should be planted near trees. "The cultivation of the garden crocus
is so simple a matter that the merest novice may plant the bulbs with
the assurance that he, or she, will reap a bright reward in the near
future, provided the burrowing mouse and flower-picking sparrow do not
interfere with nature. Crocuses may be propagated from seed sown as
soon as ripe in light, sandy soil in pans, or pots. They reach their
flowering stage in three years."
CROW-FLOWERS. Some authorities, as we have seen, identify crow-flowers
as the buttercup; others, as _Scilla nutans_. The buttercup is easy to
raise in almost any soil. As it should be represented, it is well to
put it in the rock-garden. See Harebell.
CROWN-IMPERIAL. This plant, which the people of Shakespeare's time
valued so highly, is rare in our gardens. The popularity of the flower
decreased because of its unpleasant odor; but no Shakespeare garden can
be without at least one representative because of _Perdita's_ words.
The Crown-Imperial is a very showy plant and makes a splendid effect if
planted in groups. It also looks well among shrubs and in a border. The
blossoms appear in March, April, and May, and are very handsome as to
shape and color. The bell-shaped flowers, orange-red or reddish-orange,
droop gracefully beneath an upright crown of leaves. When the foliage
turns brown, the plant can be cut down. Propagate by offsets in deep,
rich, well-drained soil, and divide every two or three years.
CUCKOO-FLOWERS (_Lychnis Flos cuculi_), or the Ragged-Robin, with its
deeply cut petals of rich blue, makes a pretty border plant as it is an
abundant bloomer. (See page 214.)
CUPID'S FLOWER. See Pansy.
DAFFODILS do better in half-shade than in full sunlight. The earlier
the buds can be procured and planted the better: August is none too
soon.
"Late planted bulbs must necessarily lose much of their vigor by
being kept out of the ground too long, and the longer the period of
root-growth the stronger the flower-spikes. As regards soil one that
is fairly retentive of moisture is more suited to the requirements
than a light staple that soon dries up. They should be covered to the
depth of one and a half times the depth of the bulb measured from base
to shoulder. A bulb two inches deep can be covered to a depth of three
inches, and so on in proportion. In light soil the bulbs should be
placed a little deeper and in heavy soil not quite so deep."
DAISY. In the spring florists have plenty of English daisies to sell in
little pots. Propagate by seed in spring or division in September. This
daisy is pink and white; the little rays tipped with pink sometimes
almost cover the yellow center. The plant requires rich soil and plenty
of sunshine. It blooms in mid-April to mid-June and grows to a height
of three to six inches. The daisy must be protected in the winter. It
is most desirable for borders and makes a charming edging.
DIAN'S BUD, _Artemesia_, or wormwood, is a bushy foliage plant of small
globe-shaped, drooping flowers of whitish yellow. The leaves are finely
divided. Propagate by division. This grows in a poor soil and likes
sunshine.
FENNEL, though regarded as a weed, can be utilized so that it makes
a decorative appearance, for its foliage is light and a brilliant
green. The tiny flowers are yellow and grow in flat-tipped clusters
on branching stalks. They blossom in July. The plant rises to a good
height and prefers rich, deep, open soil and plenty of sunlight. Plant
fresh seeds and make the plants grow in bold groups.
FERNS are effective planted in pots, jars, or tubs, and look well at
the sides of the steps and on the newel-posts of the steps. They look
well in a rock-garden.
FLOWER-DE-LUCE (_fleur-de-lis_). There are many native American flags,
or irises; but the plants nearest to those described by Parkinson are
the _Iris florentina_, the _Iris pseudacorus_, and the great purple
Turkey flag.
The _Iris florentina_ grows from one to two feet, blooms in May and
June, with large, delicately scented white flowers tinted blue and
streaked with purple veins and having orange-yellow beards. The
fragrant rootstock is the orris-root. Propagate by division in soil not
too dry. This is an excellent border plant and prefers half-shade.
_Iris pseudacorus_ grows from one and a half to three feet and blossoms
in late May and late June. It forms luxuriant clumps, having many
stems, which bear large broad-petaled flowers, yellow veined with
brown. The leaves--long, stiff, and gray-green--are handsome. This is
a beautiful plant for the margin of water, and is very pretty around a
bird-bath. Propagate by division. This iris likes the sun.
The great purple Turkey flag will grow in either sun, or half-shade.
