THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER 
MARCH 3, 1903. 
The Floral Pageant of the 
‘Year. 
wStesSssse 
The procession is passing—the gay pro- 
cession of flowers. lowers of every blush 
and scent are uniting in splendid federa- 
tion to make the scene one of dazzling 
magnificence and unsurpassed brilliance. 
Tke garden is glowing with every con- 
ceivable tint. lora is shaking her horn 
at first with a light sprinkle and then with 
more and more reckless liberality. She 
is emptying it to the dregs, but tne dregs 
are golden dregs, the crimson and gold and 
Chrysanthemum tints of autumn. Where 
to begin? The Roses, by virtue of their 
royal estate, claim precedence. How in- 
cessantly they have wioomed, and with 
what heroism each delicate flower braves 
the fierce sunlight and relentless wind! 
If by the evening time they have suc- 
cumbed, every fresh morning finds them 
once mor. fresh and smiling with dew- 
drops trembling on their petals as though 
with tears they besought the sun and wind 
to be merciful. Roses have no under- 
studies, if they are absent their places can- 
not be supplied. Among the aristocracy 
of flowers surely Salvia Patens must be a 
high-born beauty, a peeress of the realm. 
Hew peerless its blue! How velvety its 
texture! And what a telling color this 
same blue isin the border! 1t arrests the 
glance immediately and imperiously de- 
mands a lingering gaze of admiration. The 
Gentian, the darker Lobelias, and the cx- 
quisite Delphinium Formosum have the 
same sapphire brilliance. The other Del- 
phiniums have a more azure hue, softening 
into lavender. All have a rare beauty of 
their own, and impart an air of distinction 
io any garden, be it'ever sohumble. For 
 ahsolute purity what can compare with the 
White Perennial Phlox. Behold it every- 
where “dressed like a bride” and thrusting 
its large, luminous heads of flower through 
the surrounding leafage! Having insuffi- 
cient foliage of its own, 1b appropriates 
that of other plants as a set-off to its 
matchless charms. Its sisters are emulat- 
ing it in various parts of the garden with 
less purity, but perhaps with more 
showiness. or fresh delicacy of tint com- 
mend me to the Balsam. They comprise, 
too, such a host of shades, and the double 
varieties are Camelia-like in their form 
and texture. Flowering uninterruptedly, 
they are a boon to the borders. If they 
have one fault it is modesty, keeping their 
tender blooms, like chickens, half hidden 
under their wings. Cockscombs inter- 
mingle their vivid hues. Nasturtiums 
have wedged themsélves wherever a cranny 
cculd be found, and delight one with their 
ochre shades and rich brown stainings. 
What a blaze the Salvia Bonfire makes! 
It. is almost too fiery a yision for a con- 
templative gaze. From this dazzling dis- 
play the eye wanders for relief to the soft 
- toned grasses. How they blow this way 
and that and shimmer in the sunlight! 
How they toss their fluffy plumes! The 
feathery flowers, too, droop in a cascade 
over the border. There is always a stir, 
a rustle, a wonderful restlessness among 
these gold and silver and delicately-tinted 
greens, while 
The plumed insects, swift and free, 
Like golden boats on a sunny sea, 
Laden with light and color, pass 
Over the gleam of the living grass. 
Cool is the gleam of the silver’ Artichokes 
and classic their forms. Cool are the 
sweeps of lawn. A sea of green with 
coves, inlets, and bays along the coastline 
of the flower border, and cool indeed are 
the shadowy depths in the recesses of the 
trees and creepers. It is difficult to 
imagine a summer border without the irre- 
pressible, ubiquitous scarlet Gladiolus 
rearing its slender stems aloft. If it is 
somewhat unappreciated nowadays it is be- 
cause of the vast superiority of the Cannas. - 
How can one sufficiently laud this grandly 
decorative family, whose varied tropical 
foliage alone would render them indis- 
pensable! And then the brilliant magni- 
ficence of their blooms! How Australia 
glistens! What a flare Italia makes, now 
Pandora glows, and how sweet and soft by 
contrast are the apricots and salmon tints 
of the varieties! In a distant corner 
Tecoma Mackenni is widely distributing it- 
self, flinging long, lissome shoots over 
everything that happens to stand in the 
way. Pillar, wire, and fence it takes com- 
plete possession of, ignoring the claims of 
other plants. Then as though to justify 
its presumptuousness it covers itself with 
bewitching sprays of exquisitely delicate 
pink blossoms. Of course, one cannot be 
augry with it after that; the only thing 
to be done is to remove its neighbors and 
extend its domain. The rival belle of the 
family, T. Grandiflora, is manifesting 
similar propensities elsewhere and enchant- 
ing with the rare beauty of its apricot- 
tinted blooms. 
