Chapter 1: Root-pruning (5)

But you can save several weeks by starting seeds early in a sunny window (just not too early), and you can start them even earlier in a cool greenhouse, a hotbed, or a cold frame. When we lived on Long Island we rigged up a workable substitute outside a cellar window by using discarded storm windows. In fact, since it had a brick foundation that reached below the frost line and had a heating coil in the soil, we grew many cool greenhouse plants in it during the winter. The open cellar window provided enough heat for flats of annual seedlings we propagated in it in the spring. Once these seedlings were transplanted to the garden, we dismantled our temporary greenhouse, filled the spot with topsoil, and made a flower bed. I’ve seen several small greenhouses like the one we improvised on sale commercially, one, of metal and glass, selling for less than ten dollars.

Indoors or out, seeds germinate best in clean, sifted soil that is light and porous and drains perfectly. Add organic matter such as peat or humus to help hold moisture, and sand to aerate and insure drainage. If possible, sterilize the soil with heat or one of the special fungicides, to prevent “damp-off.” Plant seeds only to the depth of their diameter, and don’t cover dust-fine seeds at all. Keep the soil moist during the germination period and for some weeks afterward.

For several years we’ve transplanted seedlings directly into peat pots as soon as they have their first few leaves. This is a tedious job, but how it saves backache and heartache later. Indoors you can transplant while seated comfortably at a table or bench, and while listening to soft music on the radio. When the seedlings have flourished in the peat pots and it is time to put them outdoors, there is much less time spent bent double on one’s knees. And since the roots aren’t disturbed, the plants seldom suffer from transplanting shock and seldom fail to thrive.

Plants grown indoors should be hardened before they’re put out of doors for good. Every day expose them to fresh outdoor air for an increasing length of time, until they are accustomed to the cooler temperatures, particularly at night.

SUMMER CARE

Annuals take the same kind of care you give perennials, except that most of them require less of it. Few need, or even thrive in, especially fertile soil. Fertilize lightly, if at all. Many annuals get along with less moisture and mulching than perennials. And of course, none need be prepared for winter. During their one big season, simply pinch or prune those that grow straggly, and remove fading flowers before they set seeds. That usually prolongs the blooming season. After frost strikes, burn the dead tops, which helps control the spread of insects and disease.

As you study miniatures you will realize how many of the old regular annuals of the garden, plants that usually top two or three feet, can also be had in five-to eight-inch sizes. You have but to look through your seed catalogues. The tiny ones are usually listed at the end of each category, though in the affections of miniature-lovers they should come first and take precedence over the “new giant-size,” “bigger-than-ever” varieties.

In searching for miniatures I’ve culled through my large collection of catalogues from Burpee to Vaughn and have compiled a list of small annuals I have either grown, or expect to grow the coming season. Not all of them are compact versions of their larger relatives. Many by nature are on the diminutive side. So many of them are old friends, let’s call them by their first names--the ones by which they are listed in most seed booklets. The plants I have in mind are mostly eight inches in height or less, though some of the longer-stemmed charmers may slip in simply because they are too lovely to be left out. We’ll give colors for those who have color schemes in mind for their gardens.

=Ageratum=

This annual, a great garden favorite, is also known as the floss flower. In general it is a profuse bloomer that is fine for borders, edgings, rock gardens, small flower beds, and even as a house plant. It comes in several colors but usually in the same sizes, two to six inches.

‘Blue Ball’--This name is especially descriptive. The plants
shape up as round as a ball and then cover themselves with
dark-blue flowers. Who can expect more of one so small?

‘Blue Mink’--My friends who write seed catalogues, and so see
many beautiful plants, rave about this one as being true blue,
the real ageratum color. Its blooms, pretty as they are, grow
surprisingly large for a bush so small.

‘Imperial White Dwarf’--For its contrast I love this one, a
pattern of white surrounded by the blues, pinks, and reds of
other annuals.

‘Midget Blue’--This is my real pet, a really tiny one of uniform
shape, never over three inches tall and with the most delicate
blue ageratum flowers.

=Alyssum (Sweet)=

This is just about the nicest thing that can happen to your garden be it annual, miniature, or otherwise. Although some members of this family may reach twelve inches, most of them run from three to five inches.

‘Carpet of Snow’--Much like ‘Royal Carpet’ for spreading, but
has white flowers instead of purple.

‘Little Gem’--This one is about six inches tall, but atones for
its height by being a more profuse bloomer, with small white
flowers.

‘Pink Heather’--The blooms open in a delicate pink and slowly
darken. It has vigor and scent, and seems to want to bloom
constantly.

‘Rosie O’Day’--The pride and joy of the family, and the winner
of an award comparable to being chosen Miss America. The blooms
are a deep pink, even more so when the weather is a bit cool. It
is quick to bloom, easy to grow, and nicely fragrant.

