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HORTICULTURE: 



AiJril 23, 1910 



NEW AND DESIRABLE HERBACE- 

 OUS PLANTS. 



Kead before the Gardenei-s' nud Florists' 

 dull of Boston by Arthur K, Thatcher. 



The subject which I have the privi- 

 lege of speaking to you about this 

 evening is one that for the last fifteen 

 years I have been able to talve a very 

 active interest in. During that period 

 many new species and varieties have 

 been introduced, and it is no doubt a 

 truism to say that we can dispense al- 

 together with some of the older forms 

 which were popular fifty years ago In 

 favor of the much improved and beau- 

 tiful new kinds. But it must not be 

 supposed that all the old friends can 

 be discarded. There are some which 

 will undoubtedly continue to be grown 

 so long as gardens exist, and this ap- 

 plies more to species than varieties, 

 for it is among the latter that one 

 looks for the majority of new plants. 

 Although a large number of the newer 

 introductions originated in American 

 and European gardens, the most note- 

 worthy are to be found among the new 

 plants discovered by Mr. E. H. Wilson, 

 and I need offer no apology to the Gar- 

 deners' and Florists' Club of Boston 

 for mentioning this gentleman's name. 

 The results obtained from his labors 

 during the last eleven years are in- 

 valuable. 



Horticulture is composed of many 

 different branches, each having its own 

 special claim upon the individual, and 

 while all are of absorbing interest I 

 do not think there is one that has 

 greater claims upon us than the culti- 

 vation of herbaceous plants. In this 

 country it is probable that they have 

 not yet attained the same degree of 

 popularity as in Europe, but with the 

 ever-increasing love for outside gar- 

 dening, which is so noticeable here, I 

 feel sure that the day is not far dis- 

 tant when their merits will be fully 

 appreciated. In no country in the 

 world can they be grown more suc- 

 cessfully, and one has only to notice 

 the luxuriance of the native flora, such 

 as solidagos. asters, cypripediums and 

 lobelias to see this. I would like to 

 say a word here about cultivation as 

 one frequently meets people who are 

 under the impression that herbaceous 

 plants when once planted can be left 

 to take care of themselves for an in- 

 definite period, but this is quite errone- 

 ous; and though they may not be so 

 exacting in their requirements as the 

 denizens of glass houses, yet to main- 

 tain them in good health and produce 

 the best results the necessary amount 

 of attention must be given. In making 

 a herbaceous border, which is to be 

 I)ermanent, it should first of all be seen 

 that the drainage is good, as very few 

 except semi-aquatics will succeed un- 

 der water logged condition, and the 

 border should be not less than six feet 

 in width, but much finer eifects can be 

 produced if from eight to ten feet can 

 be allowed. A good background is 

 always desirable and two excellent sub- 

 jects for the purpose are climbing 

 roses or a row of sweet peas, but, of 

 course, what to use must be decided 

 by the situation of the border. Trench 

 the soil in the fall to a depth of two 

 and a half to three feet and incorporate 

 plenty of decayed manure or other en- 

 riching material and leave the surface 

 in a rough condition till spring so 

 that the climatic effects may sweeten 

 the soil and render it in good condition 



for working. The latter part of March 

 or the first two weeks in April is the 

 best time to plant if the frost is out 

 of the ground sufficiently, and it is ad- 

 visable, if one is not well acquainted 

 with the subjects, to make a plan of 

 the border before hand, showing where 

 each variety is to be planted. Har- 

 mony of color is of great importance 

 and can only be obtained by making 

 a plan or having a good knowledge of 

 the plants, and of equal importance is 

 the arrangement. Tall growing plants 

 must, of course, find positions at the 

 back of the border; but the mistake is 

 not infrequently made of carefully 

 graduating the heights so that the 

 tallest are at the back and the lowest 

 at the front, just as one would arrange 

 geraniums on a greenhouse bench. In 

 this way plants lose their individuality, 

 for much of the charm of the border 

 depends on seeing each separately. 

 The most effective arrangement is ob- 

 tained by planting some varieties in 

 groups and others as single specimens, 

 and by having plants of medium height 

 near the front of the border much 

 greater depth results and the general 

 effect is altogether more pleasing. 



Early flowering varieties should not 

 be too near the edge of the border, un- 

 less they retain good foliage till the 

 fall, and others which flower at a later 

 season should be in front of them so 

 that no bare places are apparent. By 

 a judicious selection a succession of 

 blossom may be had from spring till 

 late in the fall, but to obtain such a 

 desirable condition it is necessary to 

 be conversant with the very large num- 

 ber at our disposal and then they can 

 be ordered from the catalogues, but 

 failing this I would suggest going to 

 a good nursery where herbaceous plants 

 are made a specialty of and picking 

 out what appear to be the most suit- 

 able. It is well to remember that the 

 best plants are always the cheapest in 

 the end and that it pays to procure 

 one's plants and advice from the most 

 reliable and up-to-date nurseries. 



