THE HARDY PERENNIAL BORDER. 



525 



Fig. 2506. Chas. M. Webster, 



ist Vice-President, C. H. A. 



ing the soil, in their varied modes of enfold- 

 ing- their first leaves with such a variety of 

 color too, from the tenderest green to deep 

 crimson, an added pleasure not derived 

 from ordinary bedding plants. I consider 

 this a strong argument in favor of the cultiva- 

 tion of these hardy flowers that they afford 

 so much joy in watching their yearly appear- 

 ance as soon as the icy grasp of winter is 

 relaxed. 



While I do not say that hardy perennials 

 will ever take the place of ordinary bedding 

 plants for the decoration of public or 

 private parks or grounds, or can be used 

 so as to procure the striking color affects 

 secured by the geranium or coleus and others, 

 still I assert that any one possessed only of 

 a small garden or whose acres are filled with 

 beautiful flowers of the hardy sort, can have 

 from early spring to autumn frosts, a con- 

 tinuous succession of bloom. 



We can have them suited to every situa- 

 tion, sunshine or shade and to nearly every 

 kind of soil. Not only so, but when once 

 established in our gardens they stay with us 



forever if we are fairly good to them, in- 

 creasing in bulk and beauty from year to 

 year. We have them gay as the oriental 

 poppy, and showy as the paeonies; while 

 many of them are excellent as cut flowers, as 

 the single and double flowering pyreth- 

 rums, so many beautiful hybrids of which 

 are being introduced. Need I name the Iris 

 family with its varied classes all exquisi- 

 tely beautiful ; the aquilegias in infinite var- 

 iety, from our own native variety to the 

 Rocky Mountain one with its heavenly blue 

 and immaculate white, so blue and so white, 

 as if it had been painted when gazing into 

 the azure from its Rocky Mountain home ; 

 the campanulas, all dainty and general fav- 

 orites ; the larkspurs too, giving us color and 

 stately growth from pure white through 

 every gradation of color from blue to red. 

 Many of these hardy plants are very fragrant, 

 such as the sweet valerian and many others 

 quite as hardy. 



Fig. 2507. White Campanula, in Mr. 

 Alexander's Garden. 



