gth February, A. D. 1899. 



ESSAY 



BY 



E. L. BEARD, Boston. 

 Theme: — Hardy Herbaceous Plants. 



The lack of interest in this branch of floriculture and gardening 

 in America is to be deplored. A keen faculty of observation 

 on the part of the horticulturist is not requisite to detect the 

 fact that in every quarter, what are popularly known as l)ed- 

 ding plants have so far usurped the place of their less obtrusive 

 relatives, hardy herbaceous plants, that the latter are to a large 

 extent unappreciated, because forgotten and unknown. 



These remarks apply not only to hardy plants but to some 

 beautiful things not altogether hardy, but such as the gardener 

 whose love for his profession rises above the mere drudgery 

 often incident to its pursuits, may, with the aid of cold frames 

 and coverings, protect through our trying winters with compara- 

 tive ease, being more than recompensed in spring and summer 

 by the unique beauty of blossom with which some of the more 

 tender are favored, I have set the two classes of plants, the 

 hardy and the more tender bedding plants against each other for 

 our consideration and comparison. The latter includes Gera- 

 niums, Coleus, Alternantheras, Pyrethrums, Lobelias and others, 

 and depends for effect on color and strong, often glaring, 

 contrasts. 



Such displays show favorably in certain locations, but in this 

 country, where gardening as an art is still something of a 

 weakling, these pleasing horticultural pictures must necessarily 

 be confined to the gardens of a few wealthy persons. 



Bedding out, as generally i)racticed by the amateur and 



