422 
JOURNAL Of horticulture and cottage gardener. 
[ May 26, 1887. 
“ To some extent, the present style of summer and autumn flowe r 
gardening has been built up and carried out on the ruins of spring 
flowers. The great numbers of half-hardy and tender plants suitable 
for summer display that have to be propagated and cultivated, have led 
in most instances to the neglect to a great extent of those hardy plants 
that are adapted to beautify the parterres in spring. It would, however, 
be difficult to say that any absolute reason exists why this should be 
so. The care which the one set of plants necessitates, does not neces¬ 
sarily become a reason why the other set should be neglected. ; There 
can be no doubt that the fact of the most opulent and fashionable 
families being, in the majority of cases, away from their country seats 
in the spring and early summer, has been the chief cause of directing 
the efforts and attention of gardeners to the crowding of as many 
flowers into the autumnal months as possible. Hence the eagerness with 
which every plant that blooms profusely, or is remarkable for its foliage 
during that time of the year, has been craved for and cultivated in great 
numbers. And hence, also, one great reason why spring gardening has 
been neglected. This example, set by the leaders of society, has 
exercised a wonderful influence on the owners of small gardens ; and 
they, too, have paid less attention to spring flowers than they ought to 
have done. 
“ Of course there is nothing that could justify the gardener, except 
an express command, in devoting his resources and energies to the deco¬ 
ration of the flower garden during the time that his employers are absent. 
His interest lies in bending all the ingenuity of his mind to the making 
of the garden most gay and interesting, either in spring, or in summer 
•or autumn, or both, as his employer may wish and allows Paeans for. 
Depend upon it, the interest of gardeners lies here. This does not apply 
to a large class, for whom especially this work is intended—such as 
business men and amateurs, who derive so much relaxation to both body 
and mind from their gardens all the year round, and who, if they leave 
their villas for a season, do so in autumn. 
“ A reaction in favour of spring flowers and hardy herbaceous plants 
in selection has taken place, and nurserymen find it to their interest to 
get up lists of these, and are finding a brisk trade for them. Where the 
families are resident in spring, the beds and borders are now, in increasing 
instances, not left empty all the winter and spring. The result has been 
nothing less effective than Flora’s ample spring stores of beautiful 
•objects would warrant anyone acquainted with them to expect. It is 
not necessary to grow a vast number of species and varieties to produce 
a beautiful, if a less imposing, effect in spring as well as in summer. 
But in respect to variety, and taking annuals and bulbs into considera¬ 
tion as well as hardy perennials, spring unfolds perhaps more beauty 
and variety of form than does the glow of autumn in plants suitable for 
beds and borders. And it need scarcely be said that plants, to be avail¬ 
able for flowering in March, April, and May, must of necessity be per¬ 
fectly hardy, and, for this reason, within the reach of the humblest 
amateur who commands a few square yards of a flower border, even if 
he has not so much as a common garden handglass. Such can make 
their garden gay more easily, and at less expense, than it is possible to 
do in summer, and autumn with half-hardy plants. Moreover, spring 
flowers are nearly all so exceedingly easy to cultivate well, that they are 
in this respect also within the reach of the great majority, much more 
so than the class of plants so largely cultivated for the parterre in 
summer. On this account alone it is exceedingly desirable that the 
cultivation of, and taste for, spring-flowering plants should be encouraged. 
They are peculiarly the flowers for the million. We can hardly a^ree 
with those who have affirmed that flowers are in many cases the mere 
toys of the rich, but can conceive how they may become something like 
friends and comforters of the lowly, and produce in the mind, many 
times, the feeling which fortified the spirit and strengthened the nerves 
and hopes of the lonely desert wanderer, when he let his eye rest on the 
■desert moss. The authoress of the ‘Life of Hedley Vicars’ showed 
how well she understood the influence of the love of flowers upon the 
human heart, when she placed a posy on the plate of each navvy when 
he sat down to her tea-meetings at Beckenham. These ‘ floral apostles ’ 
•come to us in spring especially, ministering almost human sympathy ; 
and it is sincerely to be desired that their cultiyation should be extended 
and encouraged among all classes. 
