T. persica, which usually carries two warm yellow 

 blossoms on a five inch stem in late spring. T. sylvestris, 

 known as the British Wild Tulip is also desirably qualified 

 for a place in the Rockery. It requires a whole season to 

 become established before flowering. The flower stem 

 grows about six inches high and curves gracefully under the 

 weight of the bronze bud which develops into a yellow, violet- 

 scented blossom. 



Other small tulips that may be left to themselves and will in 

 crease in beauty year by year are T. saxatilis, T. australis, T. 



linifolia, and T. praestans. 



The More Popular Bulb 

 Families 



PLANT Crocuses in- 

 great irregular patches, 

 in separate colors, starting 

 with, say, purple, soften- 

 ing to lavender through 

 the striped ones to pure 

 whites, and on to the burn- 

 ing yellows. They grow 

 and increase wonderfully 

 in grassy places, and no- 

 where show to better ad- 

 vantage, but the planting 

 should be free and natural. 

 A good way to secure this 

 effect is to take the bulbs 

 in a basket, and walking 

 over the ground to be 

 planted throw them in 

 broad sweeps, and plant 

 them where they fall. 



Ribbons of crocuses run- 

 ning through the garden 

 borders are often effective. 

 They should be planted 

 close to the edge, and they 

 will be free from disturb- 

 ance if Sedum album is 

 planted over them. This 

 close, creeping little suc- 

 culent prevents corms 

 from being heaved out by 

 the frost in winter, pro- 

 tects them from mud 

 splashes in spring, and in 

 summer spreads a flowery 

 covering over the space 

 they occupied. 



They may also be used 

 to advantage under large 

 trees, in conjunction with 

 Myrtle, the latter hiding 

 the dying foliage of the 

 corms as they pass out of 

 bloom. 



Hyacinths have long 

 been used for planting in 

 masses in geometrical beds 

 and so successfully do they 



