318 



SHRUBBERIES AND FLOWER-GARDENS. 



[chap. 



kind are generally hooped over, so as to admit of covering during 

 the winter ; but some have a high frame to cover them, so high 

 as to admit of one's walking under ; and these are covered with 

 canvass awnings and are intended to keep off the fierce rays of 

 the sun while the plants are in blossom. When planted in the 

 flower-border, tulips should be put in clusters of from six to 

 twelve, and the bulbs not nearer to one another than six or seven 

 inches. They should be planted, in very light soils, at six inches 

 beneath the surface ; and, in heavy soils, at four inches beneath 

 the surface, and should have a little sand put into the holes that 

 they are planted in. Lightish pasture-ground is most suitable 

 to them, and the manure for them is always rotted cow-dung. 

 When the leaves begin to turn brown, and the upper part of the 

 flower stem also begins to turn, take up the bulbs and place them 

 in a dry but airy situation, where they will remain till September 

 or October, when you separate their offsets from them and replant 

 both offsets and mother bulbs in their respective beds. I must 

 again observe that, in the flower borders, they look best in clus- 

 ters ; the early ones particularly are ornamental in this way, being 

 very short in the flower-stalk and blending well with the yellow 

 and blue crocuses. 



590. VALERIAN, hlue-flowered Greek. — Lat. Polemonium 

 ccBruleum, Is a hardy perennial plant, common in many parts of 

 England, blowing in May, June and July, a bright blue, or a white, 

 flower. Propagated by seed or by separating the roots. Any soil 

 suits it, but not a shady situation. About two or three feet high. — 

 Valerian, red. — Lat. Valeriana rubra. A perennial plant of 

 the south of France, three or four feet high, and blows a red 

 flower from June to October. There are other sorts with white, 

 pink and lilac flowers. They come handsomest in a light, warm 

 and rich soil, and are propagated by sowing the seed, and by 

 dividing the roots. When once obtained they sow^ themselves. 



591. VENUS'S LOOKING-GLASS. —Lat. Campanula 

 specidum. A little annual, growing eight or ten inches high, and, 

 in May and July, blowing many very pretty small white or violet- 

 coloured flowers. Sow early in the spring, and in the place where 

 it is to remain. 



692. VERBENA, creepz??^. — Lat. V. chamaedrifolia mendoza. 

 A traiUng and most contemptible plant to look upon until its b'os- 

 sonis begin to appear, which they do early in June, and which 



