AZURES AND THEIR EFFECT IN THE GARDEN 



AZURES AND THEIR EFFECT 



IN THE GARDEN. 

 It was at one time commonly thought, 

 and indeed is now, that good blue plants 

 are rare; but on the contrary we have of 

 late years become rich in them, though 

 they are very seldom used with good 

 effect. The Snow Glories (Chionodoxd) 

 are a wealth of beauty in themselves and 

 everyone must admire them singly, no 

 matter how few in number; but few yet 

 know the beautiful result that may be 

 got by massing them in pretty ways as 

 belts or carpets. Some of the best of 

 them grow more freely than any of the 

 older flowers we had. Their colours 

 are the finest and the most delicate ever 

 seen, whether cut for the house, or, 

 better still, in the open as masses of the 

 finest colour. There are several distinct 

 species of them as well as the varieties 

 which are being raised. The effects we 

 might look for from some of these plants 

 may be well considered in relation to 

 those we see given by the Wild Hyacinth 

 (Scilla nutans) in our woods. There is 

 hardly one of them but will give effects 

 as distinct and beautiful, while quite 

 different in colour, if rightly used. Even 

 such a fine old plant as the Siberian Scilla 

 is not often grown in effective ways, 

 wonderful as it is when rightly used. 

 The Grape Hyacinths (Muscart) , which 

 are full of lovely colour, give no effect 

 if grown in small patches. Among the 

 many poor colours in the common Hya- 

 cinth of our gardens, one occasionally 

 sees good blooms like Charges Dickens, 

 and, being thoroughly hardy plants, 

 they would tell in the same fine way. 

 The Wild Hyacinth, from which these 



plants have come, isalsopretty in colour. 

 The Anemones, which always give fine 

 colour but not much blue, have of late 

 years becomerich in blues, as the various 

 lovely forms of the Greek Anemone 

 prove. What these fine forms may be in 

 effect we have yet to realise, but there 

 need not be the slightest doubt about 

 it as soon as the plants are grown suffi- 

 ciently. They give us a wealth and en- 

 durance of colour far beyond that of the 

 always charming Apennine Anemone. 

 Good as that is it lasts but a short time, 

 whereas these Greek Anemones struggle 

 on through the spring until the pale blue 

 Wood Anemone [A. nemorosd) comes 

 with its delicate colour. Thebest of all is 

 the common Wild Blue kind (A. Robin- 

 sont) the effect of which in masses charms 

 the least observant. It is from that point 

 of view the most precious of all, and 

 perhaps the most neglected . The colour 

 is true and good, the blue constant, and 

 the plant not difficult. All lovers of early 

 flowers delight in the Hepatica, which 

 is one of the most beautiful flowers in 

 our gardens, lovely in its every form, 

 j even as a tuft in a cottage garden. But 

 I one may wander half a lifetime among 

 gardens and never see them well used. 

 Another beautiful plant is the Tran- 

 sylvanian Windflower [Hepatica angu- 

 I losa), which may be grown in the same 

 way for its good colour. At one time 

 we had little help from the ordinary 

 Primroses in this direction, but now we 

 have a race of beautiful blue Primroses 

 often very fine in colour and readily 

 raised from seed. The colours vary 

 prettily when so used, and if they do 

 not give such bold effects as some of 



