MAY WORK 105 



maroons, and orange tones as deep as flames, make of the Fall 

 gardens pictures of unsurpassed loveliness. 



A plantation of deep rose-pink single hardy Chrysanthemums, 

 on each side of the entrance steps of a gray stone State House, 

 planted against a background of dark evergreen shrubbery, 

 seems, as I recall it, as if a part of the sunset sky had fallen to 

 the lawn, so vivid and beautiful was the efl^ect. The hand of 

 the Master Artist splashes the colors from His palette in broad 

 masses and sweeps of rhythmic harmony of tone. We cannot 

 follow a better example, and no flower gives better results from 

 such plantings than the hardy Chrysanthemums. 



If your garden scheme requires the planting of narrow borders, 

 by using Dahlias with their brilliant colors in the background, 

 and cutting and pinching the Chrysanthemums to form masses 

 of color on a lower level, borders of rare beauty can be secured. 

 May is the last month in which the Summer-flowering perennials 

 may be put out. Rudbeckias, or Golden Glow, if planted early 

 in May, need only to be thinned out annually to keep them from 

 covering the earth. They are desirable because they give a 

 wealth of gay blossoms in Midsummer, when flowers are scarce. 

 They make a gorgeous yellow background for the white perennial 

 Phlox. Growing tall and having rather scraggy stems, they 

 should always be placed at the back of the sunny border, for 

 they will not grow in the shade. 



Another Fall flower which is excellent for backgrounds is the 

 Cosmos. It grows in poor soil, even where there is much sand, 

 is hardy and late to bloom, but must have the sun. Sow seed 

 where the plants are to flower. I remember well how beautiful were 

 the dooryards of a certain mill village last Fall with masses of 

 Cosmos planted against the wire poultry netting that fenced in 

 most of the plots. The ugly landscape was really glorified by 

 the dainty foliage and bright blossoms of these plants. I had 

 not thought them worthy of a place in my Fall garden, but am 

 including them hereafter. The new Klondyke Cosmos, with 

 dark green foliage and masses of tawny orange flowers, adds a 

 brilliant color note to the Fall garden and, if the season is mild 



