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The Spring Garden
By Thomas G. Harrison

The efforts put forth by the Relief Societies two years ago in promulgating a Home Beautification Campaign are being crowned with success. In many wards flower shows have been held this summer, the beautiful displays have thrilled all who saw them. It has been most difficult (when it has fallen to my lot to give the awards) to place the blue ribbons, as the exhibits were of such uniformly high quality.

It was my privilege to assist in the organization of the "Salt Lake Flower Garden Club," which every spring sponsors a flower show, the leaders of our Church having always, by their presence, shown a keen interest in the exhibits.

The purpose of this message is to encourage the planting of Holland bulbs, which can only be done at this season of the year or before the ground begins to freeze. The most popular of these are the Breeder and Darwin tulips. These beautiful, long-stemmed flowers now come in every conceivable shade. The Cottage tulips are also a favorite with many planters; they, too, have long stems, but the shape of the flower differs from the Darwin type in that the petals are pointed-lily-like. These three varieties are glorious when planted in close proximity to the early spring flowering shrubs. Many a tulip blooms to blush unseen because it lacks suitable environment. Shrubbery or walls may form the background, or adjacent and harmonious foliage will add to their glory. From the wide range of spring flowering shrubs one can hardly make a mistake in selecting background. Or it may be that the flowers of the herbaceous plants that bloom simultaneously with the tulip will help create the necessary harmonious or contrasting environment. The narcissi family of bulbs are fast gaining in popularity. Once planted, they can remain in the ground for years. They are most effective when planted in groups, one kind in a group. The daffodil is perhaps the best known of the narcissi. I recommend the planting of some Sulphur Phoenix, White Lady, Sir Watkins, Barri Conspicuous, Orange Phoenix, Lucifer, Laurens Koster, and Poet Horace bulbs as valuable additions to your narcissi collection. To improve your daffodils, get some King Alfred, Spring Glory, Tresserne, and Van Waverens giant. These produce monster flowers and are a great improvement on the Emperor and Empress type. The narcissi bloom in April, many weeks before the longstem tulips.

"A mist o'er the blue sky,
With a falling of rain,
That gleams like spun silver
And it's April again.
"With Daffodil sunshine
And Daffodil flowers,
Then time becomes golden
Between sudden showers.
"With gold and silver
Of sun and the rain,
Rejoice that you're living,
When it's April again."