HOUSE AND GARDEN 
October, 1909 
XI 3 
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Plant myrtle and crocuses where grass will not grow. The myrtle will hide the dying bulb 
foliage after the crocuses have bloomed 
done it by close cutting of the grass and the 
fact that the grass itself will crowd them out — 
they are irresistible. And they are one of the 
few flowers that look well in a mixture of 
colors, possibly because they come at a time 
when there is no other vegetation and when 
we are eager for the promise which their 
gaudy cheeriness brings. 
If you decide to use them do not allow the 
grass to be cut under any circumstances within 
a fortnight after the last flower is gone, and 
not then if the leaves have not turned brown 
and died. This is the signal that above 
ground the crocus’ work is over for the year 
and therefore danger of injury is reduced to 
the minimum. 
The Star of Bethlehem is overlooked now¬ 
adays, which is a pity, for each plant blooms 
more profusely than bulbous plants generally 
do, and its bright, white little blossoms sparkle 
among the green of its leaves and the neigh¬ 
boring grasses with a lively beauty most remi¬ 
niscent of the twinkle of its celestial namesake. 
This does not seem to spread so freely as 
most plants of the sort, though I have heard 
one variety of it complained of as a nuisance 
when planted in borders where other vari¬ 
eties of the same species were being culti¬ 
vated, owing to its very numerously formed bulblets which lead 
to confusion. The true Star of Bethlehem is splendidly hardy 
The pheasant’s eye or poet’s narcissus, with flowering dogwood 
however, even [if it does not spread rapidly, and is quite 
unmindful of adverse conditions, living on valiantly by arid 
roadsides and in fields and pastures whence it has escaped 
from old-time gardens. 
In England it is highly prized and many varieties are 
cultivated, especially in wild gardens; taking a hint from 
these we cannot do better than use it for one of our species 
in naturalizing, for it lends itself to such planting unusually 
well. Ornithogalum umbellaium is the true Star of Bethle¬ 
hem; 0 . Arabicum is listed by some dealers, but this is not 
reliable enough for the amateur or for naturalizing. Scatter 
the former freely in long grass either in the open or at the 
margin of thin woods—and let it alone. It blossoms during 
April and May. 
Tulips, especially the late or May-flowering class, take 
on an altogether new charm when naturalized. The idea 
seems revolutionary at first, yet they thrive amongst weeds 
and grasses and will not be driven out—which is about the 
best argument in the world to prove them suitable for such 
planting. 
The dealers offer collections of named varieties at very 
low prices, and it is sometimes well to buy this way if one is 
not familiar with the coloring of the flowers. After one 
season of bloom take out any that have not been pleasing 
to you and put them somewhere else—or throw them away 
if you dislike them very much. I should advise choosing 
the single forms always for natural planting. 
For June flowering there is the golden lily leek —Allium 
Moly —that takes kindly to naturalization and is very showy 
and attractive when planted in a “scattered mass.” A blue 
variety is very lovely, but I am not sure of its being satis¬ 
factory for this sort of planting, never having seen it used 
in this way. Some time I shall try it, for blue flowers that 
are really showy are so rare, comparatively, that we never 
have enough of them. 
In moist cool English meadows there is a strange looking 
flower that grows wild—a checkered curiosity that some find 
beautiful and some do not. Commonly it is called snake’s 
head or guinea-hen flower; rightly its name is Fritillaria 
