The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-27
BULBS TO PLANT IN THE SPRING
~ Il. I. HARRINGTON.


~ r. I. HARRINGTON.
May is an excellent month for plant
ing the summer and fall Towering bulbs.
The list Of these bulbs is much longer
than the average garden maker real
lies. Everybody is familiar with
gladioli and dahlias. the latter COM
monty being considered as bulbs al
though they are really tubers. Com
paratively few amateurs, though. are
at all familiar with the montbretias,
and yet they are exceedingly satisfac-
tory and cost but little. While the
flowers resemble gladiolus blossoms to
some extent, they are smaller. More
over. they throw up one spray after
another for weeks. The colors are
mostly reds and yellows In different
shades. and give a splendid note to the
garden in the fall OF the year. or
course few bulbs planted alone would
make but a meagre showing, but when
they are used in masses the result is
surprisingly fine. They are excellent
flowers to use in the border to fill in
spaces left vacant by early blooming
plants like the irises and the peonies.
Use them by the dozen, setting the
little bulbs about four inches apart
and two inches deep. Few flowers are
more desirable for cutting. as they last
a long while. Although the stems are
slender they are strong, and the sprays
are well adapted for displaying in the
little Japanese bowls which are now
popular. There isn't the variety that
may be found in gladioli. and yet
several new shades are being put on
the market and the blossoms are
larger than the older sorts. One land
scape architect with whom the writer
is acquainted says that in his own
garden the montbretias have given the
greatest satisfaction Of all his fall
Towering plants.
Tgridias are not worth growing so
freely as the montbretias, but they are
exceedingly snowy. and few Of them
add much to the charm OF the garden.
Tigridias are often called shell flowers,
and the large blossoms are among the
most brilliant OF all Dubious blooms,
Unfortunately, though. they last for
only a single day. SO have no value
for cutting. One flower succeeds an
other. however, in quick succession.
shooting up from the same stalk with
remarkable rapidity. The writer is
always reminded of a roman candle
throwing out its bursting shells when
he finds his tigridiss blooming. While
montbretia bulbs are reasonably hardy
and may be left IN the ground during
the winter II given sufficient protec-
ton, the tigrtdia bulbs should be taken
up in the fall. They may be kept
through the winter II handled in the
same way as gladioli bulbs.
Another remarkably good plant, but
one not often seen in gardens, Is the
Peruvian daffodil, often catalogued as
Ismene catalina This is a chaste,
lily-like flower. which may be grown
in pots indoors in winter or in the
garden border in summer. 1t some
what resembles the Easter lily except
that 1t has several curious prongs ex-
tending beyond the blossoms creating
very unusual effect. The Peruvian
daffodil Is exceedingly fragrant A few
flowers will fill a whole garden with
perfume, especially at night Wait
until settled warm weather has come
before you plant out the bulbs and
take them up in the fall. No spe-
cial culture is needed during the grow
ing season. and the bulbs will flower
even in partial shade. A few of them
make a most welcome addition to any
garden, whether II be large or small.
In the last few years increasing at
tention has been given to the beautiful
plant known as Halls Amaryllis. often
catalogued as Lycoris. This is a bulb
Gus plant, but one which is perfectly
hardy. 1t has a curious habit of
growth, however, and one which may
cause the amateur to suffer the loss OF
the plant unless he is familiar with its
eccentricities. 1t comes up not unlike
German iris in the spring, but in
July the foliage entirely disappears
Apparently the plant Is dead, and that
Is too often the verdict of the novice
In August or September, however, II
the bulb has not been disturbed, sew
eral flower stalks suddenly shoot I'D
and produce splendid lilly-like flowers
pink in color and delicately perfumed
SO attractive are the blossoms that one
leading scotsman has used them for
the cover design on his annual cata-
logue. In order TO have a worthwhile
effect a dozen bulbs should be used in
group, setting them six inches apart
The flowers look rather strange on
their swaying stalks, totally destitute
of foliage, and for that reason it may
be well to have some low growing
flowers. like tufted pansies or sweet
alyssum under them, or better still, to
plant them just behind early Towering
plants which are not over a foot high.
Then there are the summer hya-
cinths (hyacinthus candecans), stately
flowers which grow three feet high and
are covered with white, bell shaped
blossoms. This is a dubious plant
which requires more room than the
others mentioned and makes the best
impression when given a bed by itself.
1t Is best to take up the bulbs in
winter and store them In a cool cellar.
1t isn't necessary to say much about
the dahlias except that early planting
Is by no means necessary Tho dablia