‘Royal Carpet’--This one is only about two inches high. With
its purple flowers it fills in vacant spots most beautifully. A
single plant may spread out ten inches.

‘Violet King’--Somewhat shorter than ‘Violet Queen,’ but has a
deeper color and more compact shape.

‘Violet Queen’--Averages about five inches, and is as its name
says a rich violet color. Delightfully scented, it is wonderful
for edging, borders, and flower beds.

Alyssum has long been one of my garden favorites, whether for a ground cover, for rock gardens, as an edging for walks and beds, or just for its own sweet alyssum self.

=Balsam=

In my concept of miniature plants I had always thought of balsam as a towering giant of at least two feet or more. Then one night while going through seed catalogues I discovered an entire column listing ‘Tom Thumb Double Flowered Dwarf,’ ‘Tom Thumb Purple,’ ‘Tom Thumb Scarlet,’ ‘Tom Thumb Shell Pink,’ ‘Tom Thumb Pure White,’ ‘Tom Thumb Rose.’

According to growing directions, Balsam likes a rich soil, well-drained but slightly moist, and full sun.

=Coreopsis=

It was love at first sight when I saw a clump of this delightful annual. I was even more delighted to learn that the plant can be grown as a miniature. In the smaller form the cute little fellows spread out into low mounds of six or eight inches and cover themselves with blooms that last all summer. As an edging, for rock gardens, and as a cover for otherwise bare spots, they are truly charming.

‘Golden Ray’--Yellow with crimson touches.

‘Petite Purple’--Rich purple covering the small mounds.

‘Tiger Star’--Rich-crimson-striped and splashed with yellow.
Plants stay at about six to eight inches and become mounds of
color.

=Cornflowers=

Here is another of the taller plants which fortunately has some small relatives. There are:

‘Jubilee Gem’--Has a vivid blue flower on a compact bush.

‘Lilac Lady’--Purplish blooms on a neat bush.

‘Little Snow Man’--Pure-white blooms.

‘Rose Gem’--Red blooms, double.

Most of these plants will stay under eight inches. They are ideal for rock gardens.

=Marigolds=

Marigolds are very well represented in the gallery of miniatures. Loving the large ones as I do, I love the tiny ones even more. In one of my favorite catalogues I find an entire group with “Petite” as a first name:

‘Petite Gold’--About seven inches tall and golden yellow.

‘Petite Harmony’--Mahogany in tone, with a gold crest.

‘Petite Orange’--About the same size, only tending to be more
orange in color.

‘Petite Yellow’--Another variation on the popular marigold
color. In another catalogue I find the small ones called
“Pygmies”; all of them are just a little short of nine inches in
height.

‘Fireglow’--Mahogany-scarlet with gold centers.

‘Helen Chapman’--Rich gold in color with flecks of red.

‘Primrose Pygmy’--Primrose-yellow flowers with a red base.

‘Yellow Pygmy’--Lemon-yellow pompon-type flowers.

There are other miniature marigolds, from the double dwarf French part of the family, within my idea of how small a small one should be.

‘Brownie Scout’--Golden little flowers with a base flecked with
red.

‘Butterball’--Canary-yellow blooms and plenty of them until
frost time.

‘Fireball’--A few inches taller than some varieties, but with
flame-like markings flashing up through the otherwise orange
petals.

‘Gold Laced’--Basically mahogany in color but with each petal
edged in gold.

‘Rusty Red’--The brightest of red, extra-large flowers for a
small plant.

=Nasturtiums=

I love this plant so much I hate to leave it out of my listing even though it might be a few inches taller than my other miniatures. I always am careful to plant it toward the rear of flower beds where it will not overpower the smaller plants. There are several dwarfs, but the one I know best is ‘Cherry Rose.’

=Nemophila=

This is a very beautiful little dwarf, each plant spreading out into a shapely clump, and covering itself with pretty cup-shaped blossoms. When sown in the spring it blooms all summer. When sown in the autumn it is an early spring-bloomer. It is at its best when used in a semishaded spot for a ground cover, for a border, or in a rock garden. Its more usual name is baby blue eyes.

‘Insignis Blue’--The best-known variety; covers itself with
lovely, cup-shaped, sky-blue flowers with white centers.

=Petunias=

Petunias, being favorite annuals, belong in just about every garden, but it is difficult to find the small ones for the miniature garden. But they are available despite the fact that most hybridizers try to develop a larger and larger plant. Here is a list of smaller ones; few of them are taller than eight inches.

‘Blue Star’--Velvety blue with a sharp white star.

‘Bright Eyes’--Rosy-pink blooms with white throats.

‘Heavenly Blue’--Light sky-blue, a heavenly color.

