Ao4 
THE GARDENING WORLb 
May 13, 1905. 
Ornamental Gardening. 
(Continued from 'page 383.) 
One particular advantage in growing deciduous flowering 
or foliage shrubs is the fact that quite a host of early flowering 
bulbs and other spring flowering plants may be planted beneath 
the shrubs. Some of our best spiing effects are obtained in this 
way, and no matter whether the shrubs be in beds of a sort 
or in groups in a shrubbery, a free use of bulbs will be found 
a distinct advantage in maintaining a display. For this pur¬ 
pose we may use the charming scilla sibirica, S. bifolia and the 
later S. festalis; also Daffodils and Omithogalums, such as 
0. umbellatum and nutans, while such things as Muscari botry- 
oides, M. conicum, and M. armeniacum will flourish in such 
positions. 
No better place can be found for the lovely early flowering 
Anemones, such as A. blanda, A. apeonina, and the native 
A. nemorosa, and some of its varieties, while Anemone ranuncu- 
loides with yellow flowers is a distinct and showy species. 
Chionodoxas are at home in such places, for if planted in the 
grass they fail to flourish and gradually disappear. The winter 
Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) is of exceptional merit under 
shrubs, flowering as it does from January onwards. 
The subject of ornamental shrubberies is a fascinating one, 
and could be dwelt on indefinitely ; but, as I said at the begin¬ 
ning, ornamental gardening is a. wide subject, and one must', 
therefore, reluctantly turn to other sections. 
What I have said on shrubs and shrubberies merely indicates 
the lines on which I think we ought to proceed when dealing 
with this kind of work. 
In the majority of gardens where spring effect is desired, 
the plants mainly relied on are bulbs in variety and other' 
plants of annual or biennial duration. There is an increasing 
tendency at the present time to naturalise bulbs and other 
plants, and this, when skilfully done with due regard to the 
fitness of things, is an effective way of decorating our parks 
and gardens : for, after all, it. seems to me that the most orna¬ 
mental kind of gardening is that, which is most natural. 
The effect of a skilfully planted group of Daffodils in the 
grass gives rise to a feeling of pleasure which the same plants 
huddled together in a bed could never do. By far the most 
effective way of using Crocuses is to plant them in the grass 
or under deciduous trees, where the flowers, which are easily 
damaged, are somewhat, protected, and will continue to delight 
us for weeks. 
Perhaps Snowdrops have been grown in our gardens in a 
natural way longer than most plants, and this is doubtless 
accounted for by the fact that they are fairly plentiful in a 
wild state, so that -we are shown the best way to use them ; 
also they do not lend themselves to annual lifting. One of 
the prettiest effects I ever saw in Ivew was produced by colonies 
of Snowdrops peeping through the dead brown fronds of hardy 
Ferns. Such simple combinations as these attract attention 
and give pleasure to mankind to a degree which the most 
gorgeous arrangement of summer bedding plants can never do. 
It must not, however, be thought that 1 am entirely opposed 
to the use of bulbous and other spring-flowering plants in beds, 
but rather that I dislike the manner in which they are often 
arranged. Take Hyacinths as an instance. One cannot quarrel 
with the beautiful colours of some of our best bedding 
Hyacinths, yet the plants themselves are essentially stiff in 
appearance, and when planted—as is so* often the case—in 
straight lines, the effect is far from natural, and, I fancy, a 
prettier effect would be got by planting groups of Hyacinths 
over a groundwork of Saxifrages, Polyanthus, Aubrietias,' or 
even other dwarfer plants, and this is just, the way in which I 
think we can get the best effect from spring-flowering plants in 
beds. 
Tulips lend themselves readily to such associations, and I 
can recall nothing more charming than several beds of that 
fine Tulip, Duchesse de Panne, associated with yellow Polyan¬ 
thuses; the bronzy-yellow of the Tulips combines delightfully 
with the clearer yellow of the Polyanthus, while the whole 
effect is much lighter than if Tulips were used alone. 
1 believe also that Daffodils, particularly the narrower- 
leaved sorts belonging to the medio-coronate section, are more 
effective if associated with other spring-flowering plants, and 
for this purpose the Jonquils are veiy useful. \\ e have, how¬ 
ever, to bear in mind at all times the position from which we 
are to view each bed. If near at hand the lighter combina¬ 
tions of associated plants will be the better, but if effect from 
a distance is the object, then the massing system must be 
resorted to. 
For massing, we must resort to plants which are either of 
considerable size, or which, from their brilliant colour, are con¬ 
spicuous at a distance. The trumpet Daffodils are effective 
from afar, and lend themselves to* use in large beds. In fact, 
most of the common garden Daffodils may be used in this way, 
because their colour tells, and although, individually, the 
flowers of some Daffodils are of great beauty, yet the bed when 
viewed near at hand creates a nauseous feeling, as every flower 
is seen to be an exact counterpart of its neighbour. 
One of our best and most- effective spring bedding plants is 
Anemone hortensis fulgens, which, for brilliancy of colour, 
stands unsurpassed, and yet we may visit many large gardens 
where ornamental gardening is a feature and never set eyes on 
Anemone fulgens, whose brilliant scarlet, flowers remain in 
good condition over a lengthened period. 
Most Anemones resent annual lifting, but. if done carefully, 
this and the varieties of coronaria may be successfully moved 
when out of flower and allowed to ripen off in the reserve 
garden. 
With the advent of the May-flowering Tulips we are nearing 
the end of the strictly spring-flowering plants, and I believe 
that the May-flowering Tulips are destined to play an impor¬ 
tant part in the decoration of our gardens. 
There is this, of course, against their general use as bedding 
plants—it is late before the beds which they occupy are avail¬ 
able for the summer flowers. There is no. reason, however, 
why they should be confined to> beds, for they are most accom¬ 
modating and do not call for lifting annually. 
Even in heavy, retentive soil, which is not usually conducive 
to the well-being of Tulips, these May flowerers will come up 
year after year. 
In many kitchen gardens where fruit trees are grown on 
either side of the walks, the borders are often bare, and here 
these' late Tulips might find a congenial home, and could be 
effectively arranged in groups of one colour. 
In such a position I have seen an effective arrangement of 
the late-flowering Scilla hispanica and its varieties alba and 
camea. An arrangement might easily be come at. by which 
annuals could succeed the Tulips and Scillas, but the extent to 
which this could be carried out would be regulated by the 
distance between the trees, they being of primary importance 
and requiring attention in summer. 
With the passing of the May-flowering Tulips we are at once 
plunged into the bustle of summer bedding. Of recent years 
a great change has come about in the furnishing of flower-beds 
for the summer display. The flat, formal arrangements which 
obtained some years ago have given place to lighter effects 
and charming colour combinations, and this within certain 
limits is good. Carpet bedding, once a feature of the summer 
garden, lias been to a great extent given up, and in some 
gardens altogether eliminated. There is, however, something 
to be said for this style of gardening, for positions do occur 
where carpet bedding may be done with effect, and this is 
principally on ground with a considerable slope; but much 
skill in making designs and arranging colours, as well as un¬ 
limited patience on the part of the workman, are necessary to 
do this work well. Generally simple designs are best, and 
Cotyledons need not be the only plants employed. 
(To be continued.) 
