SPRING FLOWER GARDENING. 



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nothing that I can see to prevent it spreading far and wide over 

 the country, and delighting our amateurs and cottagers with its 

 lovely spikes of blue and white starlike flowers. Its bulbs 

 increase and it produces seed in profusion. 



There is no kind of gardening that tends more to popularise 

 the pursuit than that which renders it possible to achieve con- 

 siderable success in plant culture with small means. Amateurs 

 and cottage-gardeners look with keener interest on a garden that 

 includes simple hardy flowers, of which they possess the counter- 

 part. Personal pride in the possession of a rare or uncommon 

 plant is a strong feeling, and a grower of Pansies or Primroses is 

 in sympathy or rivalry with another who takes pride in culti- 

 vating the same class of plants. Humble visitors to large gardens 

 are very proud to be able to say that their Pansies or Daisies 

 are as good as the duke's; and I may claim something for spring 

 gardening on this score, that while it not only interests the great 

 majority of people who care little for flowers, it enlists the direct 

 sympathies of the very humble class of cottagers and artisans. 

 Spring gardening is extensively practised in the neighbourhood 

 of Belvoir, both in large and small gardens. 



I suppose it is from sentiment that we look upon Heather in 

 any shape with a certain degree of interest, and few plants 

 attract more notice and remark than Erica camea. In the early 

 season it is perhaps the most striking feature in the spring 

 garden ; its masses of glowing crimson form a welcome contrast 

 to the blue and white and yellow flowers which predominate at 

 this period of the year. It is one of the family of Heaths that 

 is a little less particular about peat than others, but I grow it 

 extensively, and give it as much of that soil as I can afford, with 

 grit and leaf-soil. There is a white variety which is well w T orth 

 a place in the spring garden. 



I have mentioned plants in this early section that are used 

 freely, and give generally broad and fine effects, particularly 

 when massed ; but there are several plants that belong to the 

 early spring that are either comparatively rare or difficult to pro- 

 pagate, or fugitive in their period of blooming. But I cannot 

 omit mention of that brave little Narcissus, minimus, and its 

 companion names — these are with me the first Narcissi to show 

 their pretty yellow blossoms. That beautiful little shrubby plant 

 Poly gala Chamabuxus purpurea has the merits of very early 



