May  11,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
with  a  few  Arums  interspersed,  was  being  set  up  for  subsequent 
transference,  as  indicated.  Among  the  striking  flowers  in  the 
conservatory  were  a  number  of  Cinerarias  of  the  “  cruenta  hybrids,” 
the  plants  ranging  from  18  inches  to  3  or  4  feet  high,  with  heads 
up  to  2  feet  in  diameter  of  various  self  and  parti-coloured  miniature 
flowers — a  home-saved  and  improved  race,  suggestive  of  small - 
flowered  Michaelmas  Daisies,  but  far  richer  and  more  varied  in  their 
several  hues.  Effective  the  plants  unquestionably  are,  and  the  flowers 
for  cutting  are  found  most  valuable.  Many  plants  of  the  bright 
yellow  Celsia  Arcturus  sparkled  among  Azaleas,  Lilacs,  and  most 
other  kinds  in  season  ;and  the  nearly  200  feet  long  side  stage  presented 
a  sight — well,  certainly  “fit  for  a  queen.”  On  the  other  side  of  this 
long  building  is  a  “  dead  ”  wall,  against  which  nothing  seemed  to 
grow  to  give  it  life.  It  was  a  happy  thought  to  plant  in  a  border  at 
the  foot  a  row  of  slender  Bamboos,  and  another  row  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  parallel  path.  They  are  luxuriating  in  the  shady  abode, 
and  soon  will  ne  an  elegant  Bamboo  border  the  whole  length  cf  the 
structure — a  welcome  change  from  the  flowers  on  the  other  side. 
Stove  plants  and  Orchids,  worthy  as  they  are  of  admiration,  must 
be  passed  without  reference,  save  in  the  case  of  a  consignment  of  the 
last  named  family.  One  house  is  occupied  with  Orchids  sent  to  her 
IMajesty  by  an  Asiatic  Prince  from  Burma.  There  are  some  500  of 
them,  and  it  is  not  easy  to  imagine  the  plants  could  have  made  a  better 
start  into  growth  in  their  native  habitats.  They  are  perfectly  happy 
in  their  new  home,  and  it  will  be  interesting  to  watch  and  wait  for 
developments. 
The  view  from  the  long  terrace  walk  in  front  of  one  of  the  great 
ranges  of  glass  is,  though  over  the  kitchen  gardens,  at  present  chastely 
beautiful  because  of  the  blossom.  This  broad,  smooth,  newly-gravelled 
walk,  with  its  side  lawns.  Conifers  and  balloons  of  Boses,  is  one  of  her 
Majesty’s  favourite  drives  to  the  conservatory.  Not  only  is  this 
fine  promenade  in  the  highest  imaginable  order,  but  every  path  and 
quarter  and  corner  would  bear  close  inspection.  All  seemed  ready 
for  the  Queen  ;  and  all  who  had  joined  in  work  so  well  done,  from  the 
directing  mind  of  Mr.  Owen  Thomas,  his  skilled  foremen,  and 
their  bands  of  workers,  would  rejoice  in  the  return  of  the  Gracious 
Lady  whom  they  are  so  proud  to  serve,  for  her  Majesty’s  kindness 
and  thoughtful  consideration  towards  her  servants  of  all  grades  is 
I^roverbial,  and  duty  on  their  part  is  a  pleasure  and  work — an  exercise 
of  love. 
AMONG  THE  FLOWERS. 
“  The  spring  is  liere — the  delicate  footed  May, 
With  its  slight  fingers  full  of  leaves  and  flowers. ” 
So  sings  the  American  t  oet  Willis,  and  now  that  spring  has  in 
reality  come,  we  can  rejoice  in  its  presence.  Late  as  it  has  been,  it  is 
as  welcome  as  in  years  now  gone.  ’Che  hedges  and  trees,  so  long  bare, 
are  clothing  themselves  with  their  charming  leaves — never  more 
beautiful  than  now,  w'hen,  as  it  were,  they  are  in  their  youth.  Yes, 
the  time  wearied  for  is  here,  and  we  enjoy  its  manifold  pleasures  to 
the  full.  If  we  seek  the  woods  we  see  the  fresh  green  leaves  above, 
and  the  bonnie  Wood  Anemones  below.  *  If  we  seek  the  fields  they 
are  spangled  with  Daisies,  while  the  mossy  banks  are  bright  with 
Primroses. 
But  it  is  the  garden’s  delights  we  seek  to  explore,  great  as  are  thore 
of  the  outer  world  beyond.  Many  and  sweet  are  these  delights. 
