PERENNIALS FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES 215 



garden flowers seldom grow in nature together. Most of the garden 

 flowering plants demand ample sunlight for their best development. 

 For those who develop homes, and attempt the making of a flower 

 garden on areas covered with dense shade of large trees, it is impossible 

 to provide the ideal flower garden which one may have wished so often 

 to possess. Trees must be sacrificed, or soil conditions will be too wet 

 or too dry. Spreading roots from such trees will steal plant food from 

 the garden, and sunlight so essential for the development of fine 

 flowers will be shut out. The true garden lover who realizes that 

 plants, like human beings, thrive only in congenial and healthful 

 surroundings will either love and preserve his trees or will have the 

 courage of his convictions to remove unnecessary trees and give 

 to his flower garden ideal conditions of air and sunlight. Morning 

 sunlight is generally considered more effective in producing plant 

 growth than afternoon sunlight. 



Trees on the north side of a garden are seldom objectionable; 

 but most trees within the garden or on the south and west side are very 

 undesirable. 



Persons who are planting a perennial garden for the first time, 

 and who are not familiar with the flowering types of perennials, should 

 adhere, in the selection of plants, to a few hardy types of perennials, 

 such as the iris, the phlox, the larkspur, the chrysanthemum, and the 

 columbine, together with others shown in this list (XXXI-A). All 

 of these, with average care, are certain to produce flowers. The more 

 unusual types can be selected and introduced into the garden as one's 

 knowledge of them increases. 



For a person who is a lover of garden flowers, and who attempts to 

 procure definite colour combinations during different periods of the 

 growing season, it is well to outline groups of perennials, from each of 

 which material may be selected to produce the desired effect. We 

 should associate perennials in groups for season and colour in order to 

 use them most successfully. This knowledge comes only with a 

 certain experience. There also may be plants found outside of these 

 groups which can be used to advantage. The object in compiling 

 these groups has been to establish a definite reference list from which 

 the more important types can readily be found and associated in one's 

 mind with the definite purpose for which they can be best used. 

 Frequently, as a matter of taste, one person may desire a garden with 

 yellows and blues predominating. Another may desire a garden with 



