8 THE GARDEN BLUEBOOK 



will form a pleasing mass composition (see above). Just what "Shrub 

 A" and "Evergreen B" are does not concern us at present; all we are 

 interested in is their size and shape, which we know will be constant 

 throughout the season. A few evergreens, whether flowering or not, are 

 invaluable in a border, aside from the solidity of their foliage, on account 

 of their beauty in winter when the rest of the garden is waste. There is 

 about them that air of enduring permanency in the ebb and flow of the 

 flower tides which our imagination craves, and by this contrast they satisfy 

 our artistic sensibilities. The Peonies also we locate now, for their hand- 

 some deep green foliage provides constant soHd masses throughout the 

 summer, and as our planning proceeds they can be changed to Dictamnus 

 if it is found desirable when the question of their bloom is considered. We 

 have already occupied about a third of our planting space with foUage, but 

 quite aside from the fact that there are few perennials so beautiful 

 in bloom and easy of culture as Peonies, the space could in no way be 

 better used than for this rich setting of green. 



After the shrubbery, the next thing is to consider those plants which, 

 though not constant throughout the year, are biggest; obviously these are 

 the tall perennials which are to be placed at the back of the border. Of 

 these we will put in one patch of Hollyhocks (Althaea rosea) and two of 

 Larkspur (Delphinium). The Delphinium in the central patch will grade 

 in height by planting Delphinium Belladonna (No. 47 on the chart) at 

 one end toward the front and at the other and behind, the taller Hybrids 

 (No. 10 on the chart). All the varieties of Delphinium combine beautifully 

 in color, and the varying shades of blue and violet in such a combination 

 give much greater brilHancy than a solid mass of a single variety would. 

 Of course the Althaea and Delphinium will not be in the height of their 

 glory at the same time, but as we will want each in its due season we will 

 locate them now to be sure that they are there when the proper times come. 



So much for our background; now let us consider month by month 

 the changing pictures that we are to construct within and against 

 this setting. At this point it is necessary to combat another natural 

 tendency. Naturally one thinks of a garden, first as it will be in 

 early spring, then as it will develop through the summer and on to the 

 coming of frost; but if we reverse this course and consider our garden 

 first in fall and last in spring, we will arrive much more easily at our final 

 plan. For a glance at the charts will show that flowers over four feet high 

 are extremely rare before July, while almost everything that blooms in 

 May or earher is less than a foot and a half in height. Consequently if 



