BORDERS OF HARDY FLOWERS. 33 



grasses of the meadows of the northern world, stricken to the earth 



by winter, and the border was not nearly so pretty then as the 



withered grass of the plain or copse. But since 



Evergreen borders the revival of interest in hardy and Alpine flowers 



of hardy flowers, and the many introductions of recent years, we 



have a great number of beautiful plants that are 



evergreen in winter and that enable us to make evergreen borders. 



The great white blanket that covers the north and many mountain 



ranges in winter protects also for months many Alpine plants which 



do not lose their leaves in winter, such as Rockfoils, Stonecrops, 



Primroses, Gentians, and Christmas Roses. The most delicate of 



Alpine plants suffer, when exposed to our winter, from excitement of 



growth, to which they are not subject in their own home, but many 



others do not mind our winters much, and it is easy by good 



choice of plants to make excellent borders wholly or in greater 



part evergreen. 



These are not only good as evergreens, but they are delightful in 

 colour, many being beautiful in flower in spring, and having also the 

 charm of assuming their most refreshing green just when other plants 

 are dying in autumn. Along with these rock and herbaceous plants 

 we may group a great many dwarf shrubs that come almost between 

 the true shrub and the Alpine flower little woody evergreen 

 creeping things like the dwarf Partridge Berry, Canadian Cornel, 

 hardy Heaths, and Sand Myrtles, often good in colour when grouped. 

 Among these various plants we have plenty for evergreen borders, 

 and this is important, as, while many might object to the bare earth 

 of the ordinary border of herbaceous plants near the house or in other 

 favourite spots, it is different with borders of evergreen plants, which 

 may be charming and natural in effect throughout the year. 



Of garden pictures, there are few prettier than Crocus, Snowdrops, 

 or Scilla coming through the green, moss-like carpets in these ever- 

 green borders, far prettier to those who love quiet and natural colour 

 than more showy effects. Often narrow evergreen borders are the 

 best things that can be placed at the foot of important walls, as 

 the way of allowing grass to go right up to the walls is a foolish 

 one, and often leads to injury to the wall trees. A narrow border 

 cut off by a natural stone edging from the grass or walk, is best: 

 even a border of this size may have many lovely things, from early 

 Cyclamen to the best Meadow Saffrons in the autumn. Besides the 

 flowers already named, we have Violets, Periwinkles, Carnations, 

 Pinks, Barrenworts, charming in foliage, purple Rock Cresses, 

 Omphalodes, Iris, Acanthus, Indian and otjier Strawberries, House- 

 leeks, Thymes, Forget-me-nots, Sandworts, Gentianella, Lavender, 

 Rosemary, hardy Rock Roses, and many native and other hardy 



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