PERENNIALS FOR CUT FLOWERS 



RODERICK CAMERON, NIAGARA FALLS SOUTH, ONT. 



COLOR and variet\- in i)crcimials are 

 legion. For this reason it is a very 

 difficult matter to decide on the specimens 

 which suit best. No two persons nave 

 similar tastes in this regard, and perhaps no 

 two would select the same plants. How- 

 ever, there are numerous good species which 

 give general satisfaction. 



PRI M UL A — PRI M ROSE. 



The hardy primroses are among the most 

 beautiful of our spring plants. Primula 

 vulgaris, and the garden forms of it, thrive 

 admirably at Niagara Falls. The climatic 

 conditions help in this, but the soil in which 

 they are grown is the principal agent. It 

 is a loose, rich, black loam that is always 

 moist. Primula officinalis, or cowslip, and 

 Polyanthus thrive under the same condi- 

 tions. On account of their early flowering 

 (May) they are valuable as cut flowers. 

 They take kindly to pot culture also and 

 are grown for the decoration of conserva- 

 tories. They grow from eight inches to a 

 foot high, and in several shades of color. 

 They are not reliably hardy in northern sec- 

 tions and should be protected. 



CONVALLARIA — LILY OF THE VALLEY. 



This plant is well known to everyone, and 

 is noted as a cut flower the world over in 

 June. It grows to a height of about nine 

 inches. 



PEONIES — PEONY ROSE. 



Peonies bloom in June, and are among 

 the noblest and most beautiful of hardy 

 plants. They are practically indispensable 

 as cut flowers and for the border, and are 

 beautiful in foliage without flowers. There 

 are to be found among them every shade of 

 color imaginable. The Anemone flowered 

 varieties are the best and most beautiful and 

 they are as hardy as the others. There are 

 several excellent varieties among the tree 

 peonies that should be grown by all lovers 



of flowers, particularly the variety Montan, 

 upon which I have counted as many as 150 

 open blooms at one time. The tree peonies 

 are not reliably hardy everywhere ; there- 

 fore, I would rather advise the planting of 

 the herbaceous sorts. The following half- 

 dozen will be found among the best : 

 Grandiflora, pure white; Carnea trium- 

 phans, large flesh color ; Dr. Andry, rose, 

 centre light, extra good ; Edulis superba, 

 extra large, color carmine ; Anemonoeflora, 

 one of the best of the genus, bright rose 

 color. 



ANTHERICUM — ST. BRUNO's LILY. 



I find if these are grown m clumps they 

 are very beautiful, graceful, and fine to cut 

 for small vases. The flowers are pure 

 white and very hardy. They are also very 

 fragrant. I grow two varieties, Lilias- 

 trium major and Liliago, height two feet. 

 They bloom in June. I find Liliastrium 

 major to be the best, yet they are seldom 

 seen in gardens. 



RUDBECKIA — CONE FLOW^ER. 

 There are many excellent varieties among 

 these suitable for the border. They are 

 admired by many for the gorgeous display 

 they make when in bloom. They may be 

 classed among the flowers familiarly known 

 as " cut and come again " variety. Golden 

 Glow needs no description, but I would ad- 

 vise cutting off one half its growth. This 

 will prolong its blooming season two weeks 

 and do away with the necessity of staking. 

 The flowers will be just as large and pro- 

 duced just as freely as if they were allowed 

 their freedom. The best varieties I find to 

 be Golden Glow, yellow, eight to ten feet 

 high ; Calif ornica. dark centre, yellow, four 

 feet high ; Newmanii, yellow, dark centre, 

 two feet high, and our native variety, which 

 is not to be despised, named Hirta. yellow, 

 dark centre, 2 feet high. All bloom in 

 August and September. 



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