April  22,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
335 
receiving  any  other  attention  than  that  of  being  kept  free  from 
weed*,  and  being  given  an  annual  dressing  of  manure  or  light 
soil ;  but  when  used  as  edgings  in  the  flower  garden  it  is  necessary 
to  replant  every  two  or  three  years,  otherwise  they  get  somewhat 
patchy,  as  it  is  natural  for  them  to  ramble  and  establish  themselves 
in  all  directions  rather  than  be  confined  to  a  given  space.  A  certain 
number  of  young  plants  should  therefore  be  raised  each  year,  so 
that  whenever  an  edging  needs  uprooting  a  supply  may  be 
ready  to  take  place  of  the  old  one* — not  because  old  plant*  are  of 
no  further  use,  but  because  young  ones  are  preferable  for  forming 
edgings.  Those  which  they  replace  can  then  be  planted  in  borders 
on  banks,  or  in  the  many  suitable  positions  always  at  command  for 
them,  as  few  gardens  are  so  full  of  “  good  things  ”  as  to  leave  no 
room  for  more.  Those  who  happen  to  preside  over  one  in  which 
such  a  happy  state  of  affairs  exists  can  easily  dispose  of  their 
surplus  plant*  by  giving  them  to  a  less  fortunate  neighbour. 
An  idea  I  hope  to  carry  out  in  a  wide  herbaceous  border  is  next 
autumn  to  plant  deeply,  almost  a  foot  apart,  Tulip*,  then  cover 
the  surface  with  Aubrietias.  The  two  will  flower  simultaneously, 
and  go  on  satisfactorily  for  some  years  without  being  disturbed. 
— H.  D. 
TULIPA  KAUFMANNIANA. 
At  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society’s  meeting,  held  in  the  Drill  Hall 
on  March  23rd,  Messrs.  Barr  &  Sons  and  R.  Wallace  &  Co.  exhibited 
flowers  of  this  handsome  species,  to  which  the  Floral  Committee 
adjudged  a  first-class  certificate.  It  is  a  Central  Asiatic  species,  that 
was,  according  to  Johnson,  introduced  in  1877,  and  is  figured  in  the 
“  Botanical  Magazine,”  t.,  6887.  The  flowers  reach  a  height  of  upwards 
of  18  inches,  and  are  pale  lemon  in  colour,  the  base  of  the  flower  being 
clear  yellow.  More  beautiful  than  the  inner  portion  of  the  flower, 
however,  is  the  reverse  of  each  outer  petal,  which  is  of  a  peculiarly 
pleasing  shade  of  red,  giving  to  the  flower  prior  to  expansion  a  very  fine 
effect.  The  illustration  (fig.  70)  was  prepared  from  flowers  staged  at 
the  Drill  Hall  on  the  above  date. 
FLOWERS  OF  THE  STREETS. 
One  of  the  most  interesting  and  cheering  features  of  London 
streets  at  this  season  is  furnished  by  the  huge  piles  and  baskets  of 
golden  Daffodils  to  be  seen  at  those  coigns  of  vantage  by  the  Royal 
Exchange  and  the  Circuses — Regent’s,  Piccadilly,  and  Ludgate.  In 
these  dull  day*  they  afford  the  only  bit  of  sunshine  and  colour  on 
which  the  tired  eye  can  rest  and  refresh  itself.  Then  the  florists’ 
windows  supplement  this  outdoor  flower  show  with  choicer  and 
more  varied  material.  Moreover,  it  is  not  only  the  tones  of  prim¬ 
rose,  purple,  and  gold — the  Narcissus  and  Violet — that  one  loves  to 
look  upon,  but  the  enjoyment  of  the  sweet,  pungent,  and  charac¬ 
teristic  fragrance*  of  spring.  The  growing  of  flower*  on  the 
window-sill  and  verandah  is  becoming  more  popular — indeed,  in 
■ome  of  the  fashionable  street*  and  squares  there  is  a  charming 
display.  This  outdoor  window  gardening  not  only  “  blesseth  him 
that  gives,’’  in  putting  a  strip  of  delightful  colour  by  his  window, 
but  it  is  also  a  refreshment  of  spirit  to  the  passer-by. 
I  remember  well  a  garden  at  Harrow  some  years  ago.  It  was 
on  the  south  front  of  a  handsome  school  building,  with  border*  of 
flowers,  closely  mown  turf,  smooth  gravel  paths,  and  walls  wreathed 
with  Roses,  Jasmine,  aDd  Honeysuckle.  There  was  a  drooping 
Sycamore  on  each  side  of  the  gate,  and  half  a  dozen  circular  beds 
in  the  turf.  It  was  evidently  a  pleasure  for  vi*itors  from  London 
and  wayfarers  to  pause  by  the  gate,  refresh  the  eye,  and  inhale  the 
fragrance  of  Roses  and  Stocks,  Wallflowers  and  Mignonette. 
I  remember,  too,  while  walking  among  the  Welsh  hills,  now  and 
again  being  agreeably  surprised  by  flashes  of  bright  colours.  What 
a  change  from  the  overwhelming  preponderance  of  verdure  !  Here 
for  a  furlong  is  a  Jericho  wall,  not  altogether  uninteresting,  how¬ 
ever,  on  this  the  shady  side  of  it,  for  Dame  Nature  is  pitiful — 
she  adorns  and  beautifies  even  the  waste  places,  and  so  she  had 
scattered  the  spores  of  Adiantum  and  Polypody,  Hart’s-tongue, 
Trichomanes,  and  Wall  Rue  ;  but  over  the  top  one  sees  the  hand¬ 
some  glossy  leaves  r>f  Magnolia,  and  detects  the  rich  fragrance. 
A  singular  and  diverse  folk  these  English  of  the  country  side. 
Some  put  all  their  bright  colours  in  front,  and  strip  their  green¬ 
houses  to  furnish  an  overwhelming  display  ;  while  others  build 
Jericho  walls  round  their  gardens,  and  content  themselves  with  a 
pleasaunce  that  no  one  but  themselves  can  see.  From  time  to 
time,  however,  a  door  is  left  ajar,  and  one  gets  a  peep  of  a  delight¬ 
ful  old  garden.  The  brilliant  hues  merge  into  the  restful  shade  of 
evergreens,  and  there  are  glimpses  along  the  Yew  avenues  of  green 
pastures — a  river,  woods,  and  Heath-clad  hills.  Those  picture  bits 
I  treasure,  and  others  doubtless,  besides  the  lonely  wayfarer,  are 
grateful  to  the  amateur  who  left  his  garden  door  ajar.  An 
agreeable  surprise  this  in  the  country,  how  much  more  in  the 
crowded  town  !  Gratitude  is  due  to  the  thoughtful,  kindly  souls 
who  afford  the  passer-by  those  sparks  of  colour  and  suggestive 
whiffs  of  sweet  odours.  They  doubtless  enjoy  these  all  the  more 
from  sharing  them  with  the  public. 
There  are  few  things  more  accommodating  than  Ferns,  and, 
indeed,  few  plants  more  interesting.  The  most  readily  grown  are 
Hart’s-tongue,  the  Male  Fern,  and  Polypody.  At  least  a  score 
years  ago  I  reverted  in  the  “  G.  C.”  to  one  of  our  very  hand¬ 
somest  annual  climbers.  The  misfortune,  however,  as  some  would 
say,  is  that  it  is  so  common,  and  consequently  so  cheap,  and  now  (I 
can  imagine  some  cute  amateur — a  “  Mum  ’’-growing  cynic— as  he 
discovers  the  secret,  saying,  “  Yes,  a  bloomin’  Nasturtium.  Isn’t 
that  it  ?”  Yes,  and  although  the  poor  man  can  purchase  a  packet 
FIG.  70. — TULIPA  KAUFMANNIANA. 
of  seed  for  a  penny,  I  doubt  if  it  is  possible  to  name  a  more  beautiful 
climber.  No,  for  cheapness  and  effectiveness  nothing  can  compare 
with  our  homely  Nasturtium.  With  a  little  arrangement  of  string 
or  sticks,  this  annual  may  either  be  trained  up  either  side  of  a 
window  and  over  the  casement,  or  allowed  to  droop  in  long  wreaths 
over  the  window  boxe*. 
It  was  George  Glenny,  that  martinet  of  the  florists,  who  dilated 
on  the  acres  and  miles  of  cottage  and  garden  wall*  remaining  all 
the  year  round  only  blank  spaces.  What  mile*  of  Board  School 
walls  might  be  utilised  in  London  for  the  growth  of  such  ordinary 
climbers  as  Nasturtium,  Canary  Creeper,  Convolvulus,  Coboea 
■candens,  and  Scarlet  Runner  Bean*.  But  let  me  return  to  those 
humble  street  florists,  the  costers.  One  wonders  how  poorer 
London  could  live  without  them.  Apart  from  their  well-stocked 
barrows  being  an  agreeable  feature  of  the  streets,  they  are 
unconacious  benefactors  these  costers,  for  no  charge  is  made  for 
