IV 6 



PREFACE. 



AT the present time there is a growing desire to 

 patronise perennial plants, more especially the many 

 and beautiful varieties known as " old-fashioned 

 flowers." Not only do they deserve to be cultivated 

 on their individual merits, but for other very important 

 reasons ; they afford great variety of form, foliage, and 

 flower, and compared with annual and tender plants, 

 they are found to give much less trouble. If a right 

 selection is made and properly planted, the plants may be 

 relied upon to appear with perennial vigour and produce 

 flowers more or less throughout the year. I would not 

 say bouquets may be gathered in the depth of winter, 

 but what will be equally cheering may be had in blow, 

 such as the Bluet, Violet, Primrose, Christmas Eose, 

 Crocus, Hepatica, Squills, Snowdrops, and other less 

 known winter bloomers. It does not seem to be 

 generally understood that warm nooks and corners, 

 under trees or walls, serve to produce in winter flowers 

 which usually appear in spring when otherwise placed. 



There are many subjects which, from fine habit and 

 foliage, even when flowerless, claim notice, and they, 

 too, are described. 



806 