The height is from two to four feet. The large fragrant flowers bloom
in May, June, and July. This iris is very handsome in large groups and
in the border. Propagate by division. It is a gross feeder, but grows
well in any garden soil.
GILLIFLOWERS. See Carnations.
HAREBELL. This lovely jewel of the English woodland has drooping
bell-shaped flowers, fragrant, and blue in color. The bells hang from
tall stems. The leaves are long and grass-like. The height is from
eight to twelve inches. It is bulbous. Propagate by offsets and give it
occasionally a top dressing of manure. _Scilla nutans_ blooms in May
and June and prefers half-shade. There are varieties, white, pink, and
purple.
HOLLY should be used for hedges and ornamental bushes. Some varieties
grow very well in certain parts of the United States.
HONEYSUCKLE grows easily in any garden. It is a luxuriant creeper and
is generous with its blossoms and lavish in fragrance. Use it for
hedges and to climb over walls, arbors, trellises, gates and wire
screens.
IVY. English ivy is a climbing and trailing evergreen sub-shrub, with
beautiful large, dark-green leaves, richly veined, and of graceful
heart-shape. The flowers are inconspicuous, but the berries, almost
jet-black, are decorative. Propagate by half-ripe cuttings in rich,
damp soil and protect in winter. Ivy prefers shade. It blossoms in June
and July.
LADY'S-SMOCK (_Cardamine pretensis_) will grow in sun, or shade,
but prefers a moist soil. Propagate by division. Its blossoms are
pinkish lilac in terminal clusters and appear in June. The foliage is
deeply cut. Lady's-smocks will grow in rock-gardens and are excellent
border-plants.
LARK'S-HEELS. See Nasturtium.
LARKSPUR is a glorious flower, noble in masses of bloom and fine in
growth, highly decorative, and lasts well besides. "Delphiniums are
very easy to grow and can be planted at almost any time, but the best
seasons are early autumn and spring when new growth commences. The
great point is to plant them in rich well-dug and manured soil and
strew coal-ashes about for the reason that slugs are very partial to
these plants. Ample space must be left for full development as with
age the roots increase greatly, so that two and a half feet apart is
none too much. The plant needs a rather rich ground, for its growth
is strong. Larkspur looks well planted in the back row of the mixed
border."
LAVENDER is a precious, fragrant, hardy bush. Its sweet-smelling leaves
and blue flowers are ever welcome, whether in the border, or as a low
hedge, or standing alone. A very light soil and sunshine are essential.
Propagate by cuttings in early autumn out of doors in a sheltered,
but not shady, place and plant out when rooted, or divide in March,
planting out the rooted slips one foot apart in light soil. Lavender
may be used to beautify walks. Bushes in some sunny corner of the
garden are pretty for picturesque growth and color. Lavender can be
grouped so as to give a touch of silvery gray to the border. It permits
itself to be clipped, and it must be cared for, or it will grow twisted
and gnarled. If flower-spikes are desired, the lavender must be clipped
in autumn; if the gray leaf is all that is desired then it must be
clipped in the spring before the young twigs have begun to grow.
LILIES. The lily bed should be deep--three feet if possible,--the soil
open and porous without being light. There cannot be a better material
than sound fibrous loam with which leaf-mold has been mixed. Lilies
are rarely benefited by animal manure. The bed should be sheltered
from boisterous winds, for lilies lose half their beauty if it becomes
necessary to stake their graceful stems, and partially shaded so that
the sun does not parch the ground, or prematurely wither their dainty
petals. In times of drought the beds should be given a copious _soaking
of an hour or two's duration_.
The Madonna Lily is a great favorite and is very effective in small
clumps against a background of shrubs and in borders. Unfortunately it
is subject to disease. It is bulbous. Propagate by offsets, scales, or
very slowly by seed. It likes rich, well-dressed soil and half-shade.
Avoid contact with manure. The Madonna Lily flowers in June and July
with white blossoms.
The Martagon has much reflexed flowers on long spire-like racemes and
is light-purple with darker spots. The _Martagon dalmaticum_ grows from
six to seven feet. It has dark purple flowers. There is also a white
kind. Both are very hardy and succeed in open borders.
The _Chalcedonicum_, or Scarlet Turk's-Cap, grows from three to four
feet high and has waxy flowers of bright vermilion. This is the
_brightest_ of all lilies. It is very hardy and easy to cultivate.
