INFORMAL FLOWER -BORDERS 145 



at any other spot in the park, and still we had 

 acres of painted summer beds." 



There is no prescribed rule as to what one 

 should put into these informal flower -borders. Put 

 in them the plants you like. Perhaps the greater 

 part of them should be perennials, which come up 

 of themselves every spring, and which are hardy 

 and reliable. Wild flowers are particularly effec- 

 tive. Everyone knows that many of the native 

 herbs of woods and glades are more attractive 

 than some of the most prized garden flowers. 

 The greater part of these native flowers grow 

 readily in cultivation, sometimes even in places 

 which, in soil and exposure, are much unlike their 

 native haunts. Many of them make thickened 

 roots, and they may be safely transplanted at any 

 time after the flowers have passed. To most per- 

 sons, the wild flowers are less known than many 

 exotics which have smaller merit, and the exten- 

 sion of cultivation is constantly tending to anni- 

 hilate them. Here, then, in the informal flower- 

 border, is an opportunity to rescue them. Then 

 one may sow in freely of easy -growing annuals, 

 as marigolds, China asters, petunias and phloxes, 

 and sweet peas. One of the advantages of these 

 borders is that they are always ready to receive 

 more plants, unless they are full. That is, their 

 symmetry is not marred if some plants are pulled 

 out and others are put in. And if the weeds now 

 and then get a start, very little harm is done. 



