| Very appropriate were the remarks of
"Maybush" in your last Number,
referring to the subject of a new addition to our
early spring flowers, and expressing his regret
at the late blooming of the beautiful
Cheiranthus, as no doubt this Wallflower will
bloom at least three weeks earlier than the
other. I am certain this is only the forerunner
of a great many new or interesting plants
suitable for early-blooming purposes. I should
not have troubled you but for some of these
remarks coinciding so much with our experience on
spring bedding, and commencing at the proper time
for providing against the autumn transplanting.
Many parties are deterred from attempting
anything in the way of spring bedding by the idea
of the great labour attending it. There is no
doubt of this being the case at first; but as
they get used to double shifting, and laying in
the plants as they are lifted, this diminishes
very much, and becomes a part of the usual
routine.
A great many of the plants being annuals, have
done their six-weeks or two-months bloom before
the summer planting season, when they are pulled
up and thrown away. It is, besides, surprising
what a small space the perennial plants required
for a large garden occupy. The gross foliage upon
such plants as Primulas, Polyanthus, &c., dry
off, leaving a few round the centre, so that they
can be laid in almost touching each other.
Anemones, of course, die down altogether; but,
as a rule, they are better laid in for a time, to
let what sap is in the leaves descend into the
roots. this is also the case with tulips, where
they are required to be lifted earlier than the
foliage indicates them to be ready. such plants
as the varieties of single Wallflowers may be
treated the same as annuals, and cleared out of
the beds as soon as they have done blooming,
which is generally before the summer planting can
commence. If a few plants of the different
colours are kept separate on a kitchen-garden
border, they will give sufficient seed to keep up
any amount of growing stock that may be required.
Among the easy-grown and hardy plants we have now
in use, there is ample choice of colours
sufficient to fill any garden, encouraging those
that are most suitable to the soil and
circumstances of the place.
Another great objection by many is that it
throws the summer planting late. This, I confess
is quite true; but, as far as our experience
goes, this proceeds from our employers, not the
system.
It is all but hopeless attempting to get a
lady's consent to clear a ribbon of Pansies, even
after they have had nearly three months good
bloom. We have, therefore, to wait until some of
the lines are exhausted, which soon happens as
the weather gets hot.
But this is not the case with all the beds,
some of which went off too early for us this
season, as the Geraniums planted in their places
suffered very much from the frost, getting quite
blackened in the stems, and losing all their
leaves. We would not, from this circumstance, if
the beds were empty, plant out the half-hardy
plants so soon another season. Cliveden.
J. Fleming
August, Florist and Pomologist, 1864
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