390 



HORTICULTURE. 



Septe liber 21, 1907 



HARDY PERENNIAL PLANTS FOR 

 BEDDING AND CUT-FLOWERS. 



A paper read before the Society of 

 Iowa Florists by G. A. Heyne, Dubuque. 



This class of plants is coming in for 

 its share of appreciation by both the 

 Vifholesale and retail florists, and cer- 

 tainly with the general public. Would 

 advise that every retail florist plant at 

 least a dozen sorts of each tor cutting 

 and bedding where your customers cau 

 see them to make their selections for 

 planting, and also to help sell them as 

 cut-flowers. Of course the stock prop- 

 er may or should be planted where 

 there is plenty of room for them to 

 properly develop and be kept free of 

 weeds. I do not know of any class of 

 plants outdoors that will, with the 

 small amount of care, give as good re- 

 turns for the ground occupied. 



The li.«t of sorts suited for cut- 

 flowers is about one-third of all the 

 commercially grown varieties. For 

 bedding purposes there are at Ica.st 

 half the list available; I mean those 

 that will transplant easily. In bedding, 

 the possibilities of arrangement for 

 best effects are beyond mention. Re- 

 garding the soil requirements of these 

 plants, thiee-fourths will grow in good 

 garden soil. While many recommend 

 the planting of a mixed lot for contin- 

 uous effect, it is certain that massing 

 of some few kinds will give a mere 

 showy effect and also allow for some 

 nice color schemes that could not be 

 had with mixed-up plantings. It aisj 

 helps keep the stock more pure lor 

 sale. 



For a few minutes let us go over a 

 small garden, and note some of the 

 most showy ones, all easil\- grown; 

 see the rose-colored buds of the moss- 

 pink on the terraces; this phlox is very 

 fine for covering graves. Blue bells, 

 Mevtensia virginica with its changing 

 colors of blue pnd pink bells, making 

 a fine border for hardy candy-tufts 

 with their knots of white buds ready 

 to open when May has a few warm 

 days. At the foot of yonder rockery 

 are the Gold-tufts, Alyssum saxetile, a 

 patch of about twenty plants laid out 

 like a large blanket of gold; a ten- 

 cent packet of seed will give several 

 lots like this bright spot. The tufted 

 pansies or violas make a show to re- 

 pay for the care of covering they re- 

 ceived last tall. In May things have 

 more of a height; though Iris puniila, 

 on the kuoll, is about the showiest 

 now, the German Iris with its broad 

 clumps is showing a mass of buds that 

 are useful for cutting, especially the 

 lighter sorts. 



Paeonies of the mutabilis, or offici- 

 nalis type are out, both pink and crim- 

 son. This is a flower coming at a time 

 (Decoration Day) when it is twice wel- 

 come, when the season is late. 



The Chinese paeonies come next in 

 season. There is a clump of fragrance 

 with its large pink flowers, blooming 

 as regular as clock work. Of this class 

 every florist that sells his own grown 

 products should plant heavily. The se- 

 lection of sorts deserves being treated 

 as a separate subject; now is the time 

 to Dlant. 



A MODERN FLOWER STORE. 



New Flowek Store <ik S. Hoffman, Boston, E.xterioi: 



We tal'.e pleasure in showing here- 

 with views in the new flower store of 

 Sidney Hoffman, on Coninionwealth 

 avenue. Boston's most beautiful resi- 

 dential thoroughfare, at the junction 

 of Massachusetts avenue. A shop of 

 moderate size has been conducted 

 there by Mr. Hoffman since sam? was 



given up by Morton Bros., and with 

 such success that he has now taken 

 the entire f.'ont of the building, on 

 the ground floor and basement, and 1 

 the new establishment was opened to ] 

 the jiublie lest Saturday. It is one of 

 the most attractive and convenient es- 

 tablishments in the country and a ' 

 credit to Boston. • 



New Fi.owek Storf, of s. Hoffman, Boston, Interior 



August is the time to plant Oriental 

 poppies; try a clump of a dozen plants. 

 To make a fine yellow scheme, plant 

 Heliopsis Pitcheriana in background. 

 Gaillardia grandiflora in middle, an 1 

 Coreopsis lanceolata around edge; the 

 last are all fine for cutting. 



If more height is wanted add several 

 clumps of Golden Glow Rudbeekia; 

 they certainly grow anywhere and will 

 give flowers by the armful. Achillsa 

 the Pearl, a most useful plant for cut- 

 ting, makes better plants if divided 

 every two years. Gypsophila panicula- 

 ta is indispensable as a cut-flower. The 

 hardy phloxes of the newer sorts niak^' 

 a fine display, and should be plautt:l 

 liberally; best time is spring, as the 

 shoots appear above grjund; give them 



plent,\ of room between rows. Spring- 

 propagated stock blooms later. The 

 hollyhocks are showing more resistance 

 lately to that dreaded disease. A hardy 

 border is hardly complete without th° 

 hollyhock in ii; the single sorts hold 

 up better than the doubles. 



Foxgloves must not be forgo ten. 

 They are very stately in the hardy bor- 

 der. It is advisable to winter some 

 stock inside, or at least give the pro- 

 tection of a cold frame. Would also 

 recommend this treatment for the fol- 

 lowing: Bellis perennis. Primula vul- 

 garis. Campanula, Scabiosa. Tritoma, 

 Snapdragon, Forget-me-not and Holly- 

 hock. This applies to young stock in 

 particular. 



Regarding lilies my experience has 



