24 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
A Season’s Succession of Flower SHows in tHe Boston 
Public Garden. 
I 
By Luke J. Doogue. 
A little account of the flower shows in the Boston 
Public Garden, showing how the beds are used many 
times during the season, how the stock is grown and 
handled for these displays, and the manner, of merging 
one show into another without leaving any empty 
beds, will, perhaps, prove of interest to those who have 
enjoyed the flowers during past summers and may 
also be instructive to those who have gardens of their 
own, by suggesting ways to improve their work. 
The object of the Superintendent in planning his 
year’s work is to have a continuous and progressive 
flower and plant display from the earliest possible 
moment in the spring, until the cold weather drives 
everything indoors. The show is progressive from 
the fact that from the time the first plant is set out, 
there is a continuous change going on in one part or 
another of the garden, extending to all the beds in turn. 
From spring to fall there are from eight to nine dis- 
tinct decorations made. The first show begins just 
as soon as all danger from frost is past. The date 
varies from year to year, depending wholly on the 
condition of the weather. This show is produced 
within twenty-four hours and is the most appreciated 
of all the work done during the season, coming as it 
does, almost before the frost is out of the ground, and 
the memory of snow storms and blizzards is still 
fresh in our minds. By saying that it is accomplished 
within twenty-four hours, is meant that within that 
time, the beds are filled with plants of Hyacinth and 
Narcissus in full bloom, where but a few hours before 
nothing could be seen but the tips of the tulips, push- 
ing through the hard ground. The preparation for 
this beginning is made the fall before, when the Hya- 
cinths and other flowering bulbs are potted and 
plunged into cold frames and covered to a depth of 
eight inches with sifted ashes and afterwards with 
leaves to a good depth. They rest in this condition 
until two weeks before they are wanted in the spring. 
when the ashes are removed, and the glass sashes put 
over the beds to hasten the growth. Liberal water- 
ing and plenty of sunshine, bring the blossoms quickly j 
to maturity, when the pots are placed in a cool shed ! 
to harden off, and are kept there until the weather 
warrants attempting the first display. Teams and 
men are held in readiness, and when the word is 
given everyone does his part and the plants are quickly 
in the garden, all arranged in boxes of separate j 
colors. The work of planting is rapidly done. As | 
the tulips are already in the beds, the pots are plunged j 
between them. The empty boxes are gathered up j 
at once, scattered pots are packed away and not even I 
the packing straw and hay is left to suggest any un- 
usual effort. j 
This is what is called the Spring Show, and to ac- [ 
complish it 20,000 Hyacinths and 10,000 Narcissus : 
are used. The effect of the rapid transformation is 
astonishing to many, but it really means that from 
that time until the fall, these same beds would be used 
over and over again, and would at no time be empty. j 
By the time these bulbs have begun to lose their I 
freshness the Tulips have quietly pushed their way up 
and the fading Hyacinth and Narcissus flowers are : 
all cut off at once. The Tulips rapidly expand and t 
over 200,000 bulbous plants are in flower at once. The _ j 
varieties are chosen to insure a show, in which each * 
bed, or section will be in equally good condition dur- 
ing a certain period. This show is a potent factor in 
drawing crowds, and on pleasant Sundays from actual 
count more than 125,000 passed through the gates of 
the Garden. It is safe to say that nowhere outside 
of Holland is such a show attempted so successfully. ' 
Among these flowers, there are many thousand that !l 
are grown by the department which compare favor- I 
ably with any imported stock. When the winds and J 
heat have succeeded in blighting the brilliant color- |j 
ing of the flowers, the force at the greenhouses are M 
i I 
