i 



Skptembse 28, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



737 



COMBINATIONS OF SPRING 



FLOWERS. 



Bulbous and other iiardy flowers that are 



numbers for the 



nm 



rooted 



usually 



grown 



large 



the 



production of rich colour effects in 

 riower garden during the spring reason are 

 highly Attractive w^iien grown in separate 

 beds^ proAuded the contrast of colours is 

 tasteful and the planting is so carried out 

 tiat the space is well filled without being 

 overcrowded. Many are the examples that 

 could be mentioned in proof of this, but for 

 the present purpose it must suffice to state 

 that this is the case. This much must be 

 readily admitted— that the planting of the 

 several kinds in beds wholly devoted to 

 a separate kind or variety, as is so fre- 

 quently done, more p>articularly in the but with separate varieties planted in duo 



ciating with spring-flowering bulbs is con- 

 siderable, and the most useful of them are 

 readily raised by means of ^yced or cuttings. 

 The combination of fibrous-rooted plants, 

 such as arabis, alyssums, and wallflow^ers 

 with bulbs adds to the labour and atten- 

 tion involved in the production of displays 

 of spring flowers, but this addition is not 

 of great moment, having regard to the im- 

 provement in the appearance of the beds 

 during the winter and the enhanced charm 

 of the floral display in the spring. 



Most beautiful combinations may be 

 effected by the use of two or three colours 

 of the same class of bulbs in one bed. 

 These different shades must be provided, 

 nnt with mixtures obtained at a cheap rate, 



1^ L*V>*Jl Vl.^ N^"*^*-^^ " - V 



smaller gardens of amateurs, is not a prac- 

 tioA that can fbe recommended 



proportions. This method of planting can 

 be most successfully carried out with hya- 



For planting in conjunction with pink and 

 red varieties of the last-named flowers, 

 white, pink, and rose-coloured tulips are 

 all suitable, and Cottage Maid, La Reine, 

 Rose Grisdelin, and Snowflake may be men- 

 tioned for their usefulness for growing in 

 association with hyacinths. 



Whatever may be the method adoptod of 

 planting the chief classes of bulbs, fibrous- 

 rooted plants should be grown in associa- 

 tion with them for the purpose of carpeting 

 the ground in winter and contributing to 

 the floral display in the spring. Among 

 the white-flowered plants suitable for car- 

 peting the surface of beds and borders 

 planted with bulbs, the double-flowered 

 form of Arabis albida is pre-eminent. 



The golden Alyssum saxatile and its 

 lemon-eoloured variety known as citrinum 



■pect" 



shades of colour, and are especially useful 



■ 



One of the chief dbjections to devoting 

 each bed to a distinct kind or variety is the 

 difficulty of obtaining in a colour scheme a 

 soft tone of colouring that is so much appre- 

 ciated at the present time, and a harmo- 

 nious blending of colours is far more pleas- 

 ing and satisfactory than the strong colour 

 contrasts that enjoyed a considerable degree 

 of popularity in the past, and are still met 

 With in gardens, but, happily, in rapidly 

 ^inunishing numbers. Another objection to 



^ method is the bare appearance pre- 

 f^ted throughout the w^inter months by 



that are wholly devoted to bulbs. 



^on: the time of planting in the autumn 

 |>ntil the loaves begin to pierce the earth in 

 ^/^eir endeavour to obtain the w^armth, 

 ^ght, and air so essential to their full de- 

 J^jopment, the beds are bare instead of 



earpeted with green leafage as they 

 and indeed should, be. There is no 

 great difficulty in giving each bed its carpet 



cinths 



idenced by the results that 



ined 



and gardens that are open to the public. 

 By planting such pink varieties as Ger- 

 trude, L'Ornement Rose and Rosy Gem, a 

 much more pleasing effect is obtained than 

 when any one of these varieties is planted 

 separately. In like manner, Blondin, 

 Count Andrassy, and Leonidas, in their 

 various shades of light blue, pro<lnce a de- 

 lightful effect. Certain of the early-flcnver- 

 ing tulips may be associated wnth hyacinths 

 with much success, as in the bed of which 

 an illustration is given herewith. This bed 

 contained a selection of two or three light 

 blue hyacinths and a white tulip, probably 

 Snowdrift, which attains a height of ten or 

 twelve inches. Some of the soft yellow 

 tulips niav be associatiKl with the light blue 

 hyacinths^, but in the writer's opinion, white 

 tulips present the most j^lensing appear- 

 ance in association with blue hyacinths. 



for planting in association with the crim- 

 son-red, scarlet, and white tulips. Aubrie^ 

 tias, in their several shades of lilac and 

 rose, form an admirable setting to hya- 

 cinths, but on cold, heavy soils they suffer 

 more or less during the winter. Forget- 

 me-nots are exceedingly useful for carpet- 

 ing beds of white and blue hyacinths and 

 white tulips, and should be taken full ad- 

 vantage of. Double daisies also possess 

 much value as they bloom freely until the 

 time arrives for preparing the beds for their 

 summer occupants. Polyanthuses and wall- 

 flowers should be freely planted in combina- 

 tion with bulbs and other plants where 

 spring flowers are appreciated. The strong 

 colours of the wallflowers are most useful 

 for association with tulips and daffodils, for 

 they not only harmonise with them, btit 

 theV continue' to yield a profusion of their 



, bed 



cleared 



