1 68 



IRISH GARDENING 



Herbaceous Plants. 



FoK a *io(»(l inan\ years now lui liarf(iii> plants 

 have eiijoycul considoiahk' I'aNoiii' aindiis: 

 •fardenors. and it is ])r()bable that tlu'ir ]»(i|nilarit y 

 w ill 1)1' miK-li iiuTi'asc'd diiriiij,^ the lU'Xt few years. 

 The ex|)eiise and labour entailed in iaisin<,f lai<fe 

 (|uantities of bedding plants annually will lead 

 many owners of trardens to consider whether a 

 li'ss expensive and yet e(|ually sat isfaetoi_\- 

 system of inaintainiji*i a display is not possible. 

 It may not l)e possible all at onee to do away 

 with formal beds anil flower ganlens. iuit a 

 iinulual atlo])tion of herbaeeoiis plants and other 

 liardy-Howerin<f subjects will undoubtedl.x 

 eventually reduee the lunnber of tendei' plants 

 where the exjjense of ])ro\idin,tr heat is found to 

 be too great. 



Herbaceous plants, when properly maiiaucd. 

 are capable of an effect ecpial to any tender 

 plants, and can be maintaini'd in beauty and 

 viijour indefinitely. By herbaceous plants we 

 usually mean hardy perennials, but there ar(\ of 

 eourse. many hardy anmuds and biennials 

 which can be raised perfectly well without h.eat, 

 and which, can be used to supplement tlie 

 peremiials with the best possible effect. 



Herbaceous plants are usually cultivated in 

 borders, but may equally well be grown in beds, 

 and many combinations are possible whereby 

 the tlis})lay may be kej)t up. 



In whatever way the plants are to he 

 arranged the first consideration is the condition 

 of the soil. Thorough preparation is absolutely 

 essential, and the ground should be trenched at 

 least two feet deep, and more if time and labour 

 permit. If the staple soil of the garden is heavj^ 

 stable manure will be best, placing a good layer 

 in the bottom of the trench and another under 

 the top s])it. If manure is scarce. leaves and all 

 other garden refuse may be placed in the bottom, 

 reserving the manure for the top. If the soil be 

 light and poor, cow manure will be more suitable, 

 and the addition of road scrapings, burnt soil 

 from the garden bonfire, old potting soil, and 

 any other good soil obtainable worked in on top 

 wall be a great advantage. It cannot be too 

 strongly emphasised that to maintain the plants 

 in vigour over a number of years the soil must be 

 made rich. Some of the finest herbaceous plants 

 are gross feeders, making a large mass of roots, 

 and consequently require much food. If the 

 border or bed be n:ade really good at first the 

 work of keeping it in that condition will be much 

 easier in subsequent 3'ears. 



There is a difference of opinion as to when is 

 the best time to plant herbaceous plants. As a 

 general rule autumn planting is best, in the 

 writer's opinion. If a plant of Aster, Rudbeckia 



oi- any other librous-rooted herliaeeous plant lie 

 lifted and c.xaniined now many small ni-w white 

 roots will he noticed. These are g|-owing ami 

 attaching themseKes to the soil. e\en while the 

 sti'Uis are d\ing down. ami. if Kit till spiiiig 

 before beinc;; lift,., I and replante<l. obviously 

 inaii\ ol these roots inu.st li,' destroyed, and the 

 plain has to repair this loss Icfore sat isfact<UT 

 -lowth can he made; t hereh.re. t lie earlier in 

 autumn the plants can lie got into position the 

 better a start they will make in spring, as they 

 are ah'eady partl.\ est a l.lisli( d . There are, of 

 course, always e.\ce|)t ional circumstances. 



In disti-iets where the natural soil is very 

 hea\y and the position low lying, the soil 

 ra]>idly I ecomes cold in aiilun,ii. and young 

 i-oots do not llonrish in sueh cojiditions. and. in 

 fact, may he killed altogether, resulting in maji_\- 

 blanks ill spriiii:. Tn such cases th.e ground 

 should he prepared in autumn and planted in 

 spring. 



Then, again, among the plants themselves 

 there are exce])tions. 8ome soft fieshy-rooted 

 plants like Knij)hofia (Tritoma) As])hodelus. 

 Gaillardias and such like root badly if i)lanted in 

 autinnn : oji the other hand, subjects like 

 Paeonies should be planted in Septendier if 

 possible. It is clear, therefore, that all her- 

 baceous plants should not be j)lanted at the 

 same time, though the majority may be planted 

 in autumn immediat{>ly the shoots have died 

 down. 



In plaiuiing out a border sj)ace must be left 

 for such things as are better planted in s])ring, 

 and places for Peonies may be filled temporarily 

 with annual Tai-kspurs, Lavateras, &c. When- 

 ever the planting may be done it is best to use 

 small plants ; by this is meant small pieces, 

 consisting of a few crowns onl}^ as in the case of 

 Michaelmas Daisies. If a clump of, say, six or 

 eight inches across be examined it will ])robably 

 be found to consist of a mass of small crow'ns 

 or young shoots. Planted thus it will result in 

 a mass of weak growths, which will jjroduce 

 indifferent flowers and have no effect worth 

 talking about ; and the same applies to other 

 plants of similar habit. In all cases, then, be 

 satisfied with healthy small pieces or vigorous 

 young plants. 



In arranging the i)lants the aim is to have a 

 continuou.s display over as long a period as 

 possible, therefore a due proportion of spring, 

 summer and autumn flowering plants must be 

 included : also the planting must be done so 

 that not too many subjects of one season are 

 found close together. Early spring kinds should 

 be planted so that they will be followed and 

 partly screened by summer and autumn kinds. 

 Elaborate colour schemes are seldom satis- 



