ON AR aay ROUND THE YEAR IN THE GARDEN PAS og Tee) ay d ¥ » ey ih Ly | i ROUND THE YEAR IN THE GARDEN A Descriptive Guide to the Flowers of the Four Seasons, and to the Work of each Month in the Flower, Fruit, and Kitchen Garden raw “By H; H:’ THOMAS j Author of ‘‘ The Ideal Gandce:” “The Garden at Home,” etc. Beautifully Iffustrated with Twelve direct Colour Photographs by H. ESSENHIGH CORKE, and Sixty-four Half-tone Plates NEW YORK FUNK AND WAGNALLS COMPANY First published 1916 Aw PREFACE RounD THE YEAR IN THE GARDEN is an inexhaustible theme, to which I make no claim to have done full justice. Hach month deserves a volume, the year a shelf of books. A perennial source of delight is found in watching the seasons round in a garden. One is taught to appreciate the joys of the present, to forget the disappointments of the past, and, with enthusiasm, to anticipate the promise of the future. Failures will be experienced, even the shadow of dismay may cloud the horizon, but the interest of the garden is so varied, so sustained, that the perplexities of one moment will be eclipsed by the pleasures of the next. Who feels bored in a garden must be a very dull person indeed—or a fair weather gardener, and for him there is no hope. It is not by planting in spring and gathering flowers in summer that the heart of the garden is won; rather is this aim achieved by an acquaintance which has deepened to friendship, and through friendship ripened to love. RouND THE YEAR IN THE GARDEN makes no pretence to be a complete “calendar of operations,” though it is concerned in bringing to notice some of the flowers, fruits, and vegetables of the seasons, and in indicating the chief garden work to be done ¢ Preface each month. In preparing the volume, an endeavour has been made to include information that is known to be of use and interest to amateur gardeners. It has proved impossible to describe in detail the hundred and one minor tasks which arise as the gardening seasons pass, yet the con- solation remains that reference to much that is obvious and of comparatively little value has been avoided. Some of the notes contained in the following pages have appeared in the Morning Post during the last year or two, and my acknowledgments are due to the Editor, Mr. H. A. Gwynne, for per- mission to make use of them here. Heb ee CONTENTS OCTOBER—LOOKING FORWARD NOVEMBER — AUTUMN WORK FOR SUMMER FLOWERS DECEMBER—MAKING PLANS JANUARY—THE PASSING OF WINTER FEBRUARY—DAWNING SPRING MARCH—SOWING AND PLANTING APRIL—MAKING READY FOR SUMMER MAY—LILAC TIME JUNE—FLOWERS AND FRAGRANCE . JULY—HIGH SUMMER AUGUST—THE GARDENER’S HOLIDAY SEPTEMBER—WANING AND WAKING FLOWERS . Vii PAGE 188 259 Bek Ye FD rs Me Any Wie! i Sit LN UAN, MAO ih Ma Wialn ree i) ! Rt int SiN LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS COLOURED PLATES Borders of Fairy or Dwarf Polyantha Roses Frontispiece FACING PAGE In the Garden at Woodside, Chenies . : ‘ : 12 Rock and Herbaceous Border at The nies Seven- oaks s 26 In the Flower Gar den at Chea Bes pH Phlox in the foreground . : ! 36 A Garden of Roses and other Flowering Shr i ‘ 48 An Old-World Border at the ae rae Seven- oaks Y 66 High Summer in ‘ab ‘Garden : : ; 4 : 80 Snapdragons and Climbing Roses . : ‘ ‘ Sane WE! In a Kentish Rose Garden . : ‘ Na! 6 Rock and Pool Garden at Shoreham ite : . 184 Weeping Standard Roses : 4 : sh LOG Rose Arches and Borders of Hardy iowa : a) 2a BLACK AND WHITE PLATES FACING PAGE Springtime in a Little Formal Garden : : A 6 Little Formal Garden planted with Snapdragons . 6 Decorative Onion (Allium ursinum) . : : ; Y The striking Allium karataviense : : ‘ : (i Spanish Irises in a Paved Garden : f : 14 Charming Late Summer Flowers — Out-of- Hane Chrysanthemums ; : : ; k : : 15 ix List of Illustrations FACING PAGE Flower Border, Shrubbery and Rock Garden . Flower-Fringed Path in the Rockery . A Beautiful peer Flower of May (Camassia Leichtlini) E : ‘ , : Rose Mrs. F. W. Vanderbilt . Among the Roses and Rockery Flowers in (sae The Satin Flower (Sisyrinchium striatum) Lily of the Valley Grown in Fibre Snakeroot (Cimicifuga racemosa) . Rock and Shrubbery Border . ; Shasta Daisy (Chrysanthemum maximum), Summer Starwort (Hrigeron Quakeress) Dog’s-tooth Violet (Erythronium californicum) A Handsome Snowdrop (Galanthus Elwesii) Pear Louise Bonne of Jersey . Pear Beurré Diel Autumn Fruiting Raspberries , ‘ ‘ A Typical Bloom of Japanese Chrysanthemum The Italian Garden at Drummond Castle . Mountain Clematis (montana) on a Cottage in Surrey Alpine Anemone (Anemone alpina) Himalayan Poppy (Meconopsis integrifolia) A Prostrate Broom (Cytisus Kewensis) In the Garden at Drummond Castle Bush of Old Double Pink Paeony . Tea Rose Lady Roberts . Dwarf Phlox (Stellaria lilacina) in ‘the Rock e@usan Two Rock Garden Flowers — wpe Bellflower and Mexican Daisy Climbing Roses re Reéné Ande sual Alietie Barbier . A Winter-flowering Shrub fate elliptica) D 18 18 96 97 List of Illustrations FACING PAGE Clematis Nellie Moser : A Charming Pink Stonecrop (Sedum dle Crocus Imperati albidus—A Showy Spring Flower . Smothered in Purple Blossom—Clematis Jackmani Golden-rayed Lily (Lilium auratum) Grown in Flower-pot : : An Alpine Buttercup (Ranunculus montanus) . The Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala) The Remarkable Cow Parsnip, or Heracleum A Rock Garden Plant, Alyssum spinosum Malmaison Carnations in a Yorkshire Garden . Well-fruited Tomatoes in Pots The Opal Variety of the Italian Alkanet (Anehinsa italica) : A Charming Rock ee (Primula ha ot alba) é The Creeping Sandwort daa balearica) An Edging of Mossy ‘Saal and Snow in Summer (Cerastium) A Bush of Japanese Maple in an Irish ution Summer House, Paved Path, Rock and Water Garden Canterbury Bells, gaanian Tises anil Tufted Panels Grape Alicante, a good Black Variety for Amateurs Rose Marquise de Sinety, Shades of Red and Yellow A Row of Modern Sweet Peas Rose La France Bordered by Pale Blue Viola . Tea and Hybrid Tea Roses Paved Path and Rose ies leading from Bease to Garden é An Arch of Rose Claire Aisuies A Caucasian Primrose for the Rock Garden eran Juliae) xi 100 101 101 108 109 118 119 128 129 132 133 138 139 139 144 144 145 154 155 155 160 161 170 171 174 175 List of Illustrations FACING PAGE Home and Garden , i : : , ; ] A Rock Border Planted with Satin Bee Kniphofia, etc. A Little Garden Pool made Watertight with Cement Woodland and Water—Japanese Iris in the Fore- ground : ; A Sunk Garden of Summer Flowers A Group of Hardy Azaleas Pink Rhododendron and Bluebells Mexican Orange Blossom (Choisya ternata) The Persian Lilac (Syringa persica) The Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius) Potato Sensation A Satisfactory Bed of ee A .Pretty Yarrow for the Rock Garin (Achilles argentea) Bellflower (Campanula aun in Tee any A Terrace Rockery . A Rockery Formed by Arranging oe ge ‘Boulders in Irregular Groups North American Trumpet owen ieaunte Waa Decorative Chrysanthemum Belle Mauve New Zealand Daisy Bush . 5 The Dutchman’s Pipe (Aristolochia Sipho) 182 Round the Year in the Garden OCTOBER Looking Forward HO shall say when the year begins? For each and every one of us at different times; for someone it is always beginning. For myself, the year dawns when the flowers are fading, and the leaves change colour; when long nights succeed short days and sun- shine is something to hope for; when the ground is sodden and the wind chants mournfully through the leafless trees, and fog and gloom settle upon the land. A mirthless picture indeed, yet— **Can Fancy’s fairy hands no veil create To hide the sad realities of Fate?” Verily, for the dawn of the garden year flushes the dim future with roseate hue, warming to fresh life the brown buds and bare twigs, and peopling with a thousand flowers the beds and borders now void of visible life. To every gardener who loves the earth and the flowers it yields, the passing of one year is but the advent of the next; thus is he able to dream such dreams and build such hopes as will ensure a garden of delight. Gardening has its depressing moments, and it is as well to avoid them. While the flowers are sleeping let us draw chairs to the fire, warm our slippered feet, and pile up the catalogues that come by every post; let us B I Round the Year in the Garden turn their pictured pages that portray the successes and ignore the failures, that show the results and make no mention of the labour. Thus shall we anticipate joy- fully, look forward hopefully, and heigho! the garden is aglow with blossom — gorgeous Tulips here, there stately Hyacinths, elsewhere colonies of Squills and Fritillaries, and everywhere patches of white Snowdrops, blue and yellow Crocuses, and a host of others which the mind’s eye readily conjures up. Even if some of the dreams prove false, the castles, seeming firm, prove but of air, we shall have laid the foundation of success which depends upon intelligent and enthusiastic antici- pation. Autumn shall be the dawn of our garden year. Let us dream of the good things the earth has in store, but let us not be laggard in enticement; it is certain that with the fullness of day, dreams will vanish—let it not be said that our labour has been in vain. It is a far cry from October to April, and only ex- perience can teach the wisdom of long preparation in advance; it is easier to plant bulbs at Christmas, when the season of their blossoming looms in sight, than in October, when the consummation of their beauty seems such a long way off. If words of mine fail to impress the reader with the value of timely preparation, let me record that in “The Garden that I Love,’ Veronica found that “Doing things in good time is the secret of successful gardening,” and even Veronica’s poet could find no words to gainsay its truth. If wise, we shall acknowledge autumn to be the chief season for planting. Well might we cry “The flowers are dead, Long live the flowers!” and forthwith prepare to crown queen the dawning year. Among the Hardy Flowers Strange and Familiar Bulbs.