‘Igloo’--Compact and pure white.

‘Rosy Morn’--Brilliant rose with white throat.

‘Salmon Gem’--Bright salmon color.

‘Twinkles’--Brilliant rose-starred white.

=Phlox=

This is another garden favorite that may give you problems when you try to find seed for the small ones. Again, the tall varieties are being developed, but concessions have been made to those who like the diminutive. I find five varieties listed as the ‘New Dwarf Compact.’

‘Cinnabar Red’--Scarlet vermilion.

‘Fireball’--Rich fiery crimson scarlet.

‘Isabellina’--Primrose yellow.

‘Pink’--Bright chamois-pink.

‘Snowball’--Flowers of purest white.

Another source lists:

‘Dwarf Globe’--A plump-shaped plant with flowers of various
colors.

_nana compacta_--Not six inches high and a constant bloomer
with large radiant flowers.

‘Twinkle’--Various colors with fluted, fringed petals.

=Portulaca=

Seemingly this is an insignificant little plant, though I don’t know how one so charming could be classified as such. I had never raised it until the editor of one of my favorite magazines asked me to make some photographs of it. Of course, I had to grow it first. I planted a bed and waited for results. They were not long in coming. Plants barely out of the ground started blooming a few days later, and started spreading about the same time. The blooms, when single, were cup-shaped; the doubles looked like roses. The plants had a sunny exposure, a sandy soil, not much nutriment, and an inordinate attraction for our dogs (like catnip for cats). One day I took a photograph of my husband’s Labrador-retriever pup looking over a short picket fence at my portulaca. I promptly put in a higher fence, but the puppy grew faster than the fence. Eventually, I got my photographs, but it was a dog-gone struggle. If you do not have dogs, or if your dogs are not portulaca-minded, I offer you a listing of a few varieties.

‘Alba’--Pure white.

‘Aurea’--Lovely yellow.

‘Coccinea’--Scarlet.

‘Red Foundling’--A little larger than some of the others, but
semidouble, carmine-red, and most lovely.

‘Rosea’--Rose.

‘Salmon’--Salmon-colored and delightful.

=Snapdragons=

I didn’t think it possible that the lovely tall snapdragons, the ones that are waist high or taller, could be reduced to a mere six or eight inches. But it is possible. I offer two varieties in substantiation.

‘Miniature Magic Carpet’--Four to six inches. Colors are mixed
and very dainty. As a carpet plant it is a creeper when given a
chance.

‘Tom Thumb’--A plant that varies from six to eight inches tall,
very free-flowering, good for window boxes, rock gardens, porch
boxes, and flower pots for the window. Colors are in all of the
brilliant shades.

=Sweet Peas=

One seed company came right to the point when listing the small varieties of sweet peas, calling them ‘Little Sweethearts,’ which they are. Eight varieties were listed in one booklet.

‘Boy Blue’--Clear mid-blue and delightful.

‘Caprice’--Red-maroon.

‘Coquette’--A rose-red variety.

‘Heidi’--Another red bloomer.

Those are varieties we have grown. Others which I hope to meet are ‘Fantasy-Face,’ ‘Pollyanna,’ ‘Sinbad,’ and ‘Snow-White.’

Another source lists ‘Cupid,’ ‘Little Sweetheart,’ and ‘Color Carpet.’ These three are bushy, not viny, make six-inch mounds of small-scale pea-type leaves, are slightly fragrant, and are usually sold in mixtures of colors.

=Verbena=

Actually this is a perennial, but it is usually grown as an annual. It is rampant both as a bloomer and as a creeper. The flowers are tubular with flat heads and show up in many colors--pink, lavender, scarlet, white. Our sources list _Verbena bipinnatifida_, the most hardy; and _V. hortensis_, many colors with white eyes, and a low compact shape. Another, ‘Dwarf Compact’ is white.

=Zinnias=

In running down my alphabet of annuals, from alyssum to zinnias, I find it a bit difficult to fit the latter into what I consider the miniature category, eight inches or thereabout. But zinnias are so effective in a garden I’ll forgive them if they are a few inches above eight. I’ll plant them in the back rows of my beds and pinch out the tops if they get too rambunctious. In the Lilliput class, those delightful little plants which cover themselves with the pompon type of bloom, I offer the following list.

‘Canary Yellow’--Clear yellow.

‘Peach Blossom’--Soft light pink.

‘Rose Gem’--Deep clear rose pink.

‘Scarlet Gem’--Bright fiery scarlet.

‘White Gem’--Pearl-like white.

Sorry I can’t offer more varieties, but all growers seem to be devoted to growing giants in the zinnia class. I happen to love the little ones, those cute pompons that look so charming in the buttonhole of a man’s jacket.

