WILD GARDENING IN MEADOW GRASS. 



311 



take one flower and see what is done with it. We begin with the 

 blue Apennine Anemone. Of this I planted several thousand roots 

 in grass. Not having any beds or borders near the house where 

 I wanted it, I put it in meadows around the house in light 

 broken groups and masses. It flowers and increases every year 

 without the slightest attention ; and, being early in growth as 

 compared with grass, ripens and disappears before the meadow 

 grass has to be cut in summer. This is a most important 

 point, and typical of what may be done with many beautiful 

 spring flowers. One has the pleasure of seeing them year by 

 year flowering in their seasons, and giving delightful effects, as 

 these did this year, both in groups in the open sunny fields, and 

 also clustering thickly round the base of old Elm-trees on their 

 margin. Among the blue Anemone here and there stood groups 

 of Narcissus, and in cases where the Anemones and Daffodils 

 flowered together the effect was often very beautiful. This 

 Anemone is perfectly hardy, and always grows freely in grass, 

 and never deteriorates. In Greece this year I saw on the moun- 

 tains many acres of the blue Greek Anemone, and think it is 

 equally as hardy and as free as the Italian one, and quite as 

 useful for naturalisation in the grass. The simplicity of the 

 culture of plants like this, which thrive in meadow grass, and 

 the foliage of which withers before the grass need be mown for 

 hay, makes them a most important group, as so much meadow 

 grass comes near most country houses. A very great number 

 of the spring flowers of the northern world may be treated in 

 this manner, and give us beautiful spring gardens. 



The most important group of all these early flowers is the 

 Narcissus. Five years ago I planted many thousands in the 

 grass, the most numerous group being the Star Narcissus in 

 great variety. I never doubted that I should succeed with them, 

 but I did not know I should succeed nearly so well. They have 

 thriven admirably, bloomed well and regularly, the flowers are 

 large and handsome, and, to my surprise, have not diminished 

 in size. In open, rich, heavy bottoms, along hedgerows, in quite 

 open loamy fields, in every position I have tried them. They 

 are delightful when seen near at hand, and also effective in the 

 picture. The leaves ripen, disappear before mowing time comes, 

 and do not in any way interfere with farming. The harrowing 

 and rolling of the fields in the spring are a little against the 



