BORDERS 71 



Aside from shrubs, which are in a class by them- 

 selves, perennials are the best for borders for the 

 simple reason that they do not have to be planted 

 every year. Also they have a longer range of 

 bloom that gives them an advantage over other 

 herbaceous plants; and there is the widest variation 

 of height, which is no small thing in the planning 

 of effective borders. Very beautiful borders, how- 

 ever, are made of biennials or annuals alone or 

 of various bedding plants, including not only the 

 ordinary ones that are left to die in autumn but 

 large and choice specimens of greenhouse plants 

 that are kept under glass in winter. There is no 

 rule save the very primitive one of doing as you 

 please. 



What is known as a hardy border is not neces- 

 sarily one composed of herbaceous perennials ex- 

 clusively. These may or may not be all; perhaps 

 there are a few shrubs and more often than not 

 there are annuals, biennials and bedding plants 

 scattered through. But the very pillars are 

 herbaceous perennials. 



No matter what class of plants is employed, it is 

 a good plan never to use less than two kinds, these 

 to be at their best at different times unless the pe- 

 riod is a very protracted one. German iris backed 

 by Michaelmas daisies is an example. Or, in an- 

 nuals, Shirley poppies may be followed by China 

 asters, letting an edging of sweet alyssum, which 

 will outlive both, be regarded as the second flower. 

 So few as three perennials will answer very well 



