3V ^ \ 



ILbe XiUes of the Jfielb. 



How They Grow ; Work Among Them. — Our early 

 spring garden is gorgeous enough with the old-fashioned 

 bulbs that gladden our eyes in March or April ; that is to 

 say, when Jack Frost and his brother Boreas conde- 

 scend to retire early enough to let us know there is such 

 a season as spring. This year the hyacinths were just 

 unclosing, and the daffodils debating whether to smile or 

 not, when a blinding snow-snow storm came, and we all 

 looked for the complete destruction of these unfortunate 

 flowers. However, the snow did not stay long enough 

 to cause much injury either to plants or flowers, 

 although it was discouraging for the time being. 



Early bulbs, when planted the previous autumn, make 

 a very effective filling for beds occupied during the sum- 

 mer by tender plants, yet many of them are best left un- 

 disturbed year after year, because these make their best 

 development in large clumps. For this reason we like 

 to use them about the shrubberies, sometimes forming a 

 border around the late-flowering shrubs and evergreens, 

 or else dotted irregularly among these plants in places 

 where they get the spring sun. Bulbs which have been 

 forced in the house are treated this way, being put out- 

 doors when their flowering is over. After resting a sea- 

 son or two, they bloom nicely, and do much to brighten 

 up a group of dark conifers. The varieties of bulbs for 

 early use are almost endless. The little Siberian squills 

 and grape hyacinths should not be neglected among 

 showier sorts, while narcissuses alone are varied enough 

 to form a garden. It is especially desirable that the 

 narcissus should always be grown where it will be un- 

 disturbed year after year. The old-fashioned, double 

 trumpet daffodil is one of the best for naturalizing in 

 masses, being very hardy and an abundant bloomer. 

 Another good sort is A'arcissus poeticus, the Pheas- 

 ant's-eye daffodil, both single and double. The Hoop- 

 petticoat narcissus (."\". bulbocodium), and the polyan- 

 thus varieties are tender, and therefore need covering in 

 our climate, but it is easy to select plenty of perfectly 

 hardy sorts, if these are preferred. In naming bulbs 

 dotted about the lawn, we should not forget the spring 

 and autumn-flowering crocuses. The autumn crocus 

 (colchicum) is quite an oddity, with its checkered blooms 

 sent up in the fall quite independently of its leaves, 

 ■which do not come up until spring. 



However, the spring bulbs are only a memory now, 

 and though June is a trifle early for many of this class, 

 our garden offers some very showy flowers, the most 



conspicuous being the irises, or flower-de-luce. The 

 iris may be divided into two classes : the bulbous and 

 the tuberous-rooted varieties. They are all impatient of 

 disturbance, succeeding best when naturalized in masses. 

 Planted in a sunny situation, where protected by shrubs 

 from north and east winds, they succeed wonderfully ; 

 flowering more abundantly each year. The Japanese 

 iris {/. Kccmpferi) is one of the showiest sorts grown, 

 some of the varieties having flowers ten inches across. 

 We grow this, bordering an old-fashioned lawn, in a 

 delightful tangle, where daffodils, iris, paeonies and 

 flowering shrubs live in harmony together. It is dread- 

 fully irregular, of course, and as far removed as possible 

 from show-gardening, but it is very charming — just such 

 a border as Lord Bacon would have approved. The 

 Japanese and Iberian irises may also be used in a semi- 

 aquatic situation, being planted in peat with an under 

 stratum of clay. The writer recalls a little aquatic gar- 

 den where the water was surrounded by a border of 

 iris and Cypripcdium spectabilis, having a background 

 of Lilium Canadense and Caladium escidcntum. 

 Most of our lilies are much at home in the wild garden. 



The Siberian iris is another June flowering sort ; the 

 color a bright lilac, veined with purple. These are all 

 very hardy. Of the bulbous section, both Iris Persica 

 and /. rcticidata are early bloomers, flowering in April. 

 They are both very fragrant — suggestive, indeed, of 

 violets. We can hardly suggest a better example of the 

 lilies of the field than is offered by the iris, for certainly 

 the glory of Solomon himself could not excel its gor- 

 geous array. Some one calls it the orchid of the garden, 

 and the comparison is not very far-fetched, for many 

 iris flowers suggest some of the showier orchids, both in 

 shape and coloring. Since the conventionalized iris, or 

 flower-de-luce, is now the most popular of all decora- 

 tions, the plant itself should be first favorite in the gar- 

 den — fashion often gives a rank which beauty alone can- 

 not attain. 



As for lilies proper, we shall have our bravest show 

 a month or two later. The finest lilies we have ever 

 seen outdoors were grown in a stiff soil, with an under- 

 stratum of clay. Both Japanese and Californian vari- 

 eties were grown here, and their luxuriance was amaz- 

 ing. The most gorgeous sight of all was a mass of 

 L. tigriniim sple}idc7is, with shining black stems six 

 feet high, supporting a regular pyramid of glowing 

 flowers. This bed always attracted much attention, its 