—So far as hardy kinds are concerned, it seems to be true that the smaller the 2 October—Looking Forward bulb the earlier you must plant it for, as a rule, the little , ones are the first to bloom. September is the month in which to put in the Snowdrops, Crocuses, Squills, Grape Hyacinths, Fritillaries, and others; if they are still within their brown paper bags do not delay further but, wet or fine, put them in the ground. There are plenty of other kinds which may now worthily occupy our at- tention. It is often urged against the professional gardener that he is ultra-conservative in his methods, but it is equally true of the amateur, so far as his selections are concerned, and especially with reference to bulbs. There is nothing to be said against the practice of filling one bed with Emperor, another with Empress Daffodils, and so on, except that it is very ordinary gardening and to be compared with planting the same beds in summer with Geranium and Calceolaria which, however greatly they may add to the gaiety of the garden, are painfully monotonous. Do not, I beg of you, continue to order just those ordinary kinds of bulbs which are to be seen jn everyone else’s garden; try others which may be but names to you. You may experience a few disappoint- ments, but they will be as nothing in comparison with the delight that follows upon the discovery of some fresh treasure. It must be confessed that some bulb catalogues are very ordinary, and one may search through them in vain for anything more thrilling than the usual Tulips, Hyacinths, Daffodils, and others equally common. But there are catalogues that describe black and green and fragrant Tulips; red Squills; Wood Anemones in white, yellow, blue and rose: remarkable Alliums (the Onion is an Allium); exquisite winter Crocuses; hardy Cycla- mens; golden Fritillaries; giant Snowdrops; Irises that blossom in winter; white, blue and rose Grape Hyacinths; and Angel’s Tears, Hoop Petticoat and Cyclamen-flowered Daffodils. With such flower wealth at command—why 3 Round the Year in the Garden continue to restrict your choice to those few kinds that are ubiquitous? Half the joy of gardening lies in trying fresh flowers ; why plant a garden at all, if only to use such plants as are grown to perfection in public parks and gardens? The garden at home should be different ; it should possess individuality, even in its selection of bulbs. Having obtained the right catalogue, do not merely turn its pages casually with an admiring glance at its fine illustrations, but delve into the store of good things; order them and plant them and watch with a gardener’s joy the coming to life of something you have never seen before. Then shall your garden have an interest perennial and ever new. Just a few words concerning planting, then together let us search a catalogue that I will choose. Concerning planting.—Everyone knows that ordinary herbaceous plants grow better in ground that has been deeply dug and manured than in that which has been merely forked over; that is a truism. Yet lots of people believe that bulbs will grow anywhere. So they will, after a fashion; even if you plant Hyacinths (as I have seen done) so that only half the bulb is beneath the soil they will blossom, because, fortunately for the happy-go-lucky gardener, Hyacinths are more or less independent of soil and will flower if given only water in which to grow. But what a travesty of gardening such planting is! There is no need to dig a trench to grow bulbs to per- fection, but the soil must be stirred to a reasonable depth, say 18 inches, which does not necessitate laborious digging. Given this, and as much sand as you can afford (all bulbs like plenty of.sand), together with a fair sprinkling of bonemeal and wood ashes some 12 inches below the surface, and there remains but to plant the bulbs at the proper depth, and watch and wait for the first days of spring. How deep should bulbs be planted? Some of the specialists put 6 inches of soil over their May-flowering 4 October—Looking Forward Tulips and vow that they are not too deep. Those of us who grow flowers in a more commonplace way say that you need only cover a bulb with rather more than twice its own depth of soil. I believe that flower connoisseurs are responsible for much of the doubt and perplexity which exist among amateurs. They “take up” a flower, and not satisfied with ordinary results, they delve and dig and coddle and fuss to such a frightful extent, that he who has grown similar flowers since he was a boy rubs his eyes and wonders what topsy-turvy- dom is this ! Ornamental Onions.—Let us now look through such a catalogue as I have mentioned, one in which figure strange and familiar bulbs, and fashion from its bewil- dering list a selection to suit the amateur who has a soul above that of the jobbing gardener. First on the list is Allium, which, in popular language, one may call orna- mental Onion; all of them thrive in ordinary soil. The two commonest are Moly, which is yellow, and Neapolitanum, white. A _ striking kind with broad, oblong leaves and large round heads of rosy purple blossom, is karataviense; flavum with drooping heads of yellow blossom, and ursinum, having white flowers, are others to make a note of. All except karataviense are suitable for naturalising in grassy corners and other odd places. You have only to plant them from 2 to 4 inches deep, according to the size of the bulb, and leave them alone. Those who have space on a warm border should plant the corms or roots of the South African Sword Lily (Antholyza paniculata), a plant with handsome leaves resembling those of Gladiolus, and bearing, in summer, spikes of crimson blossom. This is not to be recom- mended for indiscriminate planting, but for those who like to possess uncommon flowers of real worth. The border must be well drained, and the compost should be of loam or turfy soil, with which leaf soil and sand 5 Round the Year in the Garden are mixed. If the reader lives in a cold district, he should plant in spring and lift the roots in autumn, in the same way as those of Gladiolus. Flowers for Odd Corners.—What is it that mars the charm of gardens so frequently? It is, I think, those bare, odd corners which are a kind of “no flower’s land.” They are dismissed with a shrug of the shoulders and the exclamation that “ Nothing will grow there.’ But there are things that will grow there. Take for example the Arums or Dragon Flowers. One cannot pretend that they are pretty; some might regard them as unpre- possessing; even then they must in justice ask “Are they less attractive than the soil and weeds they are destined to replace?” If planted in a moist and shady spot, they will give of their best, and one ought to be correspondingly grateful. Probably the best of all is Arum Dracunculus, 2 feet or rather more high, which bears a greenish spathe in July. Then there is the common Cuckoo Pint or Wake Robin of the hedgerows, (Arum maculatum), of which the spotted leaves are not unpleasing, though its chief glory is in autumn when the orange -coloured fruits glow brilliantly enough to bring a splash of colour to the darkest corner. If neither of these appeals I have still one more to bring to the gardener’s notice, namely, Arum italicum, which has a pale, yellowish spathe in spring, and a second period of beauty in autumn, when the bright red fruits are held aloft on naked stem. There are even others, but our tour of the garden, if it is to be fairly comprehen- sive, must not be too detailed. It may be as well to explain the significance of a spathe. It is easily made clear by reference to the Arum Lily, which everyone knows; the white part of the Arum Lily is the spathe and the yellow central portion is the spadix. The flowers cluster upon the spadix and are insignificant. Mariposa Lilies.—In strong contrast to the Arums are the Mariposa Lilies. If one confesses the Arums 6 SPRINGTIME IN A LITTLE FORMAL GARDEN LITTLE FORMAL GARDEN PLANTED WITH SNAPDRAGONS DECORATIVE ONION (ALLIUM URSINUM) (White) THE STRIKING ALLIUM KARATAVIENSE (Rose coloured) October—Looking Forward to be “dull, but worthy,” one may be excused for using laudatory adjectives in writing of the Calochortus, Mariposa Lily or Star Tulip. One ought really to say that the Star Tulips are botanically distinct from the Mariposa Lilies, and were at one time included in a different genus, but as this is not a botanical treatise, they may well be grouped together, for they need similar treatment. They bear cup-shaped flowers in a variety of brilliant colours, and it is disappointing to record that one must provide them with rather special conditions. A warm, sunny border is essential; the next thing is to ensure perfect drainage, which is most readily accomplished if the soil is heavy by making a bed above the ground level. The compost they like best consists of peat and leaf soil, with plenty of silver sand inter- mixed ; or one may dispense with the peat and use a little light loam instead. The chief point is to prepare a porous mixture. October is an excellent month in which to plant; the bulbs are placed 2 or 3 inches deep and about 4 inches apart. Even then one has not done all that is required, for they must be protected from rains during winter by means of a frame placed over them, there to remain until growth starts in spring. At that season air is admitted, gradually at first, and finally the frame is removed. The flowers are in full beauty in early summer; when they are over and the stems begin to wither, one has to see that the “ ripening ” of the plants is complete, and this can be ensured only by keeping them dry. Thus, if necessary, as it is in a rainy season, the frame must be replaced, although air ought to be admitted freely, and in such a way that the soil remains dry. There are many sorts of Calochortus, but, to begin with, the amateur should obtain a few of the numerous varieties of Calochortus venustus. The Eldorado strain itself contains some gorgeous flowers; citrinus is yellow with reddish markings ; roseus is rose coloured; Vesta is white with 7 Round the Year in the Garden various markings, while oculatus is purplish rose marked with black and yellow. The Blue Camassia.—How rarely outside botanic gardens does one see the beautiful Camassia or Quamash from North America, yet this is among the finest of early summer bulbs. One of the illustrations gives a good idea of Camassia Leichtlini, which grows about 3 feet high and bears numerous starry cream-coloured flowers. Others are esculenta, blue, and Cusickii, lavender blue. One has only to plant the bulbs about 5 inches deep in ordinary well tilled soil in October, either in a sunny or partially shaded spot; they may be left undisturbed for years. It is scarcely advisable to put them in the flower border, because their large leaves are rather untidy, and it is not an easy matter to hide them. Lily of the Valley is so familiar and so widely planted that one would think there was nothing more to be said about it. But I have an interesting tale to tell. I re- member on one occasion advising a reader of some notes of mine to take up and replant some crowded Lilies of the Valley, of which the flower spikes decreased in length and the flower bells in size each year. I was immediately taken to task by another correspondent, who related that her own garden contained a splendid and very old bed of Lily of the Valley. One day a professional gardener who happened to see them said that the roots were much too crowded, and advised their being taken up and re- planted. Since then, she averred, scarcely a flower had appeared, and she believed it would be years before the bed regained its former beauty. The moral of this is that if your Lily of the Valley bed is flourishing, leave it alone. One of my happiest recollections is of a Lily of the Valley bed in a western county; it flanked both sides of a walk in the kitchen garden. The plants were as thick as Peas in a pod, yet they flowered profusely. I was assured that they had not been disturbed for twenty years, yet they showed no sign of deterioration. There 8 October—Looking Forward is no doubt that, generally speaking, Lily of the Valley prefers to remain undisturbed. But if the plants are ob- viously unhappy, the only thing to do is to take them up and replant ata greater distance apart. Much may be done to keep them healthy by applying a top dressing of leaf soil and partly decayed manure each autumn. In plant- ing Lily of the Valley, choose a position partly shaded from the sun, for example, a bed or border facing west; have it dug 18 inches deep at least and plenty of manure and leaf soil mixed in. The crowns (each separate root is called a crown, and a certain number of crowns make up a bundle) should be put about 3 inches apart and at such a depth that the tops are only slightly covered. But this is a wayward plant. You may take the greatest pains to establish it and be less successful than those who treat it in haphazard fashion. Must I confess that the only Lilies of the Valley I now possess are those that came underneath my neighbour’s fence, and he, I am sure, took no great pains to establish them. So at the end of this long paragraph I am inclined to think that I have made “much ado about nothing.” King’s Spear or Eremurus.