The  Daffodil  has  come  late,  and  in  consequence  we  are,  as  this  is 
written,  in  full  enjoyment  of  its  gracious  presence.  On  the  heels  of 
the  trumpet  varieties  have  followed  those  of  the  incomparabilis  and 
poeticus  sections,  and  these  have  caught  up  with  their  earlier  sisters. 
Emperor  and  Empress  are  in  the  heyday  of  their  beauty,  and  quite  a 
number  of  the  shorter  cupped  varieties  are  in  their  fullest  charms. 
Grandis  is  not  yet  open,  but  pr  eficus  praecox  grandiflorus  has  given  us 
its  clear  white  flowers  and  scarlet  ringed  cups.  One  cannot  weary  of 
looking  at  their  flowers,  or  of  admiring  their  impressive  delicate 
loveliness. 
In  brilliant  beauty  have  come  “  The  courtier  Tulip  gay  in  clothes,” 
as  Fanshawe  calls  this  other  flower  of  the  season.  If,  as  Quarles  says, 
“  the  fairest  Tulip’s  not  the  sweetest  flower,”  we  can  afford  to  over¬ 
look  this  fault  because  of  the  companions  it  brings  whose  fragrance  is 
enough  for  our  needs.  If  the  Tulip  has  not  perfume,  and  some  few 
spaecies  have,  the  Wallflower  can  supply  us  with  the  sweet  fragrance 
we  want.  In  the  garden  of  hardy  flowers  the  Tulip  with  it's  gay 
colouring  has  its  defects  hiddpn  and  its  beauties  multiplied  by  its 
association  with  other  herbaceous  flowers.  These  give  it  the  greenery 
it  demands  in  addition  to  its  own  bro.ad  leaves. 
As  yet  there  are  few  open  but  the  brilliant  flowers  of  the  early 
Dutch  varieties.  Exquisite  are  many  of  these,  such  as  the  delicately 
beautiful  La  Laitiere,  with  its  white  flowers  flushed  with  azure  blue, 
the  bright  rich  scarlet  and  yellow  Keizerskroon,  tl  e  fine  yellow  Canary 
Bird,  the  carmine-rose  Proserpine,  and  the  various  coloured  dwarf  Due 
Van  Thol  varieties.  Later  one  may  write  of  some  of  the  species  yet  to 
bloom. 
Owen  Meredith  tells  us  of  the  Anemones;  he  says  :  — 
“The  large-eyed  Windflowers  forlorn,  too. 
Blow  among  it  unbeholden  : 
Some  white,  some  crimson,  others 
Purple  blackening  to  the  heart. 
From  the  deep  Wheat  sea  which  smothers 
Their  bright  globes  up,  how  they  start !” 
They  are  not  “unbeholden  ”  in  the  garden  now,  for  those  cupi  and 
globes  of  brilli.ant  or  of  delicate  colouring  given  by  the  Popi)y 
Anemones  cannot  well  be  overlooked.  They  are  hard  pressed  to  hold 
their  own  when  the  early  Tulips  aro  afiell,  but  they  compel  our 
admiration  both  by  their  colour  and  their  form.  'I'he  writer  has  been 
so  fortunate  as  to  have  some  tubers  of  the  true  St.  Brigid  strain, 
which,  now  that  “St.  Brigid”  in  her  present  garden  cannot  grow  the 
Anemone  so  well,  is  being  kept  to  its  high  standard  by  the  Rev. 
F.  C.  Hayes  of  Raheny,  Dublin.  For  many  years  this  strain  has. 
been  in  the  writer’s  garden,  as  it  has  been  offered  by  the  trade  ; 
but  there  are  more  plebeians  than  one  could  wish  among  the  patricians- 
of  the  race.  “  There  is  a  black  sheep  in  every  Hock,”  is  a  familiar 
saying  ;  but  there  aro  not  many  inferior  flowers  among  the  Raheriy, 
St.  Brigid  Anemones.  From  almost  , white  to  purple  and  blue  and 
crimson,  with  paarti-coloured  blooms,  they  are  very  beautiful  indeed. 
We  admire  Anemone  stellata  also,  but  its  flowers  look  thin  and 
poor  beside  those  raised  by  the  gentle  lady  who  has  so  dainty  a  little 
garden  in  the  Emerald  Isle.  If  the  Pop^py  Anemone  has  superior 
beauties  to  the  starry  Windflower,  what  can  wo  say  for  the  Wood 
Anemone  ?  It  is,  as  Shelley  c.dls  it,  “  fair  and  frail ;  ”  but  though  it  is 
“  frail  ”  its  fairness  and  delicate  beauty  make  it  as  welcome  in  our 
gardens  as  the  massive,  brightly  coloured  flowers  of  the  allied  race. 