We are under another deep obligation to 
Japan for the little Convolvulus that is 
twining and festooning itself round many a. 
tree and pillar after its own aspiring 
fashion, encircling everything in its ascent, 
ard making a prodigious show with its 
richly-tinted chalices. Surely these floral 
importations must have influenced the 
English Government in forming an_alli- 
ance with Japan. Horticulturally we have 
been allied for many years. Banish 
Japan from our gardens, and they would 
be shorn of half their glory. 
What a medley of shades everywhere! 
Were one to name them they would read 
excruciatingly, and yet they agree 
amicably, and all is harmony. Some 
majentas have crept in, too. Despised 
majentas, those poor relations that alway. 
turn up unbidden at the feast. They have 
established themselves quite gaily side by 
side with scarlets, crimsons, and _ pinks. 
They would perhaps screech at each other, 
and we should see the feathers fly but for 
the kindly intervention of some foliage 
. whose mission it would almost seem is to 
pacify combative colors, and to reconcil4y 
discordant tones. 
Sunflowers, Rudbeckia, Calceolaria, 
Eschscholtzia, Hunnemannia, Gaillardia, 
in tones of gold, orange, and lemon all 
make a dazzling display. A regiment of 
Eellyhocks has distributed itself all over 
the garden. Each flaunts its gay rosette 
with justifiable pride. 
‘There is a blur of soft shades confused 
with green. It is a mass of Salpiglossis. 
Gnc has to approach them to be able to ap> 
preciate their delicate beauty, unique 
shades, and rich dark pencillings. 
Above a canopy of creepers, the Virgin’s 
Bower, with its feathery bloom, is poised 
lightly like a cloud. Here and there the 
dense growth of intermingling greens if 
starred with Jasmine flowers. 
Brightly gleam the Bouvardias, dazzling 
white, more faintly the choice blooms of 
Nerium Album Plenum. The dusky 
Magnolia carries its countless lamps, which 
cast a subdued light and fill the air with 
spice. Partially hidden by its luxuriance 
of leaves “the Golden Chaliced Crocus 
burns.” It first’ begins to peer in 
February, and its lustrous blooms are the 
harbingers of autumn. It is the first to 
toll the knell of parting summer. 
” 
7 66-66 68 * Ge 
Flower Garden Operations 
for March. 
Stee 
Continue to maintain an attractive ap- 
pearance in the garden by unremitting at- 
tention in the matter of removing dying 
blooms, seed pods, damaged shoots, and all 
untidy matter. Beds and borders com- 
posed of herbaceous plants and annuals 
should have regular soakings of water, and 
the grosser feeding subjects should be 
frequently given liquid manure. Tie up 
plants afresh that have broken from their 
confinement or have outgrown the strength 
ci the original stake. | With these little 
attentions the garden should afford delight 
for another two months. It is fatal to 
precrastinate in the matter of noting the 
cviors and especial features of the various 
Dahlias, Cannas, and other decorative sub- 
jects. Each should be clearly defined and 
labelled before they go out of bloom and 
are assigned their winter quarters, so that 
next spring there will be no mistakes made 
in disposing of them, and they can be 
grouped to the best possible advantage. If 
ones collection is nob sufficiently large and 
varied now is the best time to make a fresh 
selection at some nursery garden. It is 
much more satisfactory to have the order 
booked now than to leave it until the plant- 
ing season arrives, when one has to rely 
on the florists’ catalogued description, 
which, though helpful, is not quite all that 
wo desire. The most important thing is 
to see a plant growing before we can judge 
of its suitability to our own taste and sur-_ 
roundings. . In the case of Dahlias, some 
| _ aeee ead a ee Ee ee eet a i 