—How noble a plant is the King’s Spear, of which the botanical name is Ere- murus! Why amateurs should habitually neglect it I am at a loss to understand. When in bloom in early summer it makes an imposing display. It thrives in deep, well-drained loamy soil. The spikes of some kinds tower to a height of 6 or 8 feet, and the upper part of the stem is covered with small blossoms. The roots are almost as remarkable as the flower stems; they are thick and thong-like, radiating from a central bud like the spokes of a wheel. They are brittle, and should be handled with care. A soil covering of 4 or 5 inches is necessary, and it is advisable to place a mound of ashes on the surface of the soil immediately — above them for the sake of protection during winter. Eremurus looks especially well towards the back of the 9 Round the Year in the Garden flower border or in some prominent place in the large rock garden. The best kinds are Bungei, soft yellow, 4 to 5 feet; himalaicus, white, 6 to 8 feet; robustus, pale rose, 8 feet; and Warei, bronze salmon shades, 6 feet high. Colour Schemes with Hyacinths.—Among popular bulbs for October planting, the Hyacinth takes high place. It is curious that a plant of such pronouncedly stiff growth should invariably be placed in lines or rows; in no other way could its stiffness be emphasised more distinctly. One should exercise some discrimination —plant it in little groups, rounded or irregularly shaped, and endeavour, following Messrs. Sutton’s lead, to group the colours to the best advantage. There are some delightful shades among the Hyacinths, and many opportunities for creating charming colour groups are offered. Why not, for example, mingle pale rose and pale blue; cream or pale yellow and blue; dark blue and light blue; cream and crimson; and so on. Colour groups arranged along the front of the flower border are altogether charming. If a bed must be filled with Hyacinths let each group consist of a separate variety, and arrange the’ colours in harmonious juxtaposition. Hyacinth bulbs ought to be covered with about 2 inches of soil and put from 5 to 6 inches apart. The largest bulbs are not necessarily the best; the surest indications of quality are firmness and weight. The bulbs of some varieties are naturally larger than those of others, but even then weight and firmness are of importance. A few of the best singles are: Grandeur a Merveille, blush ; Grand Maitre, light blue; King of the Blues, blue ; City of Haarlem, pale yellow; General Pélissier, crimson ; Gertrude, rose; and Lord Balfour, purplish shade. Of doubles, one might choose Jaune Supréme, yellow; Blocksberg, light blue; Koh-i-noor, reddish; La Tour d’ Auvergne, white; and Noble par Mérite, rose. While writing of Hyacinths it may be worth while 10 October—Looking Forward to draw attention to the charming little Hyacinthus amethystinus, which bears a miniature spike of bluish flowers in early summer. It is delightful for the rockery or for choice spots elsewhere in the garden. Spanish and English Irises are splendid flowers of early summer, the former opening in early June and the latter a week or two later. The prevailing shades of the Spanish kinds are yellow, blue and white, while the English Irises are of mauve, purple, white, crimson and other colours. One may obtain named varieties, but it is searcely necessary to do so. The opinion appears to prevail among amateurs that these bulbs ought to be planted in spring and taken up again in autumn. Nothing could be farther from the truth; they are perfectly hardy and thrive best if planted in October. They may be left undisturbed for several years, until, in fact, they become so crowded that it is necessary to replant. The time to do this is as soon as the leaves have died down. Groups of Spanish Iris are particularly welcome in the rock garden, in the flower border, between Border Carnations, and even among the Roses. The bulbs are put about 3 inches deep and 4 inches apart. The English Irises are more vigorous than the Spanish kinds, and should be covered with 3 inches of soil and be placed quite 6 inches apart. They are better suited for the flower border than the rockery. Within recent years a new race of bulbous Irises has been obtained; they are known as Dutch Irises because they were raised in Holland, and bear a close resemblance to the Spanish kinds, though they bloom rather earlier. The Flag Iris.—October is a suitable month in which to plant the Flag or German Irises, an invaluable race of plants. They will flourish in all sorts of odd places, on a shady border, in full sunshine, on a hot bank in poor soil, and I have even seen them on the top of a’ stone wall with the scantiest of soil covering to the roots, Most people make the mistake of planting them too 11 Round the Year in the Garden deeply. It is necessary merely to cover the rhizome (as the rootstock is called) very slightly, certainly with not more than 1 inch of soil. The Flag Irises greatly dislike being disturbed. Usually they do not blossom the first season after planting, so, in choosing a place for them, one should decide that the plants are to remain there. There are many charming varieties among the Bearded Flag Irises, from which one may choose albo-caerulea, white with blue flush; Darius, yellow and purple ; Floren- tina, creamy white ; Germanica, the common purple kind ; Gracchus, yellow; Madame Chereau, white and blue; pallida dalmatica, lavender blue; and Victorine, blue and purple. The petals of the Iris are classified as standards and falls; the standards ‘are the upright petals and the falls are the drooping ones. The colour of the standards is frequently distinct from that of the falls. The dwarf Bearded Flag Irises are not commonly met with in amateurs’ gardens, yet their early flowering should commend them for planting in the rock garden or on a sunny border. There they yield welcome bloom in spring and early summer before the ordinary Flag Irises are out. Among the Beardless Flag Irises (the distinction be- tween these and the Bearded kinds is chiefly that there are hairs on the falls of the latter and not on those of the former) deserving of particular mention are the Siberian Iris (sibirica), a lovely pale blue kind that thrives especially well by the waterside; the vigorous Iris orientalis, yellow and white; Iris Missouriensis, pale blue and yellow; Iris Monnieri, light yellow, a strong growing sort ; and Iris graminea, blue and purple.- The beautiful winter-flowering Algerian Iris (unguicularis or stylosa) is classed among the Beardless kinds also. Everyone should grow a plant or two of this for the sake of its fragrant, lavender-coloured blossoms in winter. It must be planted on a warm, sunny border, preferably at the foot of a wall, and thrives best in light soil. 12 c} ax ab { = October—Looking Forward The Japanese Irises are unsurpassed for gorgeous colouring and, if the correct conditions are provided, they offer little difficulty to the gardener. They must have deep, moist soil and a sunny situation, and never look so well as by the waterside. However, it is not everyone who has a pond or stream by which to plant them, yet that is no good reason why they should be neglected. They will thrive in the flower border in deep, loamy soil that is kept thoroughly moist in summer. The individual flowers of some of the, new varieties are large and of dazzling colouring ; but they are expensive, and a mixed collection of older, mixed sorts is gorgeous enough. Lilies to Plant in October.—There are so many spurious Lilies among garden flowers that the amateur may be pardoned if sometimes he is unable to distinguish between the true and the false. The only true Lilies are those of which the botanical name is Lilium; a few fami- liar examples are the Tiger Lily, the Madonna Lily and the white Trumpet Lily. The bulbs of many kinds are obtainable in autumn and ought then to be planted. So many people restrict their choice to the golden-rayed auratum, the rose-coloured speciosum, and the orange, black-spotted tigrinum, all of which they plant in spring. The bulbs of Lilium auratum are not generally obtainable until towards the end of the Old, or early in the New, Year, and in this case planting out of doors may well be deferred until spring, but the bulbs of the Tiger and speciosum Lilies are available in October. It is per- fectly true that some Lilies are capricious and need special conditions to ensure success in cultivation, but a far greater number are as easy to grow as ordinary border flowers. Why do not amateurs plant them ? They are not expensive, and each year they increase in size and beauty. It is advisable to mix sand freely in the soil immediately round about the bulbs. Of those suitable for planting in an ordinary, well- tilled border the following are to be recommended: 13 Round the Year in the Garden * Batemanniae, 3 feet, apricot coloured, blooms in August ; bulbiferum, 2 to 3 feet, orange, June (this kind produces small bulbs in the axils of the leaves ; they offer a ready means of increase, and should be planted in boxes of soil at first); chaleedonicum (Scarlet Turk’s Cap), 3 feet, brilliant red, blooms in July; *croceum (the old Orange Lily of cottage gardens), 3 feet, June; Hansoni, 4 feet, yellow, June; Martagon, 3 feet, purple, June (the White Martagon is one of the loveliest of Lilies); pyrenaicum (Yellow Turk’s Cap), 18 to 24 inches, yellow with black spots, May and June (the odour of the flowers is rather unpleasant); *speciosum and its varieties album Kraet- zeri (white) and Melpomene (crimson), 3 to 4 feet, August and September; *thunbergianum, 18 inches, orange yellow, June (there are many named varieties, of which Orange Queen and Prince of Orange are among the best) ; *tigrinum and its varieties Fortunei and splendens, 4 to 5 feet, August and September; * umbellatum, 2 feet, orange colour, June. All these should be planted in October, for they are hardy and thrive better than when planting is deferred until spring. Then there are Lilies which need moist, peaty soil and are grateful for a little shade, but these requirements are not difficult to fulfil. A few kinds suitable for such positions are canadense (Canadian Lily), 3 feet, orange yellow, July; pardalinum (Panther Lily), 5 feet, orange and yellow marked with crimson, July; and superbum, 6 feet, orange red, July. There are other lovely Lilies for early autumn plant- ing, such for example as testaceum (Nankeen Lily), 4 to 5 feet, soft yellow, June; and .