Fig. 2733. Perennial Border at the Experimental Farm, Ottawa. 



A PERENNIAL BORDER 



BY W. T. MACOUN, HORTICULTURIST, EXPERIMENTAL FARM, OTTAWA. 



AT the Central Experimental Farm, Ot- 

 tawa, there are more than 1,700 spe- 

 cies and varieties of herbaceous perennials. 

 As there is only a limited number of these 

 which can be recommended for general 

 planting, the writer has endeavored to bring 

 the best varieties into a comparatively small 

 area, in order that they may be more easily 

 examined and studied. A border near the 

 house about 150 feet long by 9 feet wide 

 serves the purpose nicely, a background of 

 purple leaved Barberry hedge adding much 

 to the eflfectiveness of the flowers. The ac- 

 companying photo, taken by Mr. Frank T. 

 Shutt, gives some idea of the appearance of 

 the border. The perennials are arranged 

 as far as possible to keep up a succession of 



bloom from early spring until late autumn. 

 Between the clumps of perennials are small 

 clumps of tulips and narcissi, which make 

 the border very gay during part of April 

 and May. Scattered all through the border 

 are Iceland poppies, which begin to bloom 

 in May and continue until July. In July 

 and August the Shirley poppies, which are 

 also scattered through the border, keep up 

 the show. There are also a large number 

 of clumps of Cashmerian Larkspur, which 

 produce a fine effect in late summer. The 

 plan is to both keep up a succession of bloom 

 throughout the summer and to have plenty 

 of blooms, and this is well maintained by 

 the present arrangement. 



