For March, l')20 



99 



Our Perennial Flowers 



A. WITTRUP 



FLuW'KRS are the soul of the garden — the grounds 

 may be veiy attractively arranged with trees, ever- 

 greens and shrubs yet without flowers they are what 

 the woods and natural meadows would be without the 

 gay dotting and sprays of color which lend gayety and 

 brilliance in varying succession from Spring until frost 

 or later. 



Yet we see many home-grounds well planted with 

 trees and shrubs and with well kept lawns, millions of 

 city homes with a little space in the front of the house 

 and a fairly large backyard with few or no flowers — 

 lacking the life and music of color — the element that 

 draws out the soul of man to join that of Nature, as ex- 

 pressed in legend and poetry from time immemorial. 



Why is this ? Everybody loves flowers — but many have 

 the idea, dating from the time of carpet bedding and 

 bedding out plants, that more time is needed to give 

 flowers the proper care than they, in the multitudinous 

 attractions of city life, can devote to them. This is a 

 serious mistake — we have the hardy perennial flowers, 

 that once planted in good soil require very little care 

 during the Summer and only a light protection in Winter 

 — and for this little attention they give us year after year 

 beautiful blossoms, color and fragrance. 



.And why indeed should one not attend to the labors 

 of gardening? Are its rewards less than some activities 

 assumed as recreation ? Is not the satisfaction of being 

 a co-worker with Nature in production of some of her 

 choicest characters wonderfully worth while? 



One need only to think of the thousands of lovely cot- 

 tage gardens in the old villages of England, to see how 

 flowers and vines can help transform the simplest house 



into a most charming home. But whether the garden 

 b^ small or large — informal or formal, the best results 

 will be had by using mostly perennial and hardy bien- 

 nials which are to be found in many of the old gardens. 

 The Iris, Peonies. Digitalis, Campanula, Dielytra, 

 Diantlms, Shasta Daisies, Gaillardia, Pyrethrum, Chry- 

 santhemums, Violets, Primrose, Lily of the Valley, 

 Forget-me-nots, Phlox, Hollyhock, Larkspur, Colum- 

 bine — and so one could go on endlessly giving these 

 old names, each one calling up picture after picture of 

 childhood's fairy tales and charming old gardens and 

 homes from the times of our oldest myths, to the dream- 

 land of the future. 



And all these are within reach of everyone practically 

 for the asking. Good soil and sunshine and a little 

 care is all they need, and they adapt themselves to any 

 garden scheme, from that of the cottage, to the park and 

 grounds of the palace, and like the true aristocrat make 

 themselves equally well at home with anyone who love.s 

 ihem. 



Flowers of the field, of the woodland, the meadow. 



Stars of the hillside, or gems of the glade — 

 Modest in purity ; glowing with brighness, 



In the rich folds of the rainbow arrayed — 

 Called into life by the kiss of the sunshine. 



How your warm hues scatter gladness and 

 cheer ; 

 And from your hearts, lo, the perfumes of Eden 



Coyh- diffuse on the scent-laden air. 



— Selected. 



Coiirlcsv f'l Swoiv Nchnv ^ Sonx. 



A dardrn Near Chicago of Perennial Vtaw.-rs IVilh Attractive Planting, i>l Trees and Shnihs as a Backgraiind Setting. 