*Henryi, 6 feet, orange yellow, August (neither of which is difficult in fair soil among shrubs), but probably sufficient has been said to convince the reader that many lovely and satisfactory flowers are to be found among the easily grown garden Lilies, and to arouse in him some desire to possess them. 14 Naqduvo CGaAVd V NI SHSIXI HSINVdS SNWOWAHLNVSAYHD AXOOdG-4O-LNO—SaxaMOTA YANWANNS ALVT ONINAVHSD October—Looking Forward The bulbs of some Lilies form roots freely at the base of the stem above the bulb, while others produce roots below the bulb only. It is necessary to plant the former kinds at such a depth that there is about 5 inches of soil above them. The latter sorts, those that root from the bulb only, should be covered with about 3 inches of soil. In these notes stem-rooting Lilies are distinguished by an asterisk. Most Lilies thrive particularly well among shrubs, for the young stems thus receive welcome protection in spring. All about Daffodils.—The remarkably high prices asked for bulbs of the newer varieties of Narcissus or Daffodil must often cause surprise to the non-professional grower. It is not uncommon to find bulbs of the latest creations listed at several guineas each, and one imagines they can only find a home with those who wish to use them for purposes of cross-fertilisation, in the endeavour to produce finer and still more expensive sorts. It is not conceivable that the average garden lover will pay guineas for certain Daffodils when, for a few shillings a dozen or even a hundred, he can obtain others which, if not equally fine, are at least very beautiful. The modern highly priced Daffodil is a fancier’s flower, and in the hands of experts undergoes continual change, which does not necessarily enhance its symmetry of form. Yet the grace of the Narcissus has ever been its greatest charm. One may be pardoned for wondering how much bigger the trumpets must be before they satisfy their creators, and whether the broadening of the petals until they overlap and the metamorphosis of the cup really add to the grace of the flower. Our debt to the hybridists is for their work in extending the range of colour in the Narcissus; remarkable results have been achieved in this direction. The Lesser Daffodils are among the most fascinating - flowers of spring, and all too little grown. What can be more enchanting than the dainty Hoop Petticoat aS Round the Year in the Garden Daffodil (Narcissus Bulbocodium) and its citron-coloured and white varieties, named, respectively, citrinus and monophyllus; the Cyclamen-flowered Daffodil (Narcissus cyclamineus); the Angel’s Tears Daffodil (Narcissus triandrus albus); the small Rush-leaved Daffodil (Nar- cissus juncifolius); minimus, a tiny yellow flower; the pure white Narcissus moschatus, and Narcissus Johnstoni Queen of Spain, a comparatively small soft yellow trumpet flower? A cool, well-drained spot in the rock garden suits them well, although some of them may be naturalised on the outskirts of trees. Trumpet Daffodils.—The. varieties of Daffodils for planting in beds and borders, and for naturalising in grass, are innumerable. Among the finest yellow Trumpets are Emperor, Glory of Leiden, Golden Spur (especially valuable for growing in pots under glass), King Alfred, obvallaris (the Tenby Daffodil, an early kind, smaller than the others named), P. R. Barr and Van Waveren’s Giant. Of bicolor Trumpets (those in which the trumpet is yellow and the perianth white) a few good ones are Apricot, Duke of Bedford, Empress, Horsfieldii, J. B. M. Camm, Mrs. Walter T. Ware, Victoria (excellent for pots in the greenhouse) and Weardale Perfection. The white Trumpets are particularly beautiful, and everyone ought to grow at least a few of them; such for example as albicans, Madame de Graaff, Mrs. Thompson and W. P. Milner. Chalice-cupped and Star Narcissi.—Next on the list, according to the accepted classification, come the Chalice-cupped Narcissi, of which representative varieties are Autocrat, Beauty, C. J. Backhouse, Frank Miles, Gloria Mundi, Sir Watkin, Stella and Stella superba. The Barri or Star Narcissi have a smaller cup or crown than the Chalice - cupped varieties. Beautiful sorts are Agnes Barr, Albatross, Burbidgei, conspicuus, Firebrand, Flora Wilson, John Bain, Seagull and Vanessa. The Eucharis - flowered Narcissi are only 16 October—Looking Forward distinguished from the two former classes by their colouring. The flower is white or pale, while the cups of the Chalice-cupped and Star Narcissi are usually brilliantly coloured, and contrast strongly with the light perianth. The Eucharis - flowered kinds are very charming, and one may with advantage select such as Leedsii, Ariadne, Duchess of Westminster, Katherine Spurrell, Minnie Hume, Mrs. Langtry, Salmonetta, Una, Waterwitch and White Lady. Among the true Poet’s Narcissi there are now some lovely flowers, though the best are still expensive. Almira, Cassandra, Herrick, Pheasant’s Eye, ornatus, poetarum and White Standard are some of those of reasonable price. On Growing Daffodils.—The most convenient way of growing Daffodils is in beds by themselves ; when the time comes to prepare for summer flowers the bulbs are taken up and planted on a reserve border, there to remain until the leaves have died down. In due course they are lifted and stored, and replanted in October. But this is certainly not the most picturesque way of planting. They look far better in groups in the herba- ceous border and shrubbery, and in grassy corners, or if one has sufficient room, naturalised in masses in grass, among thin woodland, and by the waterside. Perhaps in the latter position they are most attractive of all, for their graceful flowers gain an added charm from the reflection on the water surface. So many people complain that Daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs are a nuisance in the flower border after their beauty has passed, but that I think depends upon how and where they are planted. if one scatters them in twos and threes all over the border, or groups them towards the front, it is true that their fading foliage will prove an eyesore, for it does not disappear until July. If, however, the bulbs are grouped towards the back of the border, among the vigorous perennials, such as Michaelmas Daisy, Helenium, Aconitum, Sunflower, C 17 Round the Year in the Garden and others, their leaves are gradually hidden as the herbaceous plants progress. Daffodil bulbs ought to be put at such a depth that they are covered with quite twice their own depth of soil. I am sure that most amateurs plant them much too near the surface. When planting in grass care should be taken to make the holes of such a width that the bulbs will reach the bottom; otherwise they may be suspended an inch or so above the soil, in which case the roots will perish. A few of the best varieties for naturalising in the garden are Emperor, Empress, Stella, Stella superba, Mrs. Langtry, William Goldring, Waterwitch, Horsfieldii, Barri conspicuus, Minnie Hume, obvallaris and maximus. In conclusion, it may perhaps be as well to explain the significance of the terms Daffodil and Narcissus ; their indiscriminate use is somewhat misleading. The title of Daffodil is usually applied only to those flowers in which the central cup is large and prominent, and as long as, or longer than, the petals or segments of the perianth. They are known as Trumpet Daffodils. The remaining kinds, in which the central cup is not so long as the perianth segments, are termed Narcissi. However, the botanical name of the genus is Narcissus, so that the Trumpet Daffodil is a Narcissus eounly with all others. The Expense of Gardens.—Few amateurs have found gardening to be so cheap as they expected, but that is scarcely matter for wonder, since similar disillusion ensues in almost any recreation that may be taken up. So many additional items that were not thought of, or were ignored originally, seem necessary, on closer consideration, to such an equipment as is likely to ensure success. On reflection, one must allow that garden of fair size cannot be furnished without moderate outlay, but subsequently gardening is, I think, expensive or not as one chooses to make it. It is possible to have a 18 FLOWER-FRINGED PATH IN THE ROCKERY A BEAUTIFUL HARDY FLOWER OF WAY (CAMASSIA LEICHTLINI) (Cream white) October—Looking Forward border full of delightful flowers that cost little, or a border of no greater charm filled with flowers that cost very much more. One of the chief delights of gardening is that the limited expenditure of one may produce just as charming a garden as the lavish outlay of another, providing it is dispensed discriminatingly. Often enough, the only difference is that the latter buys new plants, while the former is content with those that are common. They are not less attractive on that account, and, in fact, are often to be preferred ; their worth has been proved by long cultivation, while novelties are often lauded to an extent that is not justified by their subsequent behaviour in the garden. If it is somewhat expensive to start gardening, how cheap to continue, if only one takes advantage of opportunities, as they occur, of augmenting the stock of flowers that are cherished. Those hardy plants of greatest value for display usually grow vigorously, and in the course of a season or two may be increased to any extent. The secret of successful plant growing, upon which gardening is chiefly dependent, lies in thorough initial soil preparation and in timely atten- tion. Haphazard spade work, and doing things at the wrong time, are the chief reasons why so many complain that their gardening is expensive. To pursue gardening with pleasure one needs also, perhaps to an unusual degree, to possess the virtue of patience. It is a common and, I think, a natural failing with those who take possession of a new garden to strive for immediate effects, though the results are invariably disappointing and the methods inevitably expensive. A garden that is planned and planted to a design hastily conceived rarely pleases; until one has come to know the garden, . one is not in a position to decide how it may be filled to the best advantage. It has been said that one should see the year round before planting anything at 19 Round the Year in the Garden all, and if the statement is rather exaggerated, at least the moral is plain to see. It is only by watching a garden approach gradually to the ideal one set out to achieve that full pleasure is gained; the progress of the trees and plants may give even greater delight than the consummation of their beauty. The most interesting and easily the cheapest way of adding to the treasures of a garden is to raise plants from seed. Most herbaceous perennials bloom in the year following that in which seed is sown, and they grow with remarkable vigour once the seedling stage is passed. It isa mistake to purchase big plants, especially of shrubs. Choice shrubs are expensive, and their loss is bound to lead to disappointment. The risk of failure is minimised if small specimens are planted in early autumn. Alterations in the Garden.