The Gardener, a Magazine of Horticulture and Floriculture (Volume 2)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1869. Excerpt: ... good compost, like most other plants, provided it is never water-logged; yet while growing it must have plenty of water, as the long delicate white roots, crawling over the surface in a network, and round the sides of the pot, are easily killed by drought; on the other hand, they must be kept rather dry after growth has been formed. There are several varieties of E. truncatum, all of them alike worthy of cultivation, of beautiful shades of pink, violet, and white; but we will leave their enumeration and description to any of our readers who are better acquainted with their distinctive characters than we. The Squire's Gardener. THE FLOWER-GARDEN. No. XIT. SPRING FLOWERS. There is no season of the year when flowers are so acceptable, and when they look so beautiful, as in spring. They come to us then as the advance-guard or harbingers of the coming bloom of summer, inspiring the mind with hope. The Snowdrop, the Aconite, the Crocus, and the Primrose, with their sweet companions, come battling their way through the blasts and even the snows of departing winter, and successfully assert their power to minister and their right to be ministered unto; for in spring, above all other seasons, do flowers seem in sympathy with humanity. It is therefore exceedingly desirable that the more systematic and careful culture and arrangement that have been so much and so well deservedly bestowed on the flowers of summer and autumn should be extended to those of spring. There exists no good reason why our gardens, in part at least, if not altogether, should not be as gay during the spring months as in summer. There may be truth in the assertion that the great rage which has long existed in favour of summer flower-gardening has cast hardy spring plants into the shade of neglec...