_CHAPTER 17_

MINIATURE GARDEN BULBS

Ring-around-a-rosying at the foot of a gray birch, twenty dazzling-white spring snowflakes nodding at the turn of a path, a company of bright-eyed kaufmanniana tulips; perching lightly in a rocky crevice, a flock of tiny canary daffodils that seem ready to wing away.... There’s something about the miniature bulbs that’s more fauna than flora, more fairy tale than real. Each one has its own elfin character and a happy-go-lucky way of stamping your garden “personally yours.”

In the rock garden, at the edge of a border, with evergreen ground covers, clustered wherever there’s a stone or stump to back them up, used by the hundreds as drifts in the lawn, miniature bulbs more than anything else give you that spring feeling. Potted and forced into flower indoors, they’re winsome window-garden items, delicate decorations for coffee table or what-not, delightful dish-garden inhabitants. They’re indispensable for sink gardens, precious in the small greenhouse.

Perhaps part of their charm lies in their unfamiliarity. So few are well known and widely grown. So many more are easy to find, easy to grow, and especially easy to pay for. And they’re such beguiling plants, I don’t see how any garden could be without them, miniature or not.

All of the bulbs included here hold their flowers no more than six inches high. They’re not small versions of better-known, larger plants, but mostly completely different, with their own individual characteristics--and with bulbs, foliage, and flowers in miniature proportions. The word _bulb_ is used in its generalized sense, and includes true bulbs, corms, and tubers. To be botanically accurate, a few plants such as tuberous-rooted dahlias, rhizomatous iris, and bulbous erythroniums should also be included; but to be consistent in such matters as culture and decorative use, they’re grouped with plants that grow similarly, in the chapters on annuals, perennials, and wild flowers.

Some of these miniature bulbs are available from nurseries and other local suppliers. But the majority, and particularly the most unusual, are offered by mail by bulb importers and specialist growers. Reading some of the catalogues is like taking a quick trip to exotic parts of the world. And for me, ordering no more than I can find time to plant and care for is a severe exercise in self-restraint. There are always a few more that would look well in some special spot, others that are intriguing simply because I’ve never grown or seen them.

Most bulb catalogues give specific cultural recommendations that are helpful in selecting varieties that will adapt to your climate, and to the sun, soil, and moisture in the spot where you want to plant them. In general, bulbs are either hardy or not; they will survive a deep winter freeze, or they must be lifted and stored before the ground freezes at all. There are some natural borderline exceptions, like many fascinating varieties native to the West that are not so touchy about cold as they are about other climatic and cultural conditions.

GROWING MINIATURE BULBS OUTDOORS

Tender, summer-flowering bulbs are planted in late spring, when soil is warm and danger of severe frost has passed. Hardy bulbs are usually planted in late summer and early fall, when foilage has ripened and died back and the plants are in deepest dormancy. This includes fall-flowering types like the colchicums. The earlier bulbs can be planted, the stronger the root systems they can develop before winter, and the stronger their flowering during the first season.

Make sure the selected site has perfect drainage. Bulbs rot quickly when water stands around their roots. Dig generously, to about eight inches deep; enrich the soil with organic matter such as leaf mold or compost; increase aeration and drainage in sticky, clay-like soils with sharp sand; add a light sprinkling of bone meal or superphosphate, if fertility is low. Since few bulbs like very acid soil, lime is a “must” except where the soil tests so extremely alkaline that the addition of organic matter does not make it acid.

An average measure for depth of planting is twice the diameter of the bulb in cooler climates, an inch or so deeper in areas like southern Virginia to provide protection against summer heat. For quick effect, plant about a dozen bulbs in a group; six bulbs more widely spaced will usually increase and give the same effect in several years.

_Watering_

Most bulbs need moisture before, during, and after flowering, when foliage is green and growing or ripening. They’re better off on the dry side during dormancy. This is a perfect setup for most hardy types, because they need the least watering in summer, when droughts are most common. But it does increase the urgency for perfect drainage for some of the Western species that can’t bear moisture in winter.

_Fertilizing_

Except for an early-spring top-dressing of leaf-mold compost, we seldom feed our little bulbs. Occasionally, some healthy specimens may get a puny, undernourished look that calls for sprinkling bone meal or superphosphate over the soil and scratching it in. Or we may water with manure “tea” during or after flowering time.

If soil is properly prepared at planting time, supplemental feeding should not be necessary for most types for several years. By that time some bulbs have multiplied so enthusiastically they should be lifted, separated, and reset in freshly mixed soil.