—The season of waning flowers has its own peculiar compensations in the oppor- tunities afforded of preparing for another year, and of carrying out such alterations as may have been decided upon. While it is true generally that the garden which was well planned in the first place and has grown old with the passing years charms us most, there is always scope for alterations of some extent. To the gardener, happily disdainful of the intervening months, and visual- ising next summer’s display, come inspirations for im- provements in the arrangement of beds and borders and walks, and for fresh planting. No phase of gardening is more exhilarating than that of working to a fresh design, whether it be merely perfecting an awkward curve, forming a new rose bed, or the more ambitious task of making a rockery or planting a new flower border. It were perhaps idle to attempt to suggest improvements likely to be useful generally, yet so many gardens exemplify similar errors that even a wide statement may possibly contain details that are of value in individual cases. In planting the garden some people consider it only as 20 October—Looking Forward a place in which to grow flowers, and it deteriorates into a series of beds and borders, lacking charm and void of inspiration ; it is, in fact, a flower show. in early autumn. I have been astonished to find how I2Z5 ri Round the Year in the Garden hardy the Chinese Primulas are. I have plants blooming in an unheated greenhouse in which several degrees of frost have been registered. Primula seed is small, and should be sown thinly in well-drained pans of sifted soil; it is covered only with a slight sprinkling of sand. A temperature of 50° or 55° is high enough to ensure germination within a few weeks. Perpetual-flowering Carnations.—These are simply invaluable to amateurs possessing a greenhouse in which a minimum temperature of 50° can be maintained. If seed is sown this month the seedlings will blossom next winter. As with Border Carnations, it is neces- sary to obtain the best seed, otherwise the flowers will be poor, and it is no more trouble to grow good varieties than indifferent ones. This, too, is the best time to take cuttings to provide plants for next winter and early spring. Although the Perpetual - flowering Carnation is primarily a greenhouse plant, those that have blossomed during winter will continue to do so throughout the summer if planted out of doors in May. The cuttings take root most readily in pots filled with silver sand placed just above the hot-water pipes; the pots must be covered with glass, which ought to be wiped dry at least once every day. When roots have formed each plant is potted separately in a small pot; when it is about 6 inches high the point is pulled out to cause side shoots to form. An excellent selection consists of Winsor, rose; White Perfection, white; R. F. Felton, pink; Duchess of Devonshire, crimson; Enchantress, pink; Mrs. T. M. Crook, spotted with crimson; Rose Doré, salmon red; Mikado, heliotrope ; Britannia, red; and Mary Allwood, rose pink. In the Fruit Garden The pruning of hardy fruit trees has been explained in the notes dealing with garden work in December, but 126 January—The Passing of Winter may be carried out at any convenient time between the third week of December and the end of January. It is not wise to defer pruning later than that, except in the case of Gooseberries, which are often attended to last of all, owing to the damage done to the buds by birds. If pruning is deferred as late as possible, the basal buds, which are of chief importance, are more likely to be unharmed. Fruit trees on walls ought to be trained with some exactness, after pruning is completed. The best method of procedure is to detach the stems, remove all old shreds, which are often infested with insect pests or disease spores, and re-attach the trees to the wall, using fresh nails and shreds. Peach, Nectarine and Cherry trees are invariably trained in the shape of a fan; Pear and Plum trees may be trained in similar fashion or with the branches arranged in horizontal tiers. Planting and spraying may be continued during this month, though, if the ground is very wet, planting is best postponed. If it is intended to graft fruit trees during March, scions or grafts ought now to be selected and partly buried in the soil in a cool spot. Fruit Trees under Glass——There is still time to renovate the borders in which Vines and Peaches are planted; even if itis not found necessary to do this, it is beneficial to remove a few inches of surface soil and replace with fresh turfy loam. Pruning ought to be completed during this month; directions were given in the notes dealing with work in December. [If it is in- tended to produce a crop of Grapes in early summer, preparations must be made at once. When the Vines have been pruned and cleansed, the vinery is kept closed for a week or two, though no artificial warmth is em- ployed. At the end of that period a night temperature of 45° is maintained, and in the course of a few weeks is increased to 50°. Strawberries in pots may be forced in the vinery, as conditions there suit them admirably ; they — ought to be placed on a shelf not far from the glass. 127 Round the Year in the Garden In the Kitchen Garden The time-honoured advice given to kitchen gardeners early in the year, is to make out, and dispatch, the order for seeds, and there is sound reason for it. Possessing the seeds, one is able to take advantage of suitable weather conditions for sowing. It is disappointing to have the ground ‘prepared, yet to be unable to proceed when the opportunity offers, simply because one had failed to order seeds. Further, having decided to grow certain varieties of vegetables, it is annoying to find that they are sold out. It is wise to prepare a rough plan of the ground to be cropped, then an approximately correct quantity of seed can be ordered. Vacant ground ought to be dug as opportunity offers, manure being used if the crop is such as to require freshly manured land. The protection of Globe Artichoke and Celery, by scattering a little strawy litter over them, is advisable in severe weather. Parsley may be protected by placing a frame over part of the bed, and Broccoli by breaking the leaves over the heads. Forcing Vegetables.—The forcing of Rhubarb, Sea- kale and Chicory is easily accomplished by lifting the roots and placing them in boxes of soil in a dark shed, or other covenient position, as, for example, beneath the greenhouse stage, providing the side is covered in. Rhu- barb and Seakale are easily forced out of doors now, by covering the roots with large pots and placing manure round about them. Perpetual Spinach is an invaluble vegetable, and roots from which the leaves have been gathered may be lifted and placed in pots or boxes of soil in a warm greenhouse; a fresh crop will soon be available for gathering. Mint is easily obtained by lifting and potting a few roots and growing them in the greenhouse: It is advisable to make an early start in planting Horseradish, for a long season of growth is necessary. Roots about 8 inches long and 4 inch wide are covered 128 WOATIDVYAH YO ‘dINSUYVd MOO AIAVAAVNAA AHL WOSONIdS WOSSAIV ‘INVId NAGUYVYD MOON NMOND-ATISVA GNV INdILOVad Vv January—The Passing of Winter with 2 inches of soil and put 10 or 12 inches apart. The ground needs to be deeply dug for this crop, and if the soil requires manure, this ought to be placed at least 12 inches down. Seeds to Sow.—Broad Beans may be sown out of doors towards the end of the month, ifan early supply is wanted; a suitable variety is Beck’s Dwarf. Radishes germinate quickly in a warm greenhouse, and an early and welcome gathering of roots is obtained by sowing now. Seeds of Cauliflower Snowball, if sown under glass, will produce plants suitable for putting out of doors early in April. Peas, too, may now be sown in pots in the greenhouse. The variety Gradus is suitable. A useful crop of French Beans can be grown from seed sown now in pots in the greenhouse, while if early Tomatoes or Cucumbers are required, a few seeds ought to be sown in pots under glass. Those who grow Onions for exhibition, sow the seeds under glass towards the end of this month. For ordinary pur- poses it is not necessary to do so, although seediings raised under glass are not so liable to be attacked by the Onion fly as those sown out of doors later. Making a Hotbed.—Those who do not possess a glass- house may obtain early vegetables by means of a hotbed. This is made of half strawy manure and half leaves, or wholly of manure. The latter is turned several times during the course of a week or ten days before being made up. The bed should be trodden down firmly, and then ought to be not less than from 2 or 8 feet in thickness. If no frame is available to place upon the hotbed the latter can be made in the ground, a low turf wall or a few bricks being used to support a glass “light,” as the top of the frame is called. A bed of fine soil about 6 inches in depth is arranged on the hotbed, and there seeds are sown. Atter the bed of manure is made, a little air should be left on the frame for a few days to allow of the escape of fumes, and for this reason sowing ought not to take place imme- diately. J 129 FEBRUARY Dawning Spring HE opening days of February mark the earnest beginning of the garden year, and the laggard now will be the loser later on. The increasing sunshine has awakened the garden from its winter sleep and brought joy to the heart of the gardener who began long months ago. He who has delayed must procrastinate no longer. The soil dries, enabling planting to be carried out in greater comfort and with greater convenience. The Snowdrops are already out, and the Winter Aconites— little yellow flowers in frills of green—and the Crocuses are opening wide to the pale sunshine. Daffodils, Tulips, Hyacinths and Grape Hyacinths are fast spearing through the soil, while the shoots of Spanish Iris and Ixia, which made their appearance long since, seem not to have suffered from the January cold. The buds of the earliest Saxifrages, apiculata, sancta and others, grow bigger every day, and show more colour, while the tufts of some alpines that had lost their vivacious green, or become sparse of leaves, are quickly regain- ing their attractiveness. The awakening to fresh life and beauty of the rock flowers is one of the delights of the garden at this time of year. Among the Hardy Flowers Pruning Clematis.