THE BOOK OF THE PEONY 



in connection with many noted gardens, always 

 adds greatly to the picture. A faultless garden 

 should have an enticing view as well looking out 

 from as looking into it. This can be obtained in 

 several ways — for example, by planting shrubs 

 and trees in the distance to secure a good skyline 

 or by growing large fields of bright-coloured flow- 

 ers to create the impression that the world is 

 all flowers if one cares to go on and on. To stand 

 within a well-kept garden and to see beyond, the 

 work that nature will do for us if we will but start 

 it, a meadow with naturalised yellow daffodils, 

 an apple orchard in fairy bloom, a hillside cov- 

 ered with sheets of white anemones, groups of 

 brilliant red P. officinalis bordering a brook, 

 masses of blue iris fringing a pond, — is to behold 

 the necessarily smaller garden enlarged and 

 perfected. 



Selection of Place for Planting 

 In selecting the location for planting peonies 

 it is important to keep a few fundamental prin- 

 ciples in mind. 



Good drainage is vital: while the peony de- 

 mands a plentiful supply of water just before 



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