A3I0yG THE FLO^YERS WITH BEXFOBD 



291 



a few inches deep lias been two feet. The 

 beanty of the blooms nncler these condi- 

 tions remains undiminished. Daffodils 

 and jonquils are still popular flowers. 

 Parks and gardens give them prominence 

 in all bold flower schemes. 



Green Laivn tlie Year Found. — Sweet 

 vernal, also kno^vn as ''Vanila'' grass, is 

 the Anthoxanthum odoratiim.from whence 

 comes the sweet scent of new-mown hay. 

 It is one of the grasses of delicate, velvety 

 texture and of brightest green. Charles 

 Downing, the acknowledged authority on 

 horticulture, recommends three kinds of 

 grass in lawn mixtures. He says the three 

 kinds can be selected and combined for a 

 constant growth of gTcen, one kind green 

 and growing, when another may be turn- 

 ing sere and going to rest. _ The Kentucky 

 blue, orchard, and sweet vernal Mr. Down- 

 ing places at the head of lawn grasses. 

 These three grasses are hardy and free 

 from the middle states South. Sweet ver- 

 nal grass emits the perfume of ^^new-mown 

 hay^' every time the lawn is shorn. Sum- 

 mer showers and even copious dews have 

 the effect of extracting and disseminating 

 through the air the refreshing odor of the 

 sweet vernal grass. Seed sowing in March 

 obtains tolerably good results, but autumn 

 is the preferred season to prepare lawns 

 in Southern climates. 



Plumbago Capensis. — The unusual color 

 from which the name plumbago leadwort 

 is derived gives the flower distinction 

 wherever seen. Xo other flower has the 

 lead-blue color of this standard variety. 

 It is unique and lovely. 



Plumbago alba and P. coccinea, as the 

 names indicate, are pure white and ver- 

 milion. They, too, are uncommonly 

 beautiful. All three varieties are hothouse 

 flowers, beyond the orange belt of the 

 South. The true beauty of the plumbago 

 is not restricted to the environments of 

 the conservatory, although the delicacy of 



the plant and the dainty, airy grace of the 

 flowers clearly indicate its need of pro- 

 tecting care. All varieties of the plum- 

 bago are trailing shrubs that need sup- 

 port. 



Azaleas. — The Indian azaleas are now 

 in full glory of florescence. The florists 

 offer them in full bloom and in shape per- 

 fect little trees. Amateurs should remember 

 to cut the seed pods when formed, by which 

 "the beautiful, s}Tnmetrical form of the 

 azalea will be preserved. It naturally 

 makes s^mimetrical growth. The azalea 

 is one of the few flowers that, after a sys- 

 tem of forcing, may be purchased in full 

 bloom, brought home to amateur culture, 

 and that will not suffer by the reaction. 

 Hothouse culture forces the blooms, and 

 when gone to seed the plants thus forced 

 can be turned out in the summer border, 

 cared for, and returned to the hothouse 

 winter after winter. Experts differ so 

 decidedly on the subject of shade or sun- 

 shine for azaleas that amateurs are advised 

 to follow a middle course. The morning 

 sun and afternoon shade are probably 

 the best. 



Azalea vervseneana is one of the most 

 radiant of its class, in bright rose bor- 

 dered with silvery white. Madame Van 

 de Cruyssen is a brilliant pink with deep 

 red center, very showy. Bernhard Andrea 

 is as white as snow, and one of the most 

 beautiful of all flowers. 



Azalea Mollis. — This class differs from 

 the foregoing in that it is perfectly hardy 

 in all sections of the United States. It 

 is safely adopted as an outdoor bloomer 

 from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The 

 brilliancy of the scarlet salmon, violet, red, 

 shining rose, pearly white, gleaming 

 orange, and brightest, blazing red cannot 

 be told. These azaleas are decidedly the 

 showiest of May flowering shrubs. Azalea 

 amoena blooms all of May and June, in 

 rich crimson. 