_Problems and Pests_

If you plant bulbs where they don’t stand in soggy mud or water, you’ll have little loss from rot. But if you’re in a suburban or rural area inhabited by cute chipmunks, squirrels, or mice, you won’t want to plant juicy morsels such as tulips, crocus, and eranthis just to feed the animals. I’ve never had the time or patience to plant bulbs in wire cages. Poison baits can be dangerous when you have children or pets. An effective safety measure is to put the bait inside a clean milk bottle and cover it with a heap of straw or leaves, with evergreen branches to hold the heap in place.

_Winter Protection_

Because the root systems may not be completely matured, newly planted bulbs should be mulched with a light, airy covering of something like salt hay during their first winter. After that, the necessity for protection varies with hardiness and with climate. Sometimes these mulches hold in more moisture than is good for bulbs. If alternate freezing and thawing should heave the shallow roots up through cracks in the soil, press them back gently but firmly and cover with soil again.

PROPAGATING MINIATURE BULBS INDOORS

Whether they’re to be exhibited in competition at a flower show, or displayed for close-up enjoyment in the living room, uniform perfection is the objective. First, then, buy the finest-quality bulbs available--the most plump, firm, healthy bulbs you can find. If the catalogue listing includes “recommended for forcing” or “specially treated for forcing,” so much the better.

Time for potting, and length of time required for rooting, vary with the varieties. We’re usually potting up bulbs for forcing through most of October, occasionally into the first week of November. Our favorites are potted at two-week intervals, so we’ll have a continuous show of flowers in winter and early spring.

We prefer clay pots because of their porosity, and shallow pots because most miniature bulbs are shallow-rooted. A generous layer of pebbles or broken crocks goes in the bottom of every pot. The potting soil is a house-plant mixture with a teaspoon of lime mixed in for a six-inch bulb pot. Bulbs are set so their tips are barely covered with soil; then pots are set in water up to the rims to make sure both soil and pots are thoroughly moist.

Before they can be forced into flower, bulbs need time to grow sound root systems. They need to be stored cool, and in the dark so that premature top growth won’t be encouraged.

Our potted bulbs are pre-rooted in the cold frame, the pots sunk in the soil, each pot covered by another pot turned upside down over it. Soil is added to cover the top pots; and after severe weather sets in, we top with at least six inches of salt hay.

In lieu of a cold frame, a fairly deep trench, with a layer of pebbles or sand for drainage, can be used in the same way, with twice as much salt hay on top or even more. Some growers set the pots on shelves in cool, dark corners of the basement, but our cellars have always been much too warm. Soil should be kept moist, but not wet, during the rooting period.

When the pot is completely filled with roots, and a few stick out the drainage hole in the bottom, the potted bulbs are moved to a cool, shady spot in the house or greenhouse for just a few days. Then they are brought into the sun for growth and flowering. For the best and most lasting flowers, try to provide temperatures between 55 and 60 degrees by day, five degrees or more cooler by night.

The window of an unheated bedroom or attic, or an enclosed porch, may be the only place where temperatures are low enough for healthiest growth. These are good places to grow the plants until they open their flowers, then they can be brought into warmer quarters for a flowering display.

If you are trying to force bulbs into flower at some specific time, and if the buds aren’t swelling as fast as they should, warmer temperatures and a booster feeding of liquid manure should speed up the process. Cooler temperatures will help retard flowering.

Keep the soil always moist before, during, and after flowering. When the leaves begin to yellow, gradually hold back on watering and keep it barely moist until time to set the bulbs out in the garden. Forcing bulbs two years in succession is not usually successful.

MINIATURE BULB PLANTS

=Chionodoxa= _Liliaceae_ Glory-of-the-Snow

Early April flowers that disregard unfavorable weather. Leaves are narrow and grassy and disappear after the flowering period. Flowers are open-faced with short tubes.

_gigantea_--Largest flowers, pastel lavender-blue. Strong
stems that don’t fall over in bad weather.

_luciliae_--Five or more flowers per five-inch stem, bright
sky-blue with white centers. The variety alba is white; rosea,
pink.

_sardensis_--Like luciliae, but deeper blue without the
white eye.

CARE. Gritty soil. Moisture. Mulch with manure in the fall. Light and sun. Hardy and easy to grow. Makes a ground carpet.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (seeds itself except for some varieties which increase below ground), offshoots.

SPECIAL USES. Ground cover, rock gardens, forcing.

=Colchicum= _Liliaceae_ Autumn Crocus, Meadow Saffron

Usually called crocus, this fall bloomer actually is a lily.

_autumnale_--Crocus-like flowers four inches across from
September to frost. Leaves two inches wide in spring. Usually
has purple flowers. There are several varieties: album, white;
roseum, pink and often double; ‘The Giant,’ large, late, lilac
and white (best-known variety).

_bornmuelleri_--Generally considered the finest species
with five-inch-wide flowers, rosy-lilac turning to purple and
the tube white.

_luteum_--Rare spring-flowering species, flowers yellow and
smaller, leaves slim and less conspicuous.

_speciosum_--Large leaves, and flowers with pink or white
throats. The white variety album is also large and is often
considered the most beautiful of hardy bulbous plants.

CARE. Soil loamy, slightly acid. Sun or partial shade. Plant in colonies in August, two to three inches deep. Let leaves mature.

PROPAGATION. Separate bulbs. Division of corms. Seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Borders, rock gardens, forcing.

=Crocus= _Iridaceae_

There are three general kinds of these grassy-leaved plants with flaring flowers of several colors. The large flowering “Dutch” hybrids flower in the spring; the usual spring-flowering varieties come earlier and last longer; other species flower in the fall.

_biflorous_--Spring. Bright-purple flowers with darker
stripes, yellowish throat.

_medius_--Fall. Bright-orchid flowers with very pale throat.

_sativus_--Fall. Pastel-lilac flowers accented with scarlet
stamens.

_seiberi_--Spring. Yellow-throated lavender flowers.

_speciosus_--Fall. Light blue with fiery orange stigmas.

_tomasinianus_--Spring. Palest pinkish-blue.

_versicolor_--Spring. Lilac with purple streaks, or, in the
variety picturatus, white with purple feathering.

_zonatus_--Fall. Rosy lavender with orange inside.

CARE. Soil, sandy and drained. Not much fertilizer. Full sun. Hardy, but winter mulch is often helpful. Divide seldom and replant at once. Be on alert for rodents.

PROPAGATION. Offsets, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens, colonization.

=Cyclamen= _Primulaceae_

These are the country cousins of the florist’s cyclamen but smaller in size. Their substantial, heart-shaped leaves are often beautifully marked in marbled patterns and are in a circle near the ground. Generally they are evergreen through the winter but drop before the flowers appear. Each blossom hangs from its own stem with turned-back tubes. Some varieties blossom in summer and fall, some (indoors or in suitable climates) flower In winter or very early spring. A number of varieties are available.

_atkinsi_--Crimson flowers in January, foliage marbled. The
variety album has white flowers; roseum is pink.

_cilicicum_--Purple-throated pale-pink flowers on five-inch
stems (in September), small marbled leaves.

_coum_--Blooms in February and March; choice of red, white,
or pink. Dark-green foliage.

_europaeum_--Fragrant red flowers in late summer. Leaves
marbled.

_libanoticum_--Large flowers with dainty pink blending into
white, in early spring. Foliage marbled.

_neapolitanum_--Exquisite silver-zoned leaves follow the
rosy-pink flowers that push their buds through the soil in
September. The variety album is white.

_repandum_--Red-purple flowers with wide-flaring petals, in
April.

CARE. Humusy soil, with drainage. Must never dry out, but roots must never stand in water. Humidity in greenhouse. Outdoors, shade. Small amount of lime. Once established, small amounts of rotted manure.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, and division (plant with top of tuber at surface; may be dormant first year after planting).

SPECIAL USES. Rock and woodland gardens, forcing.

=Eranthis= _Ranunculaceae_ Winter Aconite

Often during a mild January or February this little flower blooms with its butter-yellow cup on a stem only four inches above the ground. The finely-cut leaves form a collar below the blooms.

‘Cuinia’--Slightly later and faintly fragrant.

_hyemalis_--Long-stemmed ferny leaves with clear yellow
flowers. The variety cilicica has deeper-colored flowers and
brownish leaves.

‘Tubergeni’--A hybrid with larger golden flowers.

CARE. Soil woodsy, not too acid. (Plant is dormant in summer.)

PROPAGATION. Division of roots.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, pockets atop walls, forcing.

=Galanthus nivalis= _Amaryllidaceae_ Snowdrop

An early-flowering plant that often has blooms sticking up through March snow. The narrow leaves form a base for six-inch stems with fragrant white bell-shaped flowers.

Several varieties are available: flore-pleno, double; maximus, larger and less frail-looking flowers; viride-apice, white petals tipped with green.

CARE. Soil heavy, moist, and cool. Considerable shade, but only opens fully in the sun. Top-dress with manure in the fall. Hardy.

PROPAGATION. In fall plant bulbs three to four inches deep, near deciduous trees or shrubs. Most effective in groups. Spreads by self-seeding.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock and wild gardens.

=Gladiolus= _Iridaceae_

In a small woodland garden only the miniature gladiolus is suitable; they are little fellows two and a half inches in height or less. A number of these small ones are available. Named varieties are:

‘Glee,’ ‘Gnome,’ ‘Impresario,’ ‘Little Egypt,’ ‘Little Fawn,’ ‘Little Red Star,’ ‘Little Spice,’ ‘Periwinkle,’ ‘Pinkie Dots,’ ‘Pint Size,’ ‘Whirlybird,’ ‘Red Button,’ ‘Red Dot,’ ‘Red Tweedle,’ ‘Tom Thumb,’ ‘Wee Red.’ As a point of information, the term “small” applies to plants from two and a half to three and a half inches high.

CARE. Good garden soil. If manure is to be used, it should be applied the year previous and worked into the soil; it should not come into contact with the corms. Drainage. Sun.

PROPAGATION. Plant corms or bulbs.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, beds.

=Hyacinthus= _Liliaceae_ Hyacinth

The large formal hyacinths of the regular garden have a number of relatives that are small, delicate, and graceful, including two midget species:

_amethystinus_--Early-flowering Spanish species with
typically flat leaves and nodding blue bell flowers on spikes
seldom over five inches. There is also a white variety, albus.

_ciliatus (azureus)_--Slightly smaller with stiff
three-inch spikes, blue-green leaves often hairy on the edges,
and blue flowers. The variety albus is white.

CARE. Rich fertile soil. Drainage. Mulch if no leaves fall on plants. Sun.

PROPAGATION. Division, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens.

=Leucojum= _Amaryllidaceae_ Snowflake

The long leaves are about a half-inch wide and in a basal circle from which the stems stretch up to hold nodding bell flowers marked on the edge with bright-green dots.

_aestivum_--summer snowflake--Flowers in May. About nine
inches tall, it may be a little large for really small gardens.

_vernum_--spring snowflake--One fragrant bell flower to
each six-inch stem, in April.

CARE. Soil rich and sandy, drainage, protect from hot sun.

PROPAGATION. Detach bulblets after leaves wither. Self-seeds. Increases rather fast. Plant bulblets three to four inches deep.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens.

=Muscari= _Liliaceae_ Grape Hyacinth

These slim-leaved plants come in a wide variety with a selection of flowering times from early March through May and have clusters of flowers that look bright and grape-like or soft and plumy.

_armeniacum_--Violet-blue flowers on six-inch stems.
The variety cantab blooms in mid-spring, clear blue and
sweet-scented. ‘Early Giant’ is larger and earlier. True blue.

_botryoides album_--Heavenly white and fragrant. The most
compact and suitable for smaller gardens, or forcing.

_comosum monstrosum (plumosum)_--feather or tassel
hyacinth--Lavender feather dusters in late May.

_moschatum flavum_--Out-of-the-ordinary purple flowers
turning to yellowish in March and April. One of the smaller
species.

_pacemosum_--Fragrant, deep-blue flowers on eight-inch
stems.

_parodoxum_--Flowers of blue so dark they’re nearly black.

_tubergianum_--A newly introduced species, with the top
flowers turning lighter, and the lower ones darker. (Mid-April.)

CARE. Soil deep, rich, and sandy. Drainage. Sun or light shade.

PROPAGATION. Offsets, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens.

=Narcissus= _Amaryllidaceae_ Daffodil

It is very unlikely that the average gardener realizes how many varieties in the narcissus world are under six inches in height at maturity. One catalogue lists over two hundred names of little varieties for little gardens. Obviously, only a few can be mentioned here.

_bulbocodium_--hoop-skirt daffodil--The “trumpet” is drawn
in a bit at the mouth, making it more like a balloon than a
trumpet. Six smallish petals twist and turn shyly behind. All
varieties are under six inches tall. Among the smallest are
three-inch, scented, white-flowering monophyllus (for forcing
only); obesus, with a fat yellow trumpet; tunifolium, smaller,
brighter, and later than the species; and scented vulgaris
nivalis, the smallest of all at two to three inches and very
early. The variety conspicuus is the easiest to grow and about
four inches tall.

_cyclamineus_--The nodding trumpets are long and slim, the
petals fold straight back around the stem, giving a feeling
of motion. The species is all yellow and about four inches
high. Among the smallest hybrids are ‘Milky-White,’ ‘Yindee,’
‘Minicycla,’ deep yellow ‘Jetage,’ and ‘Flute.’

_jonquilla_--Like the familiar jonquils, these are usually
scented and have small, flattish cups with a neat ruff of flat
petals around the neck. The variety atlanticus is pure white and
four inches high; the variety juncifolius is three inches high
and has several scented yellow flowers per stem. ‘Peachblossom’
is similar and one inch taller.

_tazetta_--Similar to jonquils, but the cups are even
smaller and flatter. They are mostly early flowering and have
several blooms to a stem. The species is twelve inches tall, but
the variety lacticolor (canaliculatas) is only four inches, with
yellow cup and white petals that flare back. ‘Halenzy’ combines
pale yellow and white. ‘Shrew’ is the tiniest.

_triandrus_--angel’s tears--Several drooping flowers per
stem, the center cup-shaped, the petals turned back and twisted
rather like a tiny fuchsia flower. Among the varieties, albus is
all white, and three to four inches high; concolor is all gold;
‘Frosty Morn’ is white; ‘Poppet’ has yellow petals and a white
cap.

_trumpet_--Miniature replicas of the familiar larger types,
the flaring trumpet standing out from a collar of six petals. In
some types the petals are flat, in others wavy or twisted. Among
these, asturiensis (minimus) is the smallest of all daffodils;
minar (nanus) is slightly larger, two to three inches tall; ‘Wee
Bee’ is lemon yellow and five inches tall. ‘Little Beauty’ has
two shades of yellow; ‘Sneezy’ is all yellow, and four inches
high.

CARE. Average soil (acid or alkaline), not too heavy, not too light. Drainage. Fertilize little and use only bone meal. Mulch with stone chips to prevent flowers being spattered with mud during rain.

PROPAGATION. Bulbs. Plant in August if possible. Plant in groups because of small size. Allow space for increase. Plant smallest bulbs one and a half inches deep; large bulbs, the depth of bulb itself. Don’t disturb unless crowded.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens, containers.

=Oxalis= _Oxalidaceae_

Bulbous or tuberous shamrock-leaved perennials with five-petaled, buttercup-shaped flowers that close in the dark, most of them much hardier than realized and all suitable for indoor or greenhouse planting.

_adenophylla_--Blue-green leaflets, clusters of pink
flowers with deeper pink veins (May and June). Three inches
tall. Hardy.

_enneaphylla_--Tuberous-rooted perennial with gray-green
leaves and large white-purple veined flowers; two inches. Spring
bloomer.

_lasiandra_--More fragile species, bulbous with tight
clusters of deep-rose flowers. Dig and store in fall, or provide
protection. Sun.

_rubra (crassipes)_--Not bulbous but with thickened roots.
Pink flowers in clusters above the leaves.

_variabilis rubra_--Dense mats of fresh green leaves under
deep-pink flowers, some two inches across. Hardy as rubra.

CARE. Average soil. Dig and store bulbs of some species.

PROPAGATION. Division of roots, bulbs.

SPECIAL USES. House plants, rock planting, containers.

=Sternbergia lutea= _Amaryllidaceae_ Winter Daffodil

Popularly called a daffodil and compared to a crocus, but these small amaryllids beat both of those plants for durability and distinction. They have up-facing butter-yellow flowers like squat, flaring, two-inch vases. They bloom in mid-September with the flowers lasting some weeks. The narrow leathery leaves often last through the winter but die back by spring. Fragrant.

CARE. Heavy soil, barely acid. Dry, drainage. Sun.

PROPAGATION. Bulbs.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens.

=Tulipa= _Liliaceae_ Tulip

These are typical tulips with flowers that are up-facing bells or saucers, but are varied in shape, colors, and markings of the petals. They keep tightly closed after dark and on dark days but open wide in the sun. The foliage may be wide or grassy, clean green or mottled. Included here are only the smallest available species.

_batalini_--Twisted, narrow leaves and soft creamy-yellow
flowers (in April).

_biflora_--Only two or three slim, tapered leaves around a
four-inch flower stem bearing from one to three long, striped
buds which open to flat, white, star-shaped flowers with golden
centers. Often blooms in March. Variety turkestanica has wider
leaves and up to ten flowers per stem.

_dasystemon (tarda)_--Polished blue-green leaves fan out
flat under three-inch stems with bouquets (three to five) of
yellow-centered white flowers. Some have pointed petals striped
lengthwise with green on the outside. (Mid-April.)

_eichleri_--Typically broad leaves, stems six to eight
inches, fiery-red flowers with gold and blue-black centers and
gold stripes outside.

_kaufmanniana_--water-lily tulip--The leaves are very
broad, short, and sharply pointed; the stems are sturdy and five
inches long. The flowers are very large, creamy yellow marked
with carmine (in April). There are many named varieties with
flowers in shades and combinations of gold, scarlet, cream, and
even salmon pink.

_kolpakowskiana_--Long, blue-green leaves waved on the
edges, yellow flowers blotched with brick red on the outside (in
April).

_linifolia_--Narrow, wavy leaves and six-inch stems topped
with satiny scarlet flowers, marked with blue-black at the heart
(in April).

_patens (persica)_--Slim, arching leaves, stems with one to
three flowers, yellow, darker outside, fragrant (in May).

_puchella_--Early, even before the daffodils. Slim leaves.
Flowers an odd shade of lavender and tinged red. Slightly larger.

_stellata chrysantha_ (originally considered a species,
chrysantha)--Curved-down blue-green leaves, six-inch stems;
cherry-flushed yellow flowers opening to flat stars (in April).