Lily-of-the-Valley flourishes in the shade and also where there is a
little (but not too much) sunlight. It thrives beneath shade trees
and near a wall. _Room for development it must have_; otherwise it
becomes crowded to such an extent that the plants deteriorate and
fail to bloom. The Lily-of-the-Valley should be planted in September
or October. Prepare the soil by deep digging and mix in a plentiful
supply of decayed manure. Leaf-soil and road sweepings may be added to
heavy soil. Plant crowns about three inches apart to allow room for
future development. Bury the crowns just below the surface and make
them moderately firm. When all are planted mulch with rolled manure and
leaf-soil in equal parts, covering the bed to a depth of two inches.
LONG PURPLES. This Arum, being a plant of the woods, does well in the
rock-garden. The best plan is to remove a Jack-in-the-Pulpit from the
woods with some of its native soil and transplant it in the garden. It
grows in shade and sun alike.
MARIGOLD. For marigolds choose a light, dry, _poor_ soil and a sunny
spot. Sow seed any time from February to June. Seeds sown in the spring
will produce flowers in June. Sow in drills ten inches apart and water
moderately. Thin the seedlings and remove into rows ten inches apart.
In rich soil the plant grows too large and fails to blossom well. H. H.
Thomas in "The Complete Gardener" says:
"The ordinary reader understands Marigold to refer to the French,
African and Pot Marigolds. The botanical name _Calendula_ is said to
imply that the plant keeps pace with the calendar. In other words that
it is nearly always in bloom. And really this is not very far from the
truth. Once introduce the Pot Marigold into your garden and you will
rarely be without flowers. It is hardy and seeds itself very freely.
Seed may be sown out of doors where the plants are to bloom, choosing
for preference poor ground, otherwise the plants will grow freely
enough, but blooms will be scarce."
The French marigold is deep yellow, orange, or pale yellow striped or
marked with brown, and crinkled. It grows from twelve to fifteen inches
high. "The Gentleman's Labyrinth" gives quaint instructions for the
growth of the Marigold:
"The seeds of this flower are commonly bestowed in a husbandly and
well-dressed earth, but this rather done by the counsel of the skilful
in the increase of the Moon, whereby the flowers may grow the bigger
and broader. But to procure the flowers to grow the doubler, bigger and
broader the owner ought to remove the plants and set them in new beds,
lying in sunny places herein considering at those times of removing
that the Moon be increasing so nigh as you can. These, after certain
leaves spring up, if they be often removed and clipped by the course
of the Moon, yield a better, broader and fairer flower, and they yield
always more flowers in the harvest than in the spring time."
MARJORAM is a branching plant with flowers in clusters, purplish pink.
Propagate by seed and division in early spring in any garden soil.
Sweet marjoram must be treated as an annual, for winter kills it. The
leaves are deliciously fragrant and are useful in cookery.
MINT (_Mentha spicata_, spearmint) has purplish flowers that bloom in
July and August. These blossoms appear in slender spikes. The leaves
have a pleasant taste and are used for flavoring. Spearmint will grow
in any ordinary soil, but it likes the sun. It grows from one to two
feet high.
_Mentha rotundifolia_ has round leaves, variegated, and pale yellow
flowers that appear in June and July. Propagate by division. The height
is from one to two feet. The flowers are unimportant; but the foliage
is sufficiently interesting to use as an edging, and this variety is
useful to cover waste places.
MONK'S-HOOD has large showy helmet-shaped flowers of deep purple-blue
growing on racemes on erect stems. The leaves are deeply cut. The plant
is suited to borders and rough places. Propagate by division in rich
soil. Monk's-hood likes sun or shade. It blooms in late summer or early
autumn. The roots and flowers are poisonous. It grows from three to
four feet.
MYRTLE (_Myrtus latifolia_). This plant has charming foliage and pure
white flowers. Both leaves and flowers are fragrant. The fragrance
of the foliage is caused by an oil, which is secreted in the leaves.
Myrtle is quite hardy. Propagate by cuttings, or partially ripened
shoots. Myrtle looks well in large pots.
NASTURTIUM. _Tropæolum_ is the botanical name, meaning trophy, for the
leaves suggest a buckler and the flowers a helmet. Treat as a hardy
annual. Sow seeds in the spring. Nasturtium is a splendid climber over
rocks, stones, or latticework, and a prolific bloomer.
OXLIP. Propagate by fresh seed, divisions, or cuttings in rich, light
soil, not dry. _Protect in winter._ The oxlip grows from eight to
twelve inches and likes half-shade. It resembles the primrose, but has
larger flowers. These open in May and are yellow. The leaves are broad
and flat and wrinkled.