“ If means are in any case circumscribed—and, in such circumstances, 
the filling of a whole parterre of considerable extent with spring-flower- 
ing plants cannot comfortably be accomplished in this order and variety 
which an ambitious mind desires at once—a compromise should be 
made. By this I mean to convey that from the variety afforded by 
annuals in conjunction with such other plants as are easily procured and 
very rapidly increased, such as Daisies and Violas, and with the aid of 
■cheap bulbs, such as Crocuses and Tulips, a very gay spring parterre may 
be attained in a very short time ; and by degrees other plants more diffi¬ 
cult to procure and tedious to increase can be added. In fact, the same 
■choice afforded in autumnal flower-gardening is equally to be com¬ 
manded in spring. 
“ As will at once become apparent to the inexperienced by the lists 
that are furnished, there is no lack of spring-flowering plants available 
for all classes. There is a rich and most beautiful fund in common 
bulbous plants alone. Such things as Hyacinths, Tulips, Crocuses, 
Narcissus, Scillas, &c., need only be named to make this evident. From 
the cultivation of the hardy Scillas we can testify from experience that 
much interest arises. Hardy annuals and biennials can be raised easily 
and rapidly ; and these alone, in combination with a few varieties of 
Violas, wonderfully improved of late years for grouping purposes, to say 
nothing of perennials, afford a considerable amount of variety, and suffi¬ 
cient in colours for most effective combinations. The odour and lively 
tints of some of these plants are peculiar to themselves. And though we 
may not be able to point to the dense massiveness of the scarlet Pelar¬ 
gonium, the Verbena, and the Calceolaria, as available for autumn, 
spring can boast of more delicious odours, and far more delicacy and 
variety of tints. True, spring cannot produce the lovely foliage of the 
Mrs. Pollock class of Pelargoniums ; but there is the golden Arabis, 
which always puts on its best dress towards winter. Spring is certainly 
deficient in, though not destitute of, dark-foliaged plants ; for there is 
the dark-leaved Ajuga, and in silver variagation there are the variegated 
Arabia and Euonymus radicans variegatus, as well as the variegated 
Ivies and Periwinkles, and various deep golden and silver shrubs, the 
beauty of which is most conspicuous in winter and spring, while trees are 
leafless. Time will not fail to make good these seeming deficiencies ; 
and in the meantime it cannot be said of spring, that from lack of 
variety it does not encourage the lovers of flowers to drape their gardens 
with the loveliest hues, and perfume the air with the most refreshing 
odours in spring as well as in autumn. But instead of balancing the 
adaptability of the two classes of plants for producing beautiful com¬ 
binations, the various capabilities of spring-flowering plants will, be ad¬ 
verted to individually, as they are treated of in detail. I will only 
further say, for the encouragement of all owners of gardens who reside 
at their places in spring, that, for sweetness and chasteness of effect, 
many of the spring combinations far surpass those of autumn, and that 
many of the spring colours are as brilliant—and some much more so— 
as any that autumn can produce. What can surpass the purples of the 
Pansies, the yellows of the Alyssum and Cheiranthus, the Tulip, and the 
Crocus 1 And in deep bright blues, the Scillas, the Gentians, and 
Forget-me-not stand unrivalled. Then there are the "white Violas, 
Daisies, Forget-me-not, &c., that are scarcely rivalled for whites by the 
popular favourites of the autumn parterre. The Anemone affords 
scarlet of the most vivid kind, although, as beds for general effect, not 
equal to the scarlet Pelargoniums. I will now proceed to treat of the 
various plants in detail, and, to be comprehensive, will deal with annuals 
as a whole ; for their management is so nearly alike that to treat of them 
individually is not necessary. All the herbaceous and bulbous plants 
treated of in this department are of course equally well adapted for the 
mixed herbaceous border.” 
