March  29.  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
2(‘>9 
northern  and  cold  exposed  places  have  scarcely  started  to  grow 
would  be  found  in  their  glory  in  some  genial  southern  spots,  and  those 
which  had  gone  past  in  the  latter  would  be  at  perfection  in  the  former. 
Even  in  very  limited  areas  the  difference  of  the  precise  moment  of 
flowering  varies  considerablv,  so  that  neighbours  within  easy  distance 
can  admire  the  plants  in  each  other’s  garden  over  a  much  more  pro¬ 
tracted  period  than  could  possibly  be  done  in  their  own. 
course  to  think  of  summer  and  autumn  glories,  and  must  not  com¬ 
pletely  fill  the  whole  of  the  available  space  in  the  garden  with  early 
I  flowers,  and  thus  preclude  the  possibility  of  finding  places  for  plants 
j  that  bloom  later  in  the  year. 
The  simple  flowers  of  the  spring,  such  as  the  Snowdrop,  the  Violet, 
and  the  Crocus,  wake  an  enthusiasm  which  the  Rose  in  her  season  is 
I  scarcely  capable  of  excelling,  and  cultivators  are  watching  each  morning 
Fig.  72.— spring  FLOWERS. 
What  a  wonderful  list  the  expert  hardy  plantsman  could  compile 
if  he  were  to  set  himself  to  the  task  of  enumerating  only  the  choicest 
spring  flowers !  The  range  of  shape  of  flower,  habits  of  plants,  dates 
of  blooming,  and  colour  would  be  enormous,  and  the  fortunate  possessor 
of  such  a  stock  would  constantly  revel  in  the  prodigality  of  beauty  in 
his  garden.  But  such  is  scarcely  possible,  though  there  are  many 
amateur  specialists  who  have  marvellous  collections.  They  have  of 
these  chaste  and  simple  flowers  developing  in  the  growing  sunshine. 
Look  at  those  represented  in  the  illustration  (fig.  72),  which  include 
the  Snowdrop,  the  Crocus,  and  the  Oriental  Hellebore  ;  or,  as  the  latter 
is  often^  popularly  termed,  the  Easter  Lily.  In  form  it  can  scarcely 
be  regarded  as  resembling  the  Lily,  with  which  it  has  not  the  slightest 
relationship,  and  inasmuch  as  the  variety  represented  is  atropurpureus, 
the  resemblance  is  still  further  decreased.  The  particular  Snowdrop 