PANSY. Heart's-ease and Johnny-Jump-Up are other names for the
_Viola tricolor_, which has a wonderful length of blossoming, for
the flowers continue from mid-April to mid-September. The flowers
must be constantly picked, or the plant deteriorates. This precious
little plant is very easy to raise, provided it is protected from the
noonday sun. Propagate by seed or division in any garden soil, and in
half-shade or morning sunlight. Protect it from the hot noon-day sun.
Pansies look well in a bed by themselves and make a beautiful border
plant.
PINKS. See Carnations.
POMEGRANATE is a highly decorative shrub, particularly the beautiful
double scarlet variety (_Punica rubrum florepleno_), which flowers in
August. Plant cutting in a big pot, jar, or tub, or buy plants. Stand
these plants in pairs in some conspicuous place in the garden and they
will add great elegance.
POPPY. The common garden herbaceous poppy flowers in May and June, in
sun or half-shade, rising from two to three feet. It has large flowers
and handsome divided foliage. For a Shakespeare garden select the
white. Propagate by dividing in early autumn. The poppy is a gross
feeder and likes rather moist loam enriched with cow manure.
PRIMROSE. This flower blooms from mid-April to mid-June. It has several
solitary pale yellow blossoms on naked stem. It grows from six to nine
inches high. _Protect in winter._ Propagate by seeds and offsets in
rich, light soil, not dry.
ROSE. "How to plant a rose may seem a simple matter, but many have
laid the foundation of failure through bad planting," writes a rose
cultivator. "Never plant in a very wet soil, nor allow crude manures
to come into direct contact with the roots. See that the roots are
spread out properly and naturally, not pressed into a small hole and
cramped or distorted from the first. Plant dwarf kinds two inches
deeper than the junction of the rose and stock, and standards three
inches below the original root. To place a small grower side by side
with one of three or four times the strength is a great mistake; the
weaker grower has no chance whatever. For medium growers three feet is
a good distance, while plants of greater vigor will need to be from
four feet to six feet apart. Do not plant _against_ a wall; but leave
some four or six inches between the wall and the base of the plant. It
should not be difficult to obtain the roses familiar to Shakespeare.
The old Hundred-Leaved and Damask are easy to procure. The _Rosa alba_,
or white rose, has two familiar varieties called "Maiden's Blush" and
"Madame Plantier."
[Illustration: KNOTS FROM MARKHAM]
[Illustration: SIMPLE GARDEN BEDS]
The Musk-Rose may give some trouble, but E. T. Cook gives us a good
clue as well as instructions for growing it. He says:
"These are very old roses, certainly known in England three hundred
years ago. The flowers are insignificant individually, but collectively
are pleasing and appear late in August. They require good culture,
and very little, if any, pruning. As pillar roses they are seen at
their best. 'Fringed' is very pretty and strikes freely from cuttings.
Its color is white shaded sulphur. All the Musk-Roses have a peculiar
musk-like odor, but this is distilled only on still damp mornings or
evenings. 'Eliza Verry' is white, very free, the flowers appearing
in large corymbs. 'Rivers Musk' is a pretty pink variety, well worth
cultivating. Of the Hybrid Musks the 'Garland' is of rampant growth. It
has immense corymbs of tiny white flowers with innumerable little buff
colored buds, peering out among them. 'Madame d' Arblay' is another.
'Nivea' is a beautiful kind for a pergola, or fence."
The "Noisette" is also a hybrid musk, named for a French gardener of
Charleston, South Carolina, who took the seed from the musk-rose in
1817.
There is a difference between the Eglantine, or Sweetbrier, and the
Dog-rose, although they are difficult to distinguish.
"The 'Dog Rose' sends up long arching branches some six to nine feet
high and perhaps more; the 'Sweetbrier' is content with branches three
or four feet in length. And whereas in the 'Dog Rose' the branch
continues single the 'Sweetbrier' sends out side growths, or branchlets
quickly forming a dense bush. Note also the prickles. To a certain
extent they are stout and hooked like those of the 'Dog Rose,' but
more irregularly placed. On the young root-shoots there is a marked
difference, for whilst on the 'Sweetbrier' this young growth is covered
with _setæ_, some of them very small, tipped with glands, in the 'Dog
Rose' they are totally absent."[96]
[96] Pemberton, "Roses" (London, 1908).