In making this selection of new and 

 desirable varieties I have endeavored 

 to include those only which may be 

 relied on to prove satisfactory, and ex- 

 cept in one or two instances they are 

 perfectly hardy. I have also separated 

 them into two sections, the first being 

 suitable for what one might call the 

 herbaceous border proper and the other 

 for waterside planting or where the 

 soil is continually moist. 



Blue fiowered plants, apart from 

 delphiniums, are not numerous, but 

 two very beautiful additions have re- 

 cently been made. Both are varieties 

 of the old Anchusa italica, one being 

 named superba, or Dropm.ore variety, 

 with dark blue blossoms, and the 

 other called Opal, has flowers sky 

 blue in color. These are two remark- 

 ably fine plants, unsurpassed by any- 

 thing with which I am acquainted. 

 As they seldom seed and sometimes 

 show a tendency to die in winter, it 

 is advisable to propagate a few 

 plants during the fall, so that one 

 may be sure of retaining them. 

 Aconitums are on a par with delphi- 

 niums for statliness, and the best 

 should always be included, as they 

 continue to give a succession of 

 bloom over a long period. The most 

 effective is the new A. Wilsonii, 

 which grows 6 feet high, with pale 

 blue flowers. Spark's variety, dark 

 blue, is also good, and A. rostratum, 



which grows four feet tall, is a 

 pleasing shade of pale blue, deeper 

 on the hood. A. hemsleyanum, a new 

 climbing variety, is also interestiag 

 and desirable. Achillea cerisefolium. 

 Cerise Queen is the most recent and 

 desirable addition to this family, and 

 is devoid of the weediness which 

 usually characterises these plants. 

 The flowers, cerise pink in color, are 

 produced abundantly all through the 

 summer and fall. 



It is much to be regretted that 

 Anemone Japonica and its many ex- 

 cellent varieties are not sufficiently 

 hardy to withstand the severity of 

 our New England winters in all lo- 

 calities, but if favored positions are 

 selected for them there is no reason 

 why they should not succeed. Two 

 or three years growth are necessary 

 to get them well established, and as 

 they make long roots which pene- 

 trate deeply, the soil should be well 

 prepared, which enables them to ob- 

 tain the maximum amount of mois- 

 ture and food. Under such conditions 

 the typical variety will grow six feet 

 high, and if they are planted in 

 groups, the luxuriant foliage and 

 great quantities of flowers are unsur- 

 passed in the autumn. There are 

 now numerous varieties, all of much 

 merit, but the old Anemone Japonica 

 with its single pink flowers and the 

 white form are very hard to beat, 

 but one should also include A. J. 

 Autumn Queen, which is dark rose 

 in color and semi-double. Mont Rose 

 is very double and pale pink; Whirl- 

 wind is a fine double white; Prince 

 Heinrich double, dark red, and Pur- 

 purine is a very large flower, pur- 

 plish-rose in color. << 



Among the many low growing 

 plants suitable for clothing the edge 

 of the border there is nothing of 

 greater merit than the double form 

 of Arabis alpina, which is a very old 

 plant, but was lost for many years to 

 cultivation. It grows and blooms very 

 freely from spring until fall, and the 

 pure white flowers are produced on 

 spikes similar to a stock. 



Bocconias or Plume Poppies make 

 extremely effective masses of glau- 

 cous coloring in the garden if ample 

 space can be afforded them, but un- 

 less this is possible I do not advise 

 planting them where they are likely 

 to interfere with their weaker neigh- 

 bors. B. microcarpa will grow eight 

 feet high and produce ample foliage, 

 which is uninjured by strong sunlight. 



We do not usually associate cal- 

 ceolarias with hardy plants, but the 

 introduction of a new variety has en- 

 abled us to have at least one repre- 

 sentative which will thrive in the 

 open ground. This is a hybrid named 

 Golden Queen, with large golden-yel- 

 low flowers, and is valuable, among 

 other reasons, for its persistent flow- 

 ering. 



Everyone admires the campanulas, 

 whether it be the miniature gems 

 from the Alps, the beautiful harebell 

 of Scotland or the giant pyraraidalis, 

 but I think the most desirable for 

 the border are the persicaefolia sec- 

 tion. These flower early in the sum- 

 mer, but if the stems are removed as 

 soon as the blossoms have faded they 

 continue to produce new growths for 

 some time. Moerheimi and Newry 

 Giant are two extremely fine double 

 white varieties, and marginata, which 

 has a band of pale blue on the edge 