Bright  are  its  varieties: — A.  Robinsoniana,  A.  coerulea,  and  A. 
purpurea,  which  look  so  well  by  the  mossy  stones  of  the  rock 
garden. 
“  Streaked  and  banded”  are  the  Fritillarias,  but  they  are  strangely 
liked  by  those  who  see  them.  Some  lew,  of  which  F.  aurea  and 
F.  Bornmulleri  may  be  cited  as  examples,  are  bright  in  colouring,  but  by 
far  the  greater  number  are  flowers  not  to  be  looked  “  at  ”  but  “  into.” 
We  need  to  peep  into  thiir  ball-like  flowers  to  see  their  chequerings, 
their  quiet  colourings,  and  the  glossy  polish  with  which  so  many  of 
them  are  so  daintily  finished.  A  small  collection  gives  much  pleasure 
now. 
Before  they  wither  away  before  the  summer  sun,  one  may  well  say 
a  word  or  two  in  praise  of  the  Grape  Hyacinths.  How  few  in  many 
districts  know  these,  it  seems  almost  sad  to  think.  People  will  s|)end 
their  money  on  the  flowers  of  autumn,  but  how  many  do  not  heed  the 
flowers  of  spring  !  One  would  not  unduly  disparage  the  gems  which 
give  us  our  autumn’s  joys,  but  it  is  brought  home  to  one  again  and 
again  that  the  wealth  of  floral  beauty  spring  can  give  our  gardens  is 
unrealised  by  the  mmy.  If  they  want  little  cones  of  blue  an  1  white, 
clustered  heads  of  sweet  little  flower-’,  hardy  as  the  Daisy  or  the 
Dandelion,  let  them  buy  a  few  Muscaris  in  autumu,  and  when  sp  ing 
comes  round  they  will  not  regret  their  purchases.  For  a  bit  of 
bright  blue  there  is  M.  botryoides,  for  another  there  is  M.  conicura, 
and  for  a  lighter  colour  and  a  smaller  flower  there  is  M.  Sz  .vitsianum. 
There  are  many  more,  but  none  more  pleasing  perhaps  than  those. 
But  time  speed •;  and  space  is  limited,  so  “hasten”  must  be  the  motto 
call  to  move  the  pen. 
Sheets  of  Aubrietias — red  and  punk,  and  blue  and  lilac,  and  mauve 
—keep  company  with  the  white  Arabis.  White  and  yellow,  and  pink 
and  red,  and  blue  Primroses  and  Polyanthuses  brighten  up  border  and 
rock  garden  and  roughish  nooks.  Primula  species,  sadly  thinned  by 
the  past  unfavourable  winter,  are  in  bloom.  Primula  SieboMi  in 
variety  is  just  opening.  In  the  reck  garden  it  has  grown  into  clumps, 
which  want  thinning  out.  Violas  begin  to  give  us  many  flowers, 
though  nearly  all  their  fragrant  sister  Violets  are  past  and  gone. 
Great  sheets  of  Candytufts  will  more  than  rival  the  Arabis  in  white¬ 
ness,  and  will  give  us  their  snowy  blooms  when  the  other  has  lost  its 
beauty  for  the  year.  There  is  Erica  mediterranea,  with  its  bead-hko 
flowers  ;  and  Mr.  D.  S.  Melville,  of  Poltallock  Gardens,  kindly  sent 
some  beautiful  sprays  of  E.  australis,  to  show  its  worth. 
Crown  Imprerials  and  the  simple  Honesty  stand  tall  among  so  many 
dwarl'er  flowers,  and  rock  garden  shrubs,  such  as  the  lovely  Cytisus 
praecox,  become  gay  and  bright.  Near  by  Kerria  japonica  tl.-pl.  is 
crowded  with  its  yellow  Chrysanthemum-like  double  blooms,  and 
Forsythias  have  not  yet  quite  passed  away. 
Adonis  verualis  opens  its  flat  golden  flowers  on  its  shaggy,  rough 
looking  foliage,  which  is,  however,  as  soft  as  it  looks  spiny.  Dentarias* 
(now  merged  into  the  Cardamines  botanically)  are  pleasing,  and  sheets 
of  Mossy  Saxifrages  grow  white  or  purple,  as  the  case  may  be. 
Truly, 'as  the  poet  says,  “Fair-handed  spring  unbosoms  every 
grace.”  To  the  youth  the  future  is  always  distant  and  hoped  for,  but 
to  many  of  us  the  sweet  time  of  spring,  with  its  flowers,  will  pass  too 
quickly  away.  Summer  and  autumu  have  their  garden  graces,  but 
none  is  fairer,  none  more  fascinating,  than  the  gentle  blossoms  of  the 
sweet  (inie  of  early  May. — S.  Aenott. 
