December 16, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
247 
with broad imbricated segments. The plant bear¬ 
ing three flowers was shown amongst a group of 
Amaryllis by Mr. Henry Perkins, Greenlands, 
Henley-on-Thames. 
-- 
SPRING GARDENING. 
[Continued from p. 231.) 
As shrubbery borders are generally formed as a 
background, we by this system of planting cause the 
eye to seek the further sides of the grounds, and 
everything intervening between the eye and border 
shows up with more distinctness. Here then is the 
situation for a few bold beds of simple outline which 
can be used for the arrangement of both spring and 
summer bedding plants. By this means we make 
the whole of the pleasure ground attractive, instead 
of grouping all our flower beds in one formal de¬ 
sign. We have yet too many formal flower beds in 
our flower gardens of to-day, and it is the gardeners 
privilege to show his employer how better effect 
could be obtained by a more natural system of 
arrangement. It is not generally the gardener, but 
the employer, who is often too conservative in his 
ideas, and who cannot see things in the same light 
as the ga;rdener. Here we meet face to face with a 
great difficulty, often met with in other professions 
besides gardening. That difficulty is the ability to 
explain to others so that they can comprehend and 
see the object in the same light as we do ourselves. 
Here then we have one of the principal uses of this 
society brought to the front—the educating of the 
members in the details of their daily work, and the 
enabling of members by the frequent opportunities 
they have of joining in the various discussions, and ex¬ 
plaining their meaning to others. “ Practice makes 
perfect.” 
Bulbs. 
Among spring flowering plants, bulbs will always 
hold a foremost place, and one of the difficult pro¬ 
blems of their arrangement to solve will be the best 
position for them to obtain the best effect. At one 
time or another, most of us have come upon a 
quantity of plants growing together in some out of 
the way place, and noted with surprise the good 
effect produced. I remember when at Arniston, 
near Edinburgh, the grand effect produced there by 
an enormous quantity of Snowdrops growing on the 
banks, supposed to be the refuse from an old garden 
tipped over the bank. Here then we have a small 
plant in itself, but capable of making a grand dis¬ 
play when properly arranged and planted in the 
right position. 
The best effect will be obtained from many of our 
spring flowering bulbs, by an arrangement similar to 
that of the Snowdrop just noticed. I prefer to see 
the Snowdrop Crocus, Winter Aconite, Grape, 
Feather, and Musk Hyacinths, Narcissi, Anemones, 
white, blue, and red Scillas, Chionodoxa, Dog’s- 
tooth Violets growing in the grass. In most 
pleasure grounds there can generally be found a 
suitable position for all the above in the grass—a 
place where it is not necessary to use the mowing 
machine directly the grass begins to grow, but 
where the grass and bulbs can grow together until 
the flowering of the bulbs is over, and the foliage 
matured. Then, where necessary, the whole can 
be mowed, and kept in neat order for the remainder of 
the year. The bulbs under this treatment will be 
found to ripen, and continue to produce a wealth of 
flowers year after year. The best position for bulbs 
treated in this way is, I think, where the grass runs 
close up to some clumps of evergreen shrubs. The 
distance they may extend in the grass would depend 
upon the surroundings ; if the space is open ard ex¬ 
tensive, then the groups must be bolder, and smaller 
groups will be effective where the space is conflned. 
Where water, either ornamental, or a stream 
running through the grounds, abounds, then the 
banks are the situation where we should try and 
naturalise bulbs in the grass. Should the soil be 
good the bulbs will increase in such a position. 
Here we may have two or more species belonging, it 
may be, to different genera growing together, and so 
increase the length of the flowering season by some 
coming into flower after the others are over. Where 
banks of natural streams or ornamental water 
can be had for this kind of work, no formal flower 
garden ever laid down will rival the grand 
effects produced by the judicious arrangement of 
bulbs in such a position. One word of caution is, 
however, necessary, namely, that care be exercised 
to make our groups distinct, and not adopt the 
dotting system practised so long in our herbaceous 
borders. We must get away from that system, if 
we are to have a natural and effective arrangement. 