ROSEMARY. Tender, aromatic sub-shrub with small flowers in short
racemes. Propagate by seeds, cuttings, or layers in dry, light soil.
The flowers are purple and bluish. Rosemary is valued in cookery as
a flavoring. It can be allowed to wander all over the garden. It was
always a favorite border-plant in old-fashioned gardens.
RUE. The "herb of grace" is not very pretty. It has much divided
leaves and panicles of small fragrant flowers, yellowish-green, or
greenish-yellow. Propagate by seed and division. Rue needs a sheltered
position and protection in winter. Its height is about two feet.
SAVORY. Sow in open ground at the end of March, or early April, in
light, rich soil. Thin the seedlings moderately; they may remain where
they are, or be transplanted. Sown along the outside of beds, savory
makes a good edging. It is useful in cookery.
SWEET BALM. _Melissa officinalis_ is the botanical name. Sweet balm is
loved for its fragrance. The yellowish white flowers bloom in June,
July, and August. It grows about two feet and loves the sun. Propagate
by seed and division.
SWEET-WILLIAM is a valuable little garden plant, for it blooms
profusely in June and July and is vigorous and rapidly spreading. The
flowers are in double clusters, pink, white, red, and party-colored,
single and double. Propagate by seed in any soil. See Carnations.
THYME. This aromatic herb is of dense growth with small, pale-lilac
flowers in terminal spikes. Its pale, bright-green foliage makes it an
attractive creeper for banks. Thyme also grows well in a rock-garden
and makes a good border-plant also. Propagate by seed and division. The
plant grows in any soil. It attains a height of from one to two inches
and blossoms in June and July. Every one knows the value of dried thyme
for flavoring in cookery.
VIOLETS prefer shady places. They are at home in the rock-garden, and
they are very charming if planted on a little bank. They can be sown on
the grassy slope of a terrace. In that case, let them come up of their
own sweet will. The graceful heart-shaped leaves of the _Viola odorata_
and its purple blossoms that open in late April and May are known and
loved by every one. Propagate by seed or division, selecting a loose,
rich, sandy soil.
XXII
_Potpourri_
As the ladies of Shakespeare's time were so fond of making _potpourri_,
I think it may be of value to place here an old recipe, which any one
who has a garden can follow:
"Many fragrant flowers and leaves can be used in the making of
an old-fashioned bowl of _potpourri_. Those usually employed are
rose-petals, lavender, lemon-plant, verbena, myrtle, rosemary, bay,
mignonette, violets, pinks and syringa. Thyme, mint and other sweet
herbs should be used, if available. Shred the larger leaves and dry
all in the sun. Mix an ounce of orris-root, allspice, bay-salt and
cloves and mix freely with about twelve handfuls of the dried petals
and leaves and store in a jar, or bowl. A small quantity of essence
of lemon and spirits of lavender may be added, but are not necessary.
Should the mixture become too moist, add more powdered orris-root."
A MASKE OF FLOWERS
A MASKE OF FLOWERS
IT seems to me that nothing more appropriate could be placed here as an
epilogue to this book on the Shakespeare garden than the contemporary
description of "A Maske of Flowers by the Gentlemen of Gray's Inn at
Whitehall on Twelfth Night, 1613, being the last of the solemnities
and magnificences which were performed at the marriage of the Earl
of Somerset and Lady Frances, daughter of the Earl of Suffolk, Lord
Chamberlain."
This was printed in 1614; and I have quoted it from the "History of
Gardening in England" by the Hon. Alicia Amherst (London, 1895), who
copied it from a very rare original.
This description not only presents a perfect picture of a Shakespearian
garden but will be a revelation to those persons who think that only
crude stage-setting existed in Elizabethan and Jacobean days. Although
elaborate stage-setting was restricted to private entertainments, the
designers of the period knew how to produce splendid effects. There
is nothing more elaborate in the theater today than this ornate and
brilliantly lighted scene:
"When the Dance ended, the loud music sounded. The curtains being
drawn was seen a Garden of a glorious and strange beauty, cast into
four Quarters with a cross-walk and alleys compassing each Quarter. In
the middle of the cross-walk stood a goodly Fountain, raised on four
columns of silver. On the tops whereof strode four statues of silver
which supported a bowl in circuit containing four and twenty foot and
was raised from the ground nine foot in height, in the middle whereof,
upon scrolls of silver and gold, was placed a globe garnished with four
golden mask heads, out of which issued water into the bowl; above stood
a golden Neptune, in height three foot, holding in his hand a trident.