THE GROWING OF THE ORNAMENTAL PLANTS
INSTRUCTIONS ON PARTICULAR KINDS - Continued
Lily-of-the-valley.--A perfectly hardy little perennial, bearing
racemes of small, white, bell-shaped flowers in early spring; and also
much forced by florists.
For ordinary cultivation, sods or mats of roots may be dug from any
place in which the plant is colonized. Usually it thrives best in
partial shade; and the leaves make an attractive mat on the north side
of a building, or other shady place, in which grass will not grow. The
plants will take care of themselves year after year. Better results may
be expected from good commercial roots. The "pips" may be planted any
time from November on, from 3 to 6 inches apart.
For forcing indoors, imported roots or "pips" are used, as the plants
are grown for this particular purpose in parts of Europe. These roots
may be planted in pots, and treated as recommended for winter-flowering
bulbs. Florists force them in greater heat, however, often
giving them a bottom heat of 80° or 90°; but skill and experience are
required in order to attain uniformly good results in this case.
Mignonette.--Probably no flower is more generally grown for its
fragrance than the mignonette. It is a half-hardy annual, thriving
either in the open or under glass.
The mignonette needs a cool soil, only moderately rich, shade part of
the day, and careful attention to cutting the flower-stalks before the
seeds are ripe. If a sowing be made in late April, followed by a second
sowing in early July, the season may be extended until severe frosts.
There are few flowers that will prove as disappointing if the simple
treatment it needs is omitted. Height, 1 to 2 feet.
It may be sown in pots late in summer and be had in the house in winter.
Moon-flowers are species of the morning-glory family that open
their flowers at night. A well-grown plant trained over a porch trellis,
or allowed to grow at random over a low tree or shrub, is a striking
object when in full flower at dusk or through a moonlit evening. In the
Southern states (where it is much grown) the moon-flower is a perennial,
but even when well protected does not survive the winters in the North.
Cuttings usually give best results in the Northern states, as the
seasons are not long enough for seed plants to give good bloom.
Cuttings may be made before danger of frost and wintered in the house,
or the plants may be grown from seed sown in January or February. Seeds
should be scalded or filed just before sowing.
The true moon-flower is Ipomœa Bona-Nox white-flowered; but there are
other kinds that go under this name. This grows 20 to 30 feet where the
seasons are long enough.
Narcissus (see Bulbs).--Daffodils, jonquils, and the
poet's narcissus all belong to this group, and many of them are
perfectly hardy. The polyanthus section, which includes the Paper-white
narcissus and sacred lily or Chinese joss-flower, are not hardy except
with unusually good protection, and are, therefore, most suitable for
growing indoors.
It is common to allow the hardy sorts to take care of themselves when
once planted. This they will do, but much more satisfactory results will
be had by lifting and dividing the clumps every three or four years. A
single bulb in a few years forms a large clump. In this condition the
bulbs are not properly nourished, and consequently do not flower well.
Lifting is preferably done in August or September, when the foliage has
died down and the bulbs are ripe.
The narcissi are well suited to partially shaded places, and will grow
and please wherever good taste may place them. They should be freely
used, as they are fragrant, bright of color, and easily managed--growing
among shrubbery, trees, and in places where other flowers would refuse
to grow. They should be planted in clumps or masses, in September or
October, setting the bulbs 5 to 8 inches apart, according to size, and 3
or 4 inches deep.
Several species and numberless varieties, both double and single, are
grown. A few good types only can be mentioned (Fig. 260):--
Daffodils, or Trumpet narcissus (Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus and
derivatives).
Single-flowered, Yellow.--Golden Spur, Trumpet Major, Van Sion.
White.--Albicans.
White and Yellow.--Empress, Horsefieldi.
Double-flowering, Yellow.--Incomparable fl. pl., Van Sion.
White.--Alba plena odorata.
Poet's narcissus (N. poeticus). Flowers white, with yellow cups edged
crimson. Very fragrant.
Jonquils (N. Jonquilla). These have very fragrant yellow flowers, both
double and single, and are old garden favorites.
Polyanthus narcissus (N. Tazetta). These include paper-white, Chinese
sacred lily (var. orientalis), and others.