—When Clematises «are purchased it is wise to ascertain to which class they belong, so that one may know how to proceed with the pruning, for some kinds bear flowers on the shoots of the previous summer, and others on the new shoots of the summer 130 February—Dawning Spring to come. The Jackmani Clematises are pruned to within 18 inches or 2 feet of the base at this season, providing they have been regularly pruned in this manner; if, however, there is some length of bare woody stem the shoots should be cut back only to within about 18 inches of this. I will give the names of some of the most familiar varieties in each section, so that readers may know how to prune; should they possess varieties other than those named, the vender should be asked to say to which class they belong. Well-known Jackmani sorts are the purple Jackmani, Jackmani alba, rubra and superba, Mme. Ed. André, Ville de Lyon, Star of India and Gipsy Queen. The lanuginosa Clematises also bloom on the fresh growths of the current summer, but they need rather less drastic treatment than the Jackmani kinds; last year’s shoots may be cut half-way back. Familiar varieties are Henryi, Beauty of Worcester, Marcel Moser, Fairy Queen and Lady Caroline Neville. There are some fine double varieties among the florida kinds, which should not be pruned in spring; the time to prune them is after the blooms are over, then some of the old growths are thinned out; Belle of Woking, Duchess of Edinburgh, John Gould Veitch and Lucie Lemoine are excellent varieties. Similar pruning is needed by the patens group of Clematis, of which good varieties are Nellie Moser, one of the chief favourites, Mrs. George Jackman, Miss Bateman, Lady Londesborough, and Fair Rosa- munde. The forms of Clematis viticella, which have smaller flowers, are not so commonly grown, though certainly deserving of cultivation; they bloom in late summer and autumn. Ville de Lyon and Thomas Moore are two fine sorts; the shoots should be pruned in spring. Failures to establish Clematis may often be traced to planting in heavy, ill-drained soil, and failing to cover | the roots sufficiently deeply. It is wise to protect the lower part of the stem with a piece of slate or fir 131 Round the Year in the Garden branches until the plants are growing freely. The upper roots should be covered with 2 or 3 inches of soil, and lime rubble or broken plaster may be mixed in freely with advantage. The Indian Crocus.—Those who wish to have a flower border edging that is not at all common should grow the flower of the West Wind, or Indian Crocus, as Zephyranthes candida is popularly called. It produces dark green narrow leaves, and in August and September yields a profusion of white flowers much resembling those of the Crocus. The bulbs may be planted now, about 38 inches deep. The display of bloom is not likely to be good the first autumn after planting, but, provided the bulbs are left undisturbed, there will be plenty of flowers in subsequent seasons. The plant is quite happy in a half shady position, as, for example, on the edge of a border facing west. There are several other sorts of Zephyranthes, though this is the only one that is really hardy. Another bulb that seems somewhat unworthily neglected is Veltheimia viridifolia ; it is quite an excellent plant for the cool or cold green- house. One can scarcely call it handsome, but the pinkish-yellow,. drooping blooms that cluster towards the top of a stem some 12 inches or more high are quite attractive. It may be grown very easily in a flower-pot in a compost of loam, with a little leaf soil and sand added; it blooms in August. Sowing Sweet Peas Out of Doors.—The method of Sweet Pea growing most commonly practised nowa- days is to sow seeds in pots in a greenhouse or frame in January or early in February, and in April to plant the seedlings out of doors. But seeds may be sown out of doors from now until the middle or, in the Northern counties, even the end of March, with every hope of success, providing the ground has been previously dug some 2 feet deep. Superphosphate of lime mixed in the upper 12 inches in advance of sowing, at the 132 MALMAISON CARNATIONS IN A YORKSHIRE GARDEN WELL-FRUITED TOMATOES GROWN IN POTS IN AN AMATEUR'S GREENHOUSE February—Dawning Spring rate of 2 ounces per square yard, is largely used by Sweet Pea growers. The seeds are sown about 6 inches apart in a double row, and covered with 1 inch or so of soil; if mice are troublesome the seeds should be moistened and coated with red-lead before being sown. Since disease is so common among Sweet Peas, it is advisable to sterilise the seeds before they are put in the ground, and this may be carried out by soaking them in a solution of permanganate of potash for a few minutes. A few varieties especially recommended for garden display are Dorothy, lilac or pale mauve; Dobbie’s Cream, cream ; Iolanthe, white ; Tennant Spencer, bright mauve; R. F. Felton, lavender; Edith Taylor, rose pink; and Maud Holmes, crimson. Among older varieties still largely grown may be mentioned Dorothy Eckford, white; Lady G. Hamilton, lavender; Zarina, pink; Mrs. Townsend, white with blue edge; Helen Pierce, white veined with blue; Mrs. Hardcastle Sykes, pale pink; Flora Norton Spencer, pale blue; and Helen Lewis, orange and rose. Pruning Early-flowering Shrubs.—Quite a number of shrubs blossom during February and March when outdoor flowers are scarce, and for that reason they are additionally welcome. The interest of a garden is, I think, dependent very largely upon the length of its flowering season; the border having nothing but leaves and stems to show until spring is waning to summer, and little more when summer is passing, lacks many good things of the flower world, and not least among them are the early shrubs. The pruning of shrubs generally seems imperfectly understood by many amateur gardeners, and it may be worth while to mention a few of those now in bud or blossom, and to describe how they should be pruned. Almost everyone grows the winter Jessamine (Jasminum nudiflorum), but few prune it at the proper time, which is as soon as the flowers are over; the growths that have blossomed are cut back 133 Round the Year in the Garden to within three or four buds of the base, so that vigorous shoots may develop which shall in turn yield fiowers next winter. The fragrant winter-blooming Honey- suckles (Lonicera fragrantissima and Standishi) need little pruning, but thin and weakly growths ought to be cut away. The golden Bell Trees (Forsythia) need to be hard pruned when the flowers have faded, as advised for the winter Jessamine. The Witch Hazels (Hamamelis), with their curiously twisted yellowish flowers, are among the quaintest if not the showiest of early shrubs; the necessary pruning is provided by cutting out weakly growths, thus keeping the branches thinly disposed. The side shoots of the Winter Sweet (Chimonanthus fragrans) need to be cut back after the fragrant brownish blossoms are over. The sweet-scented Daphne Mezereum grows slowly and needs no pruning. Magnolia stellata, a lovely bush that bears a profusion of white blossom in March, needs scarcely any pruning, except that weakly shoots likely to crowd the centre of the bush are cut out. The Flowering Currants that are so gay in spring should have attention when the display is past, some of the oldest stems being cut out, if this seems needful. There is little to be done to Lilac at this season, though sucker growths, those that develop from the base of the bush, may be cut off; as fresh growth starts, disbudding is practised with the object of obtaining a limited number of good strong stems rather than a large number of weak ones, which rarely flower satisfactorily. Some other shrubs need hard pruning in spring; the stems of that charming blue-flowered August shrub, Ceanothus Gloire de Versailles, should be shortened now, for the blooms are produced by the fresh shoots. The same advice applies to the panicled Hydrangea (paniculata) and to the St. John’s Wort (Hypericum calycinum), both of which bloom best on the fresh growths. Handsome summer-fiowering shrubs are Buddleia variabilis and its varieties Veitchiana and 134 February—Dawning Spring magnifica; last year’s shoots ought now to be shortened to within two or three buds of the base. Now is the time to prune late-flowering Spiraeas such as Aitchisoni and japonica; weak shoots are cut out and the others are shortened to within about 15 inches of the base. Root Cuttings.—Propagation by means of root cuttings is a method of increasing plants that is not com- monly practised by amateur gardeners, except, perhaps, unwittingly, when Dandelion, or Plantain, Couch Grass or other obnoxious weed is imperfectly removed ; the pieces remaining in the ground are able to produce fresh growths, and so the plants ate perpetuated. Yet quite a number of good plants are easily and preferably increased in this manner. Most people who have grown the beautiful blue Alkanet (Anchusa) have found it to be a doubt- ful perennial, and probably have discovered that a fresh supply of plants is obtained without difficulty by means of root cuttings. The Japanese Anemone (Anemone japonica) is another favourite hardy plant that is readily propagated in a similar way, although the same necessity does not arise in this case, since the Anemone is a true perennial. The Burning Bush (Dictamnus Fraxinella), which one does not see very often now, though both the type and the white variety are attractive border flowers—this, too, is increased by root cuttings. The same method may be practised for obtain- ing a larger number of plants of the handsome Plume Poppy (Bocconia cordata). Owing to its spreading roots, each little piece of which will grow, this plant is difficult to get rid of when once well established, and fresh growths continue to appear annually unless all the roots are carefully picked out. Other border plants of which root cuttings may be taken are Oriental Poppy, Crambe orientale (Ornamental Seakale), Sea Lavender (Statice), Monkshood (Aconitum), Paeony, Convolvulus, and, of vegetables, Seakale and Horseradish. The method of preparing root cuttings is of the 135 Round the Year in the Garden simplest: the roots are cut up into pieces about 38 inches long and are inserted in soil either out of doors or in flower-pots. In gardens of light, well-drained land the cuttings may be placed out of doors, the border having been first well prepared by digging. But it is safer to put the cuttings in pots of light soil, and to place these in a frame for some time until leaf growth has developed. Planting out of doors is practised in spring or early summer. The pieces of root are usually inserted with the tops just below the surface of the soil. Autumn or early in February is a suitable time for taking root cuttings. In the Greenhouse Yellow Arum Lilies.