14 THE BLOSSOM CIRCLE OF THE YEAR 



Inquiries have come to me concerning gardens from all sections 

 of the South, from Virginia to Florida, and from Georgia to Texas. 

 These bear out my own experience that all the books, planting 

 lists, garden calendars and helps, are planned for those who make 

 gardens north of Mason and Dixon's Line. For this reason, the 

 following chapters are sent out in book form, in order that they 

 may make a convenient and handy guide for those who wish to 

 develop their home grounds in the South and have not had suffi- 

 cient experience to know how to go about it. 



This work is not intended to be, nor could I make it, a com- 

 prehensive guide to the flora of the South, but the information it 

 contains has been gained by constant study and practical expe- 

 rience covering a period of years, not only in my own garden, but 

 in those of my neighbors, and in it will be found material that has 

 helped to solve garden problems for all parts of the Southern 

 States. 



Any garden guide will give proper directions as to how to plant 

 the seeds of most of the annuals and perennials that we use; any 

 good gardener knows how to prepare the soil and set out shrubs, 

 and Roses, and trees, but, with us, it is not so much the how as 

 the when that counts, and the lists of annuals, perennials, shrubs, 

 and vines that are given are those that have stood the test not only 

 of time, but also of sunlight and shade in this land of long, hot 

 Summer and short, cold Winters. 



What has been written, while intended to meet southern con- 

 ditions not usually touched upon, will also apply to a much wider 

 field. Early plantings in the South, later ones in the cooler sec- 

 tions, is the invariable rule. But, because it is also the usual rule 

 to give the other sections precedence I have reversed the procedure 

 and given the dates of the earlier plantings first. The color 

 schemes, the perennial groupings, the shrubbery borders, and, 

 in fact, all the plantings except those of most of the broad-leaved 

 evergreens and a few of the more tender and exotic plants, may 

 be used equally well in sections of the East and West and North. 

 The limits of hardiness are carefully noted throughout. 



It seems hard that all gardeners of the South must learn by 

 sad experience that if a writer tells of the glories of the Delphinium 



