THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 85 



HERBACEOUS PiEONIES. 



BY THOS. S. WAEE, 

 Hale Farm Nnrseries, Tottenham, N. 



jiERBACEOUS P.EONIES grow so freely and bloom so 

 profusely under the most ordinary conditions, that they 

 well deserve to be planted liberally in all borders 

 devoted to hardy flowers. Eurnished as they are with, 

 large, ample leafage, and, in their season, with hand- 

 some, richly-coloured flowers, they are capable of producing the 

 most striking effect, especially when planted in groups of three or 

 four plants each. I have been induced to say a few words about 

 them, because many people suppose that the old double crim- 

 son pjBony, BO common in cottage and country gardens, and one 

 or two other sorts, are the sole representatives of the family. 

 Instead of this being the case, there are a very considerable number 

 of splendid hybrids ; and in my recently issued catalogue of florists' 

 flowers, I have entered nearly twenty as being especially note- 

 worthy. I know that the existence of these hybrids is not well 

 known, because of the surprise expressed by visitors to the nursery 

 when they are in bloom at seeing pseonies with rosy pink, yellow, 

 and white flowers. 



As regards cultivation, it is not necessary to say much, as tbey 

 grow and flower freely in any ordinary good soil. The main point 

 is to plant them in a position where they will receive some shelter 

 from north and easterly winds. They are hardy enough, so far as 

 their capabilities for resisting frost when dormant are concerned, 

 but they commence to grow early; and as the young growth is, 

 dui'ing the earliest stages, rather soft and succulent,'and it is iujured 

 by late spring frosts if the plants are much exposed, they do 

 not, in consequence, bloom so satisfactorily as could be wished. The 

 young leaves are of a rich red colour early in the spring, and large 

 masses have at that stage a very bright and attractive appearance ; 

 but as borders devoted to herbaceous plants are mostly sheltered, 

 more or less, by surrounding shrubs and trees, it will not be often 

 necessary to provide shelter expressly for them. They do very well, 

 and produce a good display of flowers, planted along the front of 

 shrubbery borders ; but they are the most telling when planted in 

 groups of about three plants each, at intervals of eight feet or so, 

 in the second cr third row of the border devoted to hardy plants of 

 a similar character. In planting them in this manner, care should 

 of course be taken to arrange the colours so that the light and 

 dark varieties alternate throughout the entire length of the border. 



As 1 have already said, they will grow in any ordinary good soil, 

 but they make naore vigorous progress when planted in soil in good 

 heart ; and a little manure may be added with the soil at the points 

 where the plants are to be put. This will give them a good start 

 from the tirst, and help to maintain them in a robust state for 



March. 