CRYSTAL PALACE SHOW. 
May 21st. 
The Exhibition at the Crystal Palace, Sydenham, on Saturday last was 
one of the largest held there for some time, but much of the effect that 
would have been otherwise produced was lost by the exhibits being widely 
scattered throughout the whole of the transept and the two naves. Exhibitors 
found the staging and removal of their contributions a difficult matter, and 
complaints were numerous in consequence. It is well to avoid the too 
frequent formality of arrangement at exhibitions, but it is possible to go to 
the other extreme, and when the plants entered in one class are so Widely 
removed it renders the Judges’ task much more arduous and often unsatis¬ 
factory. 
Many of the plants shown were the same as those which were awarded 
honours at the Regent’s Park Show last week, and it will not therefore be 
necessary to particularise them, but some excellent features were introduced 
tbat merit special notice. The groups were remarkably good, the prizes of 
£10, £6, and £4 bringing several stroDg competitors in both classes. In the 
open class for a group of plants arranged for effect, occupying a space not 
exceeding 200 square feet, Messrs. J. Laing & Co., Forest Hill, won the 
premier prize with an extremely handsome, bright, and tastefully arranged 
contribution. In this were new brilliantly coloured TuberouB Begonias, 
Azaleas, choice Orchids, Ericas, Palms, Ferns, and miscellaneous plants were 
freely employed with admirable effect. Messrs. Hooper & Co., Covent 
Garden, were second with a varied and pleasing group arranged in their 
usual light and tasteful manner, Mr. H. James, Norwood, taking the third 
place. The amateurs’ class was for a group of Orchids in bloom, not less 
than forty plants, arranged with Palms and Ferns, and the five competitors 
who entered all had tasteful collections. Mr. Simpkins, gardener to R. J. 
Measures, Esq., Camberwell, was the successful exhibitor, winning the first 
prize for a charming selection of Orchids, comprising very fine Cymbidiums, 
choice Cypripediums, Cattleyas, Odontoglossums, Masdevallias, Oncidiums, 
Aerides, and Lselias. Mr. C. J. Salter, gardener to J. Southgate, Esq., 
Selborne, Leigham Court Road, Streatham, was a good second with a varied 
group, one plant of Cymbidium Lowianum bearing four long spikes being 
very handsome; Mr. S. Cooke, gardener to De B. Crawshay, Esq., Rosefield, 
Sevenoaks, was third with a collection chiefly of Odontoglossum crispum 
and Lfolia purpurata varieties, with Palms, a pretty effect being produced, 
but there were not quite sufficient plants. 
The exhibits in the classes devoted to Orchids were numerous and com¬ 
prised some excellent plants. With nine specimens Mr. A. J. Catt, gardener 
to W. Cobb, Esq., Silverdale Lodge, Sydenham, took the lead, showing an 
extremely fine Odontoglossum vexillarium, bearing a great number of 
flowers; Cattleya Skinneri, with twelve spikes ; Odontoglossum crispum, 
ten spikes ; Oncidium Marshallianum, Masdevallia Harryana Dawsoni, 
Coelogyne MassaDgeana, Cattleya Mendeli, and others. Mr. F. J. Hill, 
gardener to H. Little, Esq., The Barons,Twickenham, was second, also with 
good plants, especially Cattleya Skinneri, Oncidium Marshallianum, and 
Dendrobium thyrsiflorum, Mr. H. James following with Cypripediums, 
Lycasts s, Cattleyas, &o. Mr. Catt was again first with six Orchids, followed 
by Messrs Hill and Luff. The best single specimen came from Hr. H. James, 
a large Laelia purpurata with nine Bpikes. Mr. Hill was second with a 
beautiful Cattleya Skinneri in a basket, and Mr. Catt third for Odonto- 
glo88um crispum with six spikes. 
The stove and greenhouse plants were mostly the same as those at the 
Regent’s Park Show a few days before, Mr. W. Chapman, gardener 
