THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK 



them will give flowers in late summer. With the larkspurs plant the 

 Madonna Lily, Lilium candidiim, its immaculate flowers and the glorious 

 blue shades of the larkspurs make a most exquisite combination. Pinch 

 back some of the phlox shoots when a few inches high : this will help to 

 prolong the flowering season. 



A few other perennials of sterling merit are : aquilegias, campanulas, 

 monkshoods, lupines, Dictamnus or gas plant, Lychnis, Japanese anemones, 

 sunflowers, boltonias, asters, veronicas, Dianthus, anchusas, and chrysan- 

 themums. 



The following I would select as a dozen really first-class perennials — 

 probably there are others equally good, but these are hardy, free-flowering, 

 and give a long season of bloom in the aggregate: Dictamnus Fraxinclla, 

 Anemone japonica alba, Lupinus polyphyllus, Phlox Miss Lingard, Del- 

 phinium, Belladonna, Paeonia festiva maxima, Aquilegia chrysantha. Aster 

 Perry's Pink, Iris pallida dalmatica, Geum coccineum Mrs. Bradshaw, 

 Viola cornuta atropurpurea, and Chrysanthemum maximum. 



As a dozen for cutting purposes, I would plant lily-of-the-valley, cam- 

 panulas, Gypsophila paniculata fl. pi., Aquilegia, phloxes, larkspurs, asters, 

 peonies, iris. Euphorbia coroUata, Hcmerocallis. chrj-santhemums, monks- 

 hoods, and anemones. 



For those wanting to try a dozen really good perennials, of more recent 

 introduction, I would suggest : Gypsophila paniculata fl. pi.. Chrysan- 

 themum Autumn Glory; Heuchera Nancy Perry; Achillea piarmica 

 Perry's White; Geum coccineum Mrs. Bradshaw; Delphinium Pcrsiin- 

 mon; Phlox Elizabeth Campbell; Aster Feltham Blue; Aconitum Wil- 

 soni; Anchusa Italica Opal; Clematis recta fl. />/.; and the almost ever- 

 blooming Viola cornuta atropurpurea. 



Added to the strictly herbaceous perennials should be some varieties 

 usually treated as biennials, including Canterbury bells, daisies, forget- 

 me-nots, pansies, foxgloves, rockets, and hollyhocks, although the last 

 named is sometimes perennial. For purely edging purposes the forms of 

 Viola cornuta, the hardy pinks, armerias, Campanula carpatica, and dwarf 

 phloxes, like P. subulata and P. divaricata, are splendid. 



Rock gardening is at last coming much to the fore, and I am glad pro- 

 vision is being made for rockeries at the coming New York spring show, 

 and the large show to be held in Boston in May. This type of gardening 

 is wonderfully interesting, and if anyone has a suitable location and the 

 necessary stones, they will be surprised at the pleasure obtainable from 

 even a very small piece of ground. A full afternoon would, however, be 

 necessary to treat this subject. 



Borders of irregular outline backed by shrubs make ideal locations for 

 perennials and bulbs, and if, in planting, the different patches are carefully 

 dovetailed, gaps will not be conspicuous, and will be easily filled by using 

 summer bulbs or annuals. Some scented plants like heliotrope, lemon 

 verbena and scented geraniums should always be included. The bulbs. 



