286 Landscape Gardening 



are chiefly of three species, P. tenuifolia, P. officinalis and 

 P. albiflora. 



P. tenuifolia, Fig. 162, the cut-leaved peony, is valuable 

 for its rich crimson flowers, which appear in advance of 

 the other species, and for its finely cut foliage. P. officinalis, 

 the old-fashioned double white, rose and red peonies. These 

 flower next in order. They are found in every old garden. 

 There are single forms w^hich are also worthy of a place 

 in hardy flower borders. P. albiflora. Fig. 163, has given 

 an almost endless number of varieties, many of w^hich are 

 fragrant. The flowers are single and double and the colors 

 are white, often tinted yellow or cream, and shades of red 

 varying from the most delicate blush to deepest crimson. 

 All of the peonies are hardy and thrive in any good garden 

 soil. They are gross feeders, and if good flowers are 

 wanted, annual applications of manure should be made in 

 the fall. Propagation is by division, and planting should 

 be done in September or October. The peony is an excep- 

 tion to the general rule of plants in that it should not be 

 transplanted every three or four years. This length of 

 time is required for the average nursery-grown plants to 

 really get established. Peonies may be found in old 

 gardens that have never been transplanted and are still 

 producing annual crops of flowers. It may be beneficial 

 to transplant them occasionally into fresh soil. 



Phlox {Phlox paniciilata) , Fig. 164. — The different species 

 of phlox give a succession of bloom from spring until fall, 

 but the most commonly grown of the perennial kinds is the 

 paniculata group or summer-flowering phloxes. These 

 showy plants are favorites everywhere for their neat habit 

 of profuse bloom, wide range of color and general ease of 

 culture. The colors range from white through shades of red 

 to deep purple. The flowers are variously marked. 



The next section in importance is suffnUicosa, which 



