AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



187 



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ment of this kind. To discuss tlie subject 

 from the basis of the "mixed bordei'," is 

 completely to beg the question, and in most 

 cases when people discuss this question, the 

 old mixed border seems to represent their 

 ideal of the highest beauty to be attained by 

 the use of the hardy herbaceous and alpine 

 flora of our gardens. To me it has a very 

 different and a very much wider and nobler 

 aspect. I have been somewhat surprised 

 that people have spoken so encouragingly of 

 the matter, considering their point of view. 

 During the past eight or nine years I have 

 sought after hardy plants of all kinds unre- 

 mittingly, and previous to that I had seen a 

 few good old-fashioned mixed borders ; but at 

 no time have I ever seen anything in this way 

 that displayed a tithe of the beautiful plants 

 which it might have had, or that was in any 

 way worthy of a beautiful garden. Assuredly 

 a well arranged mixed border would be one of 

 the most interesting things ever seen in any 

 garden. But it is not alone in that way that 

 the plants under discussion may be made 

 available. Many combinations of the utmost 

 beauty and which have not yet been attempted 

 in gardens, are quite possible with them, and 

 very few have any idea of the many divers 

 ■ways in which they may be cultivated, so as to 

 attain the happiest results." A collection of 

 hardy plants is most interesting, and should 

 form a feature in every garden. Their treat- 

 ment is of the easiest description, provided 

 due preparation is made for their reception, 

 and ordinary attention bestowed afterwards 

 in keeping the borders cleaned, and the plants 

 tied up to protect them from rough winds. 

 Some sorts are well adapted for massing in 

 large or small beds, the majority however, 

 most suitable for cultivation in private gar- 

 dens may be better arranged in mixed 

 borders, reserving the dwarf and more deli- 

 cate sorts for special culture in the rock- 

 garden. A general display at any particular 

 season is not usually the rule with a varied 

 collection of herbaceous plants, yet their 

 flowering period extends with one or another 

 genus nearly throughout the year; spring 

 and autumn being the seasons when most 

 are represented, their requirements being 

 more fully met by a cooler temperature and 

 moister atmosphere than those experienced 

 in summer. Mixed borders, groups and beds 

 of the finer perennials maybe much improved 

 by being varied with tufts of the finer orna- 

 mental grasses, which see. Various select 

 perennials, grown in quantity, afford an in- 

 valuable supply of cut flowers especially in 

 early autumn; a large number also of the 

 bulbous section, flower verj^ early in spring, 

 and are additionally attractive and useful on 

 that account. The majority of hardy plants 

 may be readily raised from seed, sown outside 

 after the first of April, when germination is 

 tolerably certain ; a large proportion however 

 may be readily propagated by division on the 

 commencement of the new growth in spring. 

 The following selection embi-aces many of 

 the most desirable species and varieties ; as a 

 guide in planting we give the color and the 

 average height in feet : 

 Achillea Eupatorium, bright yellow, 4 ft. 

 Millefolium roseum, rose, 2 ft. 

 Ptarmica fl. pi., double white, 1 ft. 

 tomentosa, bright yellow, 1 ft. 



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Aconitum Californicum, blue, 2 to 3 ft. 



Japonicum, flesh color, 6 ft. 



Napellus, blue, 3 to 4 ft. 



variegatum, blue, 3 to 4 ft. 

 Acorus Japonicus variegata, 1\^ ft. 

 Adonis vernalis, yellow, ^^ to 1 ft. 

 .^gopodium podograria variegata, white, 1 ft. 

 ^lithionema grandiflora, rose, l^g ^^• 

 Ajuga reptans, blue, % ft. 



reptans variegata, blue, ^^ ft. 

 Allium Moly, yellow, 1 ft. 

 Alyssum saxatile, yellow, 1 ft. 

 Amsonia salicifolia, blue, 2 ft. 

 Anchusa Italica, bright blue, 3 ft. 

 Anemone Japonica, rosy carmine, 2 ft. 



Japouica alba, white, 2 ft. 

 Anthemistinctoria, yellow, 1)^ ft. 

 Anthericum Liliastrum, white, 1)^ ft. 

 Aquilegia coerulea, blue and white, 1 ft. 



chrysantha, yellow, 2 ft. 



The various varieties of A. vulgaris, both 

 double and single, height 2 to 3 ft. 

 Arabis albida, white, }/^ to ^4 ft. 



albida variegata, white, % ft. 

 Armeria vulgaris, or maritima, the variety called 



" Crimson Gem," bright rose, 1 ft. 

 Asclepias tuberosa, orange, 2 ft. 



verticillata, white, 1}^ ft. 

 Asperula odorata, white, 1 ft. 

 Aster prenanthoides, light blue, 3 ft., and many 



others of our native species. 

 Astilbe Japonica (Spiraea), white, 1 ft. 

 Aubretia, several species, light purple, very 



dwarf. 

 Baptisia Australis, blue, 2 to 3 ft. 

 Betonica grandiflora, purple, 2 ft. 

 Bocconia cordata, buff-color, 5 to 6 ft. 

 Boltonia lataisquama, light blue, 3 ft. 

 Campanula. The species of this genus are all 



well worthy of cultivation. 

 Centaurea montana, purple, 1 ft. 

 Centrauthus ruber, and its white variety, 2 ft. 

 Cerastium tomentosum, white foliage and flow- 

 ers, very dwarf. 

 Chrysopsis Mariana, yellow, 1 ft. 

 Clematis crispa, lilac, 4 to 6 ft. 



erecta, white, 3 ft. 

 Colehicum autumnale, pink, 1 ft. 

 Commelina coelestis, blue, 1 ft. 

 Convallaria majalis (Lily-of-the-Valley). 

 Coreopsis auriculata, yellow, 2 to 3 ft. 



lanceolata, yellow, 2 ft. 



tenuifolia, yellow, 1}^ ft. 

 Coronilla varia, rose and white, 2 to 3 ft. 

 Corydalis nobilis, yellow, 1 ft. 

 Cypripedium spectabile, and other species. 

 Delphinium ciplestinum, light blue, 4 ft. 



formosum, blue and white, 3 ft. 



nudicaule, scarlet, 2 ft. 



Wheelerii, blue and purple, 4 ft. 

 Dianthus plumarius, light purple, 1 ft. 

 Dicentra eximia, pink, l/o ft. 



spectabilis (Dielytra), pink, 2 ft. 

 Dictamnus Fraxinella, pink, 114 ft. 



Fraxinella alba, white, 1>2 ft. 

 Dodecatheon Meadia, etc., pink and yellow, 1 ft. 

 Doronicum Caucasicum and other sorts, yel- 

 low, 2 ft. 

 Dracocephalum, several species, blue, 1 to 2 ft. 

 Echinacea purpurea, red, 3 to 4 ft. 

 Echinops sphferocephalus, light blue, 3 ft. 

 Eomecon chionantha, white, 1 ft. 

 Epilobium augustifolium, crimson, 3 to 6 ft. 

 Epimedium alpinum, red, 1 ft. 



violaceum, white and violet, 1 ft. 



