HERBARIUM 



HERB 



1461 



Bcientific lover of plants, whether botanist, horticul- 

 turist, florist, or nurseryman, a carefully equipped 

 collection of dried plants is not only a great and neces- 

 sary aid, but a true delight. In them he sees the hving 

 plants that they represent, and to dissect a flower, 

 however old it may be, he has but to boil it for a few 

 seconds in a retort, and it can be as easily dissected as 

 if fresh. Walter Deane. 



HERB, HERBS. An herb is a plant that dies to the 

 ground each year, or at least that does not become 

 woodj'. It may be annual, as bean, pigweed; biennial, 

 as mullein, parsnip; perennial, as dictamnus, rhubarb; 

 many of the perennials live only three or four years 

 effectively. To the gardener, however, the word "herb" 

 is ordinarily synonymous with herbaceous perennial; 

 and he usually has in mind those iiarticular perennial 

 herbs grown for ornament, and which remain where 

 they are planted. Goldenrod, bleeding-heart, sweet 

 William, hollyhock, daffodil are examples. To many 

 persons, however, the word herb is synonymous with 

 sweet herb, and it suggests sage and tansy. 



Herbs are grown in an herbary, which, as here 

 understood, is a garden or collection of herbs, and par- 

 ticularly of pertnnial herbs, since the collection may 

 then be more readily and certainly continued. 



Herbs have two kinds of values, — their intrinsic 

 merits as individual plants, and their value in the com- 

 position or the mass. It is usually possible to secure 

 both these values at one and the same time. In fact, 

 the individual beauty of herbs is enhanced rather than 

 diminished by exercising proper care in placing them. 

 Planted with other tilings, they have a background, and 

 the beauties are brought out the stronger by contrast 

 and comparison. It is quite as important, therefore, to 

 consider the place for planting as to choose the [jarticu- 

 lar kinds of plants. The appreciation of artistic effects 

 in plants is a mark of highly developed sensibilities. 

 Happily, this appreciation is rapidