Perennials in the American Garden 



By Richard Rothe. 



Under hardy perennials we understand herbaceous 

 plants of marked longevity, distinguished by ornamen- 

 tal foliage and flowers. As such we know, they have 

 been cherished in the gardens of the ancient and, cen- 

 turies later, we notice their prominent part on the 

 terraces of the Italian Renaissance. The rigid for- 

 mality of the French epoch and the stitt lines of the 

 succeeding Dutch gardens left little room for their 

 use, while the following era of the free naturalistic 

 English park, though at the beginning appreciative 

 and liberal in granting space, soon indulged in the car- 

 pet-bedding fad to an extent to render the hardy her- 

 baceous border a side issue of secondary importance. 

 This was the state of affairs when most of us started 

 our professional career. 



Many of us have designed and planted such borders, 

 running along tree and shrub plantations. Here we 

 have made our first acquaintance with numerous spe- 

 cies old and new. We learned to treasure their willing- 

 ness to thrive at a minimum of care, and their hardi- 

 ness frequently has misled some of us to look at the 

 perennial plant border as a labor-saving device. Ex- 

 pecting wonders in permanence without cultural efforts, 

 we not seldom found ourselves disappointed. 



Again, the beauty of flowers, unexcelled in variety, 

 form and color, produced by rational treatment, never 

 failed to rekindle enthusiasm. Another stimulant to 

 this effect proved the steady influx of new introduc- 

 tions. But after all, be it admitted, that the first im- 

 pulse for the present general revival of interest in her- 

 baceous plants was given by Great Britain, with Ger- 

 many as her close second. Ideal climatic conditions 

 and a traditional perception and love for the beautiful 

 in floral garden effects resulted in examples well worth 

 envy. Old-time favorites, for a long period inmates 

 of modest country people's front yards, re-entered 

 the gates of the gardens of the aristocracy. We wit- 

 nessed the beginning, not of a fad, but of a new era. 

 As its morning chime we heard the plea for the lovely 

 treasures of our grandmothers' old-fashioned flower 

 gardens. The movement found ready enthusiasts on 

 this side of the Atlantic and has steadily gained in 

 strength. Today it is not any more a mere revival of 

 interest. \\'e find ourselves face to face with the pe- 

 rennial flower garden as a distinct branch of modern 

 garden art. 



The development in this direction is one of the rapid 

 evolutionary features characteristic of our age. Re- 

 viewing the work of the last 25 3'-ears we find nearly all 

 the leading horticultural branches in active co-opera- 

 tion for a common cause. Garden architects and the 

 educated class of landscape and private gardeners 

 proved alert in realizing the demands of time. Nurs- 

 eries specializing in the growing of hardy herbaceous 

 plants endeavored to educate their patronage, not 

 alone by descriptive notes, but by practical advice in 

 regard to culture in their catalogues. 



These catalogues are handed over to us year after 

 year, hut we rarely fully appreciate the immense work 

 entailed in their make-up and the meaning of well se- 

 lected illustrations which in many instances convev 

 excellent suggestions for artistic arrangements. To be 

 just, we cannot overlook the important part of mission- 

 ary work done by enthusiastic amateurs. The high 

 educative value of the bonks of ATiss Gertrude Jeckyl 

 published in England have fructified the conception of 



artistic use of hardly perennials of home owners and 

 gardeners both here and abroad. There are popular 

 works of American writers on the same subject which 

 are well worth serious study. Granted, that at times 

 the glowing phraseology of certain of our magazine 

 authors is apt to evoke the indulgent smiles of prac- 

 tical horticulturists, but on the other hand there is no 

 gainsay that we at present often meet ladies with a 

 wonderful ingenuity for artistic color combinations and a 

 remarkable knowledge of plant species and varieties. 



I firmly- believe we have reason to be thankful for 

 the co-operation of some of our ladies who adopted 

 landscape gardening as professional calling. The gar- 

 dens of Miss Beatrix Jones testify to her great re- 

 sourcefulness in effective use of the plant material. We 

 are forced to recognize the subtle eye of a true artist 

 with ideas of her own. 



The herbaceous flower garden as a modern feature 

 of American home-grounds has become a fact, and as 

 to its future there is no doubt. Of course, the skeptic 

 still points at the brief flowering period of many of the 

 best plant species in this class. It is sometimes assert- 

 ed that the hot summer climate of our middle Atlantic 

 and central states is a serious obstacle for a venture in 

 the given direction. We are also reminded of the diffi- 

 culties in keeping up the neat and tidy appearance of 

 such gardens throughout the season. Nevertheless 

 those gardens continue to steadily gain in general 

 popularity. There must be a reason for this state of 

 affairs. Compare the customary formal parterre or the 

 conventional shape and looks of the better class of 

 flower beds on our lawns with the advanced type of 

 modern herbaceous gardens and you will find it. The 

 former since nearly a century- represents the scene of a 

 constant repetition of the customary spring arrays of 

 hyacinths, tulips, pansies and so forth, well arranged 

 as to colors, demonstrating the will to beautify 

 grounds, and thus add to a certain standard of refine- 

 ment of the locality. 



During the succeeding summer and fall months we 

 witness the stately display of Cannas, Geraniums, Cro- 

 tons. Coleus, Scarlet Sage and other bedding plants ; 

 bright brilliant in hues and in design, very often a 

 credit to the skill of the gardener. For those of us in- 

 terested with the execution of the work it means the 

 annual routine of growing the material in masses. It 

 means exactness in carrying out and maintaining the 

 outlines of the given design. The most important ob- 

 ject is an effect of sufficient permanency to last 

 throughout the whole season. It is that ornamentality 

 which in my opinion will always be indispensable on 

 our city square and boulevards. The design and floral 

 plant material for the sunken gardens of public parks 

 and the formal parterres in front imposing architec- 

 tural structures both public and private. Modified 

 down to limitations required by the average suburban 

 home ground, it constituted the most convenient way 

 of gardening to augment cheerful outward appearance. 

 But we should realize in its conventualisni it remains 

 gardening, showing the least freedom for the exertion 

 of individuality. The owner may take pride in his 

 grounds, he may be a lover of plants, he mav have a 

 deeper concern in his flowers, he may- not — the outside 

 aspect as a rule allows little or no conclusions. 



Enter the modern herbaceous flower garden, pref- 

 erablv the one of regular formal design surrounded bv 