We are yet in the infancy of this style of gardening,, 
but every year will see it growing and extending. 
We have not yet imagined what effects may be seen 
in the near future, as this natural grouping of suit¬ 
able plants becomes more fully recognised—by the 
gardener, or may I say by the employer ? 
In preparing the ground for the reception of the 
various bulbs, it is necessary, if we are to expect 
satisfactory results, that the ground should be as 
carefully seen to and the requirements of the 
different bulbs studied as if we were preparing beds 
in which to plant them. After the ground is pre¬ 
pared the bulbs may be sown broadcast so as to 
avoid all formal planting, and if the ground is to be 
turfed, the bulbs should first be slightly buried in 
the ground, so that the additional turfing will be 
sufficient covering. Where it is not deemed 
necessary to remove the turf before planting, the 
bulbs may be treated as before and dibbled in as 
they lie. It will occur to the minds of most of you 
what wealth of beauty we have in the Daffodils 
alone for this kind of work. Their flowering season 
extends over three months of the year, and what 
can be successfully done with the Daffodil in the 
grass may be done with the other bulbs I have 
mentioned, and we find we have a rich range of 
colour to form ideal pictures from. Why should 
not the gardener be able to use his favourite flowers 
to produce as harmonious a picture as the artist can 
with paint colour his canvas. 
Formal Spring Gardening. 
Let me now turn to the more formal system of 
spring gardening, I mean where the spring bedding 
is carried out in formal beds or borders. We 
cannot all have extent and position to carry out the 
style I have tried to lay before you, but we can all 
do something with this formal style of bedding, and 
very harmonious effects may be produced by it. 
So long as summer bedding is carried out as at 
present, we will always have a number of beds 
suitable for spring bedding, and it is I think more 
desirable to utilise them for this purpose rather 
than they should lie bare and unsightly for so long 
a period between the taking up of the summer 
occupants and the refilling of the beds in the follow¬ 
ing season. The plants suitable for this work would 
consist of dwarf-growing and free-flowering species 
and varieties, such as Primros'es and Polyanthus, 
Myosotis, Daisies (if any survive the late dry 
season). Wallflowers, Aubretia, Alyssum saxatile, 
and Arabis (silver and golden variegated). For 
mixing with the above we have a large selection of 
bulbs, such as the Hyacinth, Tulip, Crocus, 
Narcissus, Scillas, Anemones, etc. It is almost 
unnecessary to say that the flower beds should con¬ 
sist of rich vegetable mould, and where the beds 
require enriching it should be done in the autumn 
at planting time; what manure is added should be 
well decayed so .that the roots of the plants do not 
come in contact with strong fresh manure. Should 
the soil be heavy add plenty of leaf soil to lighten 
it, as planting is anything but pleasant in heavy 
soils. If the beds are available, plant early in the 
autumn, so that the plants may have time to get 
established before frosty weather sets in, and if the 
plants are to occupy the place of the summer 
flowering subjects, do not delay the removal of the 
latter a day longer than is necessary, so that the 
work may be completed as early in the autumn as 
possible. The arrangement to be carried out should 
be carefully noted beforehand, and the necessary 
plants ready. 
The system of planting prevalent some years ago, 
of beginning at the outside of the bed and planting 
a row of dwarf growing plants, then a row of taller 
growing plants, and so on until the bed was filled, is 
happily not often seen now-a-days. The system at 
the present time is what may be termed massing, 
that is, a bed would be devoted to one plant with 
perhaps a dwarf-growing plant as an edging. If the 
centre plants are not tall a beautiful effect will be 
produced by planting the bed throughout with bulbs, 
it may be of one species or mixed varieties of one 
species. We thus secure a longer season of flower¬ 
ing from the same bed. I do not care to see beds 
devoted to Hyacinths, Tulips, etc., and the beds 
left bare all winter, when by planting with low- 
growing and spring-flowering subjects we make the 
beds look furnished during the winter, and have a 
richer display during the spring. I have watched 
the effects produced by the Hyacinths and Tulips 
in the London Parks for years past, and I have 
always felt there was something wanting in the 
arrangement, and that want was a carpet of dwarf¬ 
growing spring flowering plants as a groundwork for 
the bulbs. 
The following are a few combinations of colour 
which I have noticed to be very pleasing and 
effective :—a bed of white Arabis edged with red 
Daisies, and planted with scarlet Tulips ; a bed of 
Mysotis dissitiflora, planted with Narcissus poeticus 
ornatus, edged with white daisies; a bed of 
Aubretia, planted with Scilla Siberica, or Snow¬ 
drops ; Primrose and Polyanthus beds make good 
groundwork for mixed Tulips. Hyacinths do well 
with Mysotis, the Hyacinth being over befor the 
Mysotis plants are in full flower. The Hyacinths 
should have their flower spikes removed as they 
becomes unsightly. Beds of Wallflower make a 
suitable position for Polyanthus Narcissus; and beds 
of Alyssum saxatile compactum come in flower along 
with Narcissus poeticus flore-pleno. The Winter 
Aconite and the Hepaticas, where they do well, 
make beautiful arrangements. Then we may have 
some beds for the sake of variety filled with dwarf¬ 
growing shrubs, and the beds carpeted with dwarf¬ 
growing spring-flowering plants; the effect is better 
than when the shrubs are planted close together. 
(To be Continued.) 
HORTICULTURAL LECTURING. 
Some good results will no doubt proceed from the 
discussion that has been going on of late on this 
subject, and as we are about to get parish councils 
with various powers, it may be well if they would 
turn their attention to this all important branch of 
industry. It has often struck me that one practical 
lesson would be worth a score of dry lectures, and as 
it is to the youth we must look for the future back¬ 
bone of the country, would it not be as well to 
impress upon their minds the need of taking an in¬ 
terest in the cultivation of the land. It would be 
well if the parish councils, when they are formed, or 
the managers of schools in the rural districts, could 
see their way to providing a plot of ground near to 
each school, where the children could be instructed 
in the art of grafting, budding, pruning, and the 
general routine of garden work, and where those 
who wished might attend of an evening when some 
competent person could be engaged to show them the 
best modes of procedure. 
There is nothing like practical demonstrations for 
impressing on people’s minds the advantages to be 
gained by following out instructions given. It is all 
very well to lecture, but most people in the rural 
districts require some ocular facts in order to con¬ 
vince them that what is said is correct, and if this 
be not forthcoming they go away with the impression 
that the lecturer is a humbug. Now if a plot of 
ground, say an acre in extent, were attached to each 
school, various kinds of fruits and vegetables might 
be grown, and the boys could be instructed in digging 
and planting by the most improved methods. They 
would then, in early life, gain a practical knowledge 
of such things as would no doubt be useful to them 
in after life. Anyone watching a person dig who has 
not been accustomed to use the spade cannot help 
but notice what difficult work he makes of it, where¬ 
as if he had been instructed in early days the work 
would come to him quite naturally. 
Then again, nine persons out of ten when pruning 
invariably place the knife on the wrong side of the 
shoot they wish to cut off, thereby leaving a jagged 
end beyond the bud, which dies back and causes an 
unsightly appearance; not only this, it is a source of 
harbour for the eggs of various insects. One 
practical lesson in an allotment garden would do far 
more good than a dozen dry discourses in a room. 
Monthly meetings and exhibitions should also be 
encouraged in the rural districts, and if at such 
meetings a lecturer were engaged to attend and 
explain any little questions that might crop up, it 
would add greatly to their interest. It is all very 
well to talk about nitrogen, sulphuric acid, potash 
and such like to educated people, but to an audience 
composed for the most part of those who do not 
understand these things it is time throw away. Let 
the County Councils reconsider their mode of proce¬ 
dure, and, instead of engaging professional lecturers, 
try their hands with practical men who can use the 
spade, the fork, and the knife, and then there can be 
no doubt, but progress will go ahead at a great pace. 
—One luho Knows. 