—The yellow Arum Lilies are far less commonly seen in gardens than the white sorts. Amateurs undertaking their cultivation are apt to treat them like the familiar Easter Lily, as the white Arum is sometimes called, with disappointing results. The roots or tubers should be at rest during the winter months. When, in late summer, the flower- ing season is over, and the leaves begin to lose their freshness, the supply of water to the roots should be gradually discontinued; when the leaves have fallen, watering should cease. The roots remain in the pots of soil during winter, the latter being turned on their side so that the soil is kept dry. They must, of course, be stored in some frost-proof place. In spring the roots are taken out and repotted in fresh soil, and grown in a heated greenhouse. The flowering season is summer. The two best yellow Arums are Elliottiana and Pent- landi, of which the rich yellow spathes and handsome leaves give a striking display. Dahlias and Room Plants.—If Dahlia roots which have been stored during winter are now placed in boxes of soil and kept moist, growth will soon com- 136 February—Dawning Spring mence, and cuttings may then be formed from the young shoots, or the clumps can be divided for plant- ing out of doors later on. The old roots usually yield a large number of flowers of moderate size, while plants grown from cuttings give fewer but finer blossoms. Those having no heated greenhouse may plant the tubers out of doors in April. The roots of Cannas should now be treated similarly; the stock of plants can be increased readily by dividing the clumps. Now is the time to start into growth other greenhouse roots, such as Begonia, Achimenes and Gloxinia. Ferns and palms that need repotting should be attended to at this season; a compost of two-thirds loam, one-third peat, with plenty of silver sand, is suitable for most of them. Maidenhair Ferns are much improved if the old fronds are cut off; fresh ones will soon grow. Now also is the time to repot such room plants as may need this attention: Aspidistra, Dracaena, Indiarubber plant, and others. A soil similar to that advised for ferns is suitable. It is a mistake to use larger flower-pots than are really essential; the plants are generally healthier in comparatively small ones, pro- viding they are properly watered. If old plants of Zonal Geraniums are pruned now, fresh shoots will soon form and should be taken off and inserted as cuttings to provide plants for next winter. Cuttings of Chrysanthemums for decorative purposes should still be inserted in pots of sandy soil. Those put in early in the year are now rooted and must be kept cool, otherwise they will become weak and “ drawn.” As soon as well rooted in the small pots they must be repotted, using a compost of turfy loam with which a little leaf soil and sand are mixed. Bedding plants ought now to be increased from cut- tings as they are required. Stock plants potted last autumn make rapid growth in a warm greenhouse and shoots are soon available for cuttings. They form roots readily in pots or boxes of sandy soil. Cuttings that were 137 Round the Year in the Garden nserted in autumn are well rooted and their tops may now be taken off as fresh cuttings. Sowing Larkspur and Lupin.—Among hardy plants of which seeds may be sown now to produce flowering plants this year Delphinium (perennial Larkspur) and Lupin hold high place. Lupins grow most rapidly and will be in bloom in August, if not before; Delphiniums are not so accommodating, but small flower-spikes may be expected in late summer and quite good ones next year. Seeds of first-class sorts in mixture may be obtained, and some of the seedlings will prove as fine as named varieties. The charming pale mauve Scabious (Scabiosa caucasica) will bloom in late summer from seeds sown now in warmth, so, too, will that lovely golden-yellow flower Coreopsis grandiflora (which is unsurpassed both for border display and for cutting) if grown quickly and given liberal treatment. I have never been able to induce Border Carnations to flower the first year from seed, but by sowing now splendid plants are obtained by autumn, and the following summer they yield sheaves of blossom in all sorts of bewitching colours. Really good seed must be secured, then the percentage of single flowers will be small and the double blossoms of excellent quality. I believe most amateurs who grow Carnations from seed fail to get good results because they sow too late; February and March are the best months. The details of cultivation are much the same in the early stages for all these plants. A temperature of 60° is best, though rather less warmth will suffice. Shallow pans or boxes are more suitable than pots, since they offer a greater surface and less depth; they should be drained with crocks for about one-quarter of their depth, filled with sifted sandy soil, and moistened by immersion to the rim in a bowl of water some hours before the seed is sown. It is unwise to sow the seeds thickly ; otherwise the seed- lings become drawn and weakly and spoil each other. A 138 VARIETY OF THE ITALIAN ALKANET (ANCHUSA ITALICA) THE OPAL (Light blue) THE CREEPING SANDWORT (ARENARIA BALEARICA) February—Dawning Spring covering of glass and brown paper will help to keep the soil moist, and this is of the greatest importance in ensuring germination. When the seedlings are 1 inch or so high they are transferred to other pots or boxes ; subsequently they are hardened off and planted out as becomes necessary. Rock Plants from Seed.—The possession of quite a number of alpine plants raised from seed sown in Febru ary of last year reminds one how easily many of them are grown in this way. Some will blossom during the coming summer, though most will not flower until next year. That charming rose-coloured Primrose (Primula frondosa) is certainly one to begin with; a packet of seeds will provide at least a score of plants, and a 33-inch wide flower-pot is big enough to accommodate each one until flowering time. Mine have been in pots of this size throughout the winter, plunged to the rim in a bed of ashes, and now in the cold greenhouse their beautiful white leaves are pushing forth, and soon the lovely rosy blossoms will show. Primula capitata, a late summer Primrose from the Himalayas, should also be sown, more especially as, in most gardens, it is a biennial only, and dies after having flowered. The pursuit of gardening involves a good deal of timely anticipation, but once one has made a start there is no lapse in the display providing, as each season comes round, its tasks are carried out. Lots of other Primulas may be grown from seed sown now, such, for instance, as japonica, pulverulenta, rosea, sikkim- ensis and cortusoides. The dainty little Primula Forbesi is an annual, and by sowing seeds at intervals one may have plants in bloom for weeks together. The Pinks are easy from seed, notably, Dianthus caesius, graniticus, deltoides, arenarius and plumarius; so, too, are many Campanulas. That lovely evening Primrose, Oenothera missouriensis, will bloom next summer from seeds sown in the greenhouse or frame, and one may say the same of Dianthus arenarius, Antirrhinum glutinosum, Aethion- 739 Round the Year in the Garden ema coridifolium, Campanula carpatica and pusilla, Alpine Poppy (Papaver alpinum), Alpine Toadflax (Linaria alpina), Silene alpestris, Sedum coeruleum, Tunica Saxi- fraga, Vittadenia triloba, and Viola gracilis. If the names of some of these are unfamiliar the plants will prove none the less delightful to those who make their acquaintance for the first time. The seeds are sown in well-drained pans filled with sifted, sandy soil, and are kept moist and shaded until germination. They should be placed in a greenhouse or frame; if this is slightly heated the seedlings will show through all the more quickly. There are many surprises in store for those who sow seeds of alpine and border perennials. Some of them may be expected to germinate within from two to four weeks in a greenhouse temperature of about 50°, while others are notoriously slow. Among seeds that I sowed last March were those of that charming white-flowered Wind- flower, Anemone sylvestris ; the seedlings failed to appear during spring, so the seed-pot was left out of doors through- out summer and winter. During the last week or two the little plants have sprung up quite thickly, twelve months after sowing. The seeds of many bulbs, Anem- one, Primula Auricula, hardy Cyclamen, and others are often very slow in germinating, especially if the seed has been stored for some time, and it is thus wise to obtain freshly-gathered seed of these kinds in summer and to sow it as soon as received. .No one knows for how long seed will retain its germinating powers, though generally speaking fresh seed is undoubtedly to be pre- ferred. Probably most failures occur through sowing thickly, covering the seeds too deeply and to indiscrimin- ate watering. The merest sprinkling of sand or sifted soil is sufficient for small seeds, and the soil needs to be kept always moist by spraying daily with a fine syringe and by covering with glass and paper. As soon as the seedlings show they should be placed fairly near 140 February—Dawning Spring the glass and shaded. Moisture should be given only by immersing the flower-pots or pans in water. Stocks and Asters.—These are perhaps the most valuable of all half hardy annuals, and when well grown few flowers give greater delight or a more abundant har- vest. Both have been very greatly improved by florists, and the strains of seed offered by seedsmen give excellent results. Ten-week Stocks are usually found easier to grow than Asters; seedlings of the latter damp off in alarming numbers under unsuitable conditions, while those of the former are not so fastidious. Thin sowing, careful watering, timely transplanting of the seedlings, with discriminate ventilation, are the chief aids to success. In a damp, close atmosphere the seedlings are more liable to fail than when, as gardening phraseology has it, the atmospheric conditions are “sweet and buoyant.”’ The seedlings should be moistened by immersing the flower-pot or pan in a bow! of water, not by pouring water among them through the spout of a watering-can. Some people dislike Stocks because a proportion of the flowers are single. It is, I admit, difficult to admire single-flowered Stocks ; yet if a good strain of seed is obtained, and care is taken of the small and insignificant seedlings, there is usually not much to complain of. More often than not it is the big, sturdy seedlings that produce most of the single flowers. As double flowers cannot produce seeds, it follows that these must be saved from single or semi- double flowers, and for this reason a certain percentage of single blooms must always be expected when seed of Stock is sown. Ii find that the seedlings thrive well in an ordinary greenhouse or in a frame on a hot-bed that has cooled down somewhat. Thesingle Asters, e.g. the Comet varieties, are preferred by most people, and they are undoubtedly delightful as cut flowers. Some Half Hardy Annuals.—The old white fragrant Tobacco (Nicotiana affinis) is still as great a favourite as ever with flower lovers ; its blossoms open in full beauty 14! Round the Year in the Garden towards evening and fill the garden with their fragrance. From seeds sown during February and March an excellent display may be ensured in late summer. The plants are quite easy to grow, but should not be put out of doors until May. One may now obtain varieties in many shades of colour, and if they are not quite so fragrant as the white kind they afford welcome change and add gaiety to the display. Drummond’s Phlox (Phlox Drummondi) may be considered one of the indispensable half hardy annuals, and a sowing during Mebruary will provide plants that will blossom for weeks onwards from July. I tried this plant one season among the Roses, but it was not a great success, for the plants became tall and weakly owing to lack of sufficient light, and, while not blooming very freely, were rather a nuisance among the Rose shoots. Those who wish to try something in place of the ubiquit- ous Viola or Tufted Pansy as a ground covering for the Rose beds might plant the dwarf bedding Lobelia; it isa brilliant little blue flower and remains in beauty for a long time. Everyone will, of course, sow seed of the Sum- mer Cypress (Kochia scoparia), or Burning Bush, as it is sometimes called ; this is a most charming plant, closely resembling a miniature tree; it grows from 2 to 3 feet high, is of symmetrical form, and the leaves are light green until late summer, when they become autumn tinted, brown, red, and bronze. Some gardeners sow the seed out of doors where the plants are to grow, but I have always had the best results from sowing in February in the greenhouse and potting the little plants singly in small pots for planting out in April. One of the most attractive August flower-beds I remember to have seen consisted of plants of the Kochia interplanted with orange-coloured Montbretia. . Pruning Roses in the Greenhouse.—The chief prun- ing of climbing Roses in the greenhouse ought to be carried out in summer, when the display of bloom is over ; some of the oldest shoots are then cut back to force the 142 February—Dawning Spring development of fresh ones. The finest blossoms are borne on stems that formed the previous summer, though flowers are also produced by the side growths on the older stems. It is the latter that need attention now. They may vary from 10 to 20 inches long, and are shortened little or much according to their vigour. Such as are almost of the thickness of a lead pencil may be left 6 or 8 inches long, but all thin growths are best cut back, to within about two buds of the base; the fresh shoots that will form as spring advances may be expected to yield flowers, though they will not be so fine as those on the strong, fresh stems that grew last year. Rose Maréchal Niel is, or perhaps it would be nearer the truth to say that it was, a favourite Rose for the greenhouse. It is still easily king of Roses, though few seem to grow it really well. It thrives best as a half standard. Rather drastic treatment in the way of pruning appears to give the best results, for its wonderful golden blossoms are only obtained in perfection and in quantity from vigorous growths of the previous summer. To ensure these, severe pruning is practised when the flowers have faded; all the shoots are cut back to within a few inches of their base. Then, in a warm and moist temperature, the tree makes extraordinarily rapid growth, and before the end of the season will have produced strong shoots many feet in length, shoots that are certain to flower abundantly the following summer. It is very pleasant to have a few Roses in pots in bloom in late spring, a few weeks before the earliest are expected out of doors. They should now be pruned and placed in a temperature of 45°; later on, as growth advances, they may be given more warmth. Pruning should be fairly hard, last year’s growths being cut to within two or three buds of the base. Annuals for the Greenhouse.—Unless one makes timely preparation the greenhouse is likely to be some- what bare of blossom during the summer months; by sowing seeds now of several charming half hardy annuals 143 Round the Year in the Garden this disappointment may be avoided. Browallia speciosa and its variety major are charming blue-flowered plants for summer blooming in the greenhouse, and are quite easily grown in pots from seed sown during the next few weeks. Then the Butterfly Flower (Schizanthus) makes a brilliant display; the flowers are obtainable in many showy colours. The Nemesias, especially the orange- coloured sorts, though quite commonly used for summer bedding, are well worth growing in pots. Arctotis bre- viscapa, yellow, and grandis, white, with lovely, big, Daisy-like blooms, are not often seen in the amateur’s greenhouse, yet both are easy and give welcome variety. Among the so-called Everlasting flowers there are several of especial interest. Of the annual Sea Lavenders the finest is Statice Suworowi, an attractive plant with hand- some rose-coloured blooms on tall stems; Statice Bon- duelli is a yellow-flowered Sea Lavender that will bloom in summer from seed sown now. The Rhodanthes and Acrocliniums, or Fairy Immortelles, make very charming plants for pots, and their flowers and those of the other Everlastings may be cut and used for indoor decoration. Helichrysum is another Everlasting suitable for pots, its large double blooms may be had in many colour shades, orange, crimson, yellow, etc. Then, of course, one may grow Mignonette, Asters, Stocks, Zinnias, Forbes’ Prim- rose (Primula Forbesii), and other common annuals. All these flowers are attractive and quite easy to grow. One has only to sow seeds in pots of sandy soil, in a temperature of 50° or 55°, subsequently trans- ferring the seedlings to 5-inch pots, and during the summer grow them in an airy, unheated greenhouse, Some care is necessary while the plants are in the seed- ling stage, especially with regard to watering and shading them, but afterwards they are quite amenable to the care of the unskilled amateur. The prettiest plant to use as an edging to the stage in the greenhouse is Helxine Solieroli, an unpardonable name distinguishing a low, 344 Nadavo (NOILSV4AHS) YANANS NI MONS N NI HZIdVW ASANVdV{ HAO HSNA V ae y GQNV HOVAAIXVS ASSOW HO ONIOGHY NV NAGUVD HALVM ANV NOON ,HLVd GAHAVd ‘ASNOH AAYNWWNNAS—AHNYOD TINALHOITEC V February— Dawning Spring close-growing plant that forms a mass of tiny green foli- age. It is really hardy—I grow it on the rockery—though it seems happier under glass. One can obtain charming specimens if it is planted in the centre of a flower-pot; it soon reaches the edge and subsequently creeps over the side, altogether covering the pot with its mantle of green. Another beautiful little plant of this character, though additionally attractive owing to its bearing a crop of orange-red berries, is Nertera depressa; both these are perennial. Cobaea scandens is a vigorous perennial climber, though flowering the first year from seed; it is really too rampant for the small greenhouse, but its large cup-shaped purplish blossoms are handsome. It may be sown under glass now for planting out of doors in May. Greenhouse Climbing Plants.—A suitable selection of climbing plants adds largely to the charm of the green- house. Those that form masses of dense foliage should be avoided, and others might well be trained to the rafters as much as possible. Thus the amount of shade given by the climbers will be negligible. If, on the other hand, ever- green or close-leaved sorts are chosen and trained beneath the glass, plants in pots on the stage below are bound to suffer. Generally, greenhouse climbers are more success- ful when planted in a small border than when grown in flower-pots, though large tubs or pots answer the same purpose providing watering is carefully practised. When the roots are in a border they are not likely to suffer from drought, as is liable to happen if flower-pots are used. The Abutilon is an excellent climbing plant; it is true that the leaves are rather large, but if the shoots are hard pruned each spring, and the main stem is secured to the rafter, the plants beneath do not suffer. There are many beautiful varieties, e.g. Boule de Neige, white; Golden Fleece, yellow; and Sanglant, red. The plants bloom throughout a long season, during spring and summer, and the drooping bell-shaped blossoms come very freely. Fuchsias, too, make admirable greenhouse climbers; they K 145 Round the Year in the Garden also need hard pruning each spring. Both Fuchsias and Abutilons are long-lived when grown in this way, and annually produce graceful, pendent, flower-laden shoots. The exquisite blue-flowered Plumbago capensis is a favour- ite climber that blossoms most profusely. It is necessary to shorten the shoots in spring; many amateurs fail to do this, and their plants consequently become prematurely weak. Clematis indivisa lobata is a splendid climbing plant, though perhaps too vigorous for the small green- house; the slender shoots become wreathed with white, starry flowers in spring. The Scarlet Trumpet Flower (Tecoma capensis), Jasminum grandiflorum, yellow, the blue and white Passion flowers (Passiflora caerulea and variety Constance Elliot) are other good climbers, while Heliotrope and Geranium, too, are suitable, more espe- cially for training against the wall or on a pillar. The Oleander.—If one may judge by the number of questions asked with reference to its cultivation, the Oleander (of which the correct name is Nerium Oleander) is one of the most popular of half hardy flowers.