The Planting of Spring Flowers.

Otago Witness, Issue 1990, 17 April 1890, Page 9

The Planting of Spring Flowers.

In the outdoors garden attention will now bo direoted to filling the beds and borders with Bprirjg and early summer flowers that 'are hardy enough to ondure the winter without protection, It may be serviceable therefore to readers of limited experience if wo give a fow noteß of beautiful hardy flowers that are a little out of the beaten traok in gardens generally of the olaßseß we endeavour from week to week to enlarge the enjoyment of. We shall begin with hardy bulbs. Certain classes of theße, such as the hyacinth, tulip, orocus, snowdrop, &c, are so well known to all classes of readers that we shall pass them by at present as scarcely coming within the scope of the object in viewthat of extending the knowledge and the means of enjoyment of readers who have given little attention to hardy bulbs, except, perhaps, tbe Beautiful but. well-known things above alluded to. Taking some of the earliest flowering bulbs, a prominent place must be given to the lovely squills. The earliest to appear is the twoleaved squill (scilla bifolia), whioh often evon braves frost and snow in its early habit of unfolding its rich masses of deep blua flowers. There are a good many varieties of this squill iv cultivation, but the most marked are the white and the Taurian, the former a pure white and the latter a stronger and more precocious form than that ÜBually regarded aa the type, The Siberian squill (soilla Sibirica) comes next in the order of flowering, and closely succeeds the first-named, In it the flowers are larger and paler, being a fine tint of porcelain blue. It is much more common in gardens than the preoeding speoies. Following close on the heels of the lastnamed is the distinct but leas attractive sort known as the pleasing squill (soilla amsena). It is a taller grower than either of the fore going, and stiffer and lesß elegant in habit. The flowers are light indigo blue, and the seed vessel, whioh is large and pale yellow or white, gives a character and contrast to the centre of the flowers, by which it is easily distinguished from any other of the tribe. All these early flowering equills delight in a deep, warm, sandy loam. The base of a warm wall in good soil is a position in which they most luxuriate, and there, too, they yield their beauty earliest. Yet they are hardy enough to succeed well in the coldest position and district, provided the drainage is good and the soil rich and light. But these early gems do not monopolise all the beauty and interest of the group. They are the earliest, certainly; but the charms of the family are worthily carried on to a later period of the season by several more stately sißtors. Three of these only will we introduce at present. The first is the nodding squill (scilla nutane), best known to most readers as tbe blue-bell—not of Scotland, but of the woods —common enough throughout most parts of the United Kingdom. It may be here thought by some readers that we hardly keep to the lines laid down at the outset in regard to stepping out of the beaten track a little in these notes. Well, we plead guilty to introducing a name that is associated with the earliest memory of flowers of every Briton who has played in childhood in wood or copse in the early summer months. But our apology must be our desire to direct attention to some of the more distinot varieties of this handsome native plant which are not so widely known as tho blue-flowered type. The best of these are the pure white, than which in its way there is hardly anything more graceful and ohasto; there is also a very pleasing pale blue sort, named scilla nutans cserulea, and a pretty rosecoloured one named soilla nutans rosea. The next in the order of flowering among these letter Borta is the bell-flowered squill (scilla oampanulata). This is not a native, though often Been growing along with the nodding squill, thoroughly naturalised in our woods. It is no uncommon plant in many of our old-fashioned gardens, and is deserving of a plaoe in every garden, The flowers are much larger than in the last-named species, and shaped like a bell, In the type they are a pretty light blue colour, but there are white and rose coloured varieties, which are very attractive. Another variety, with extra large floweis, of the colour of the type, is named soilla campanulata major, and is one of the handsomest of the flowers of its season. The Italian squill (scilla Italica) is the laat of the summer fljwering speoies which we will at present notice, not that it is the only ono deserving of notice, but because it is the only one that is sufficiently distinct for our purpose, and that will at tbe same time adapt itself to the ordinary conditions of bed or border culture in any part of the country. We are Borry to have to pass over the beautiful and interesting so-called Peruvian Bquill (scilla Peruviana), but it is not hardy except in the most favoured districts. The Italian squill Buoceeds anywhere, but best in light dry soils. The flowers are pale slaty-blue, enhancing the interest of this remarkable free flowerirjg form. It is also deliriously fragrant. The next subject we shall introduce is the early,-blooming iris (I. reticulata), one of tbe most lovely of the many beautiful flowers that bloom in spring. This, like the early flowering squills, is apt to come too Boon with its gem-like flowers to escape the destroying influence of frost and snow. Indeed it has the habit of pushing up in the intervals of a few days of mild weather that frequently occur in our climate between one storm and another, and if unprotected iR apt to be destroyed. Yet the plant is perfectly hardy; its beauty may be marred by the severity of the weather, but it is never killed by frost, provided the ground is well drained. The best position for it iB a border by the base of a wall. The flowerß come a little in advance of the leaves; they are deep violet purple, the segments barred and blotchod with fine orange, and they have a delicious acent of violet. It formß a charming pot plant for the grenhouse or room, and its culture in pots is a simple affair. Six or eight roots placed in any good soil in a welldrained pot of sin or 6in diameter will make one of the most en joy able _ floral treats imaginable. It may be grown in the room, in the greenhouse, or in a cold frame till the flowers begin to appear, when it should be placed in either the room or the greenhouse, to be more conveniently enjoyed.

The spring suowflake (leucojum vernum) resembles the snowdrop, but is even more beautiful than that universal favourite. It iB also an early spring flowering species, and would bo in every garden wore it as w ell known and as plentiful as it deserves to be The flowers are much larger than those of the snowdrop, equally puro white, and beautifully tipped with a yellow blotch at the extremity of each segment of the corolla ; they are moreover delicioualy fragrant. The plftnt in hardy enough to do well in any position, but is worthy of the very best, for it is one of the

most oharming flowers of spring. It iv also a delightful greenhouse or pot plant for rooms, treated in the same manner as recommended for the preceding iris. —Leeds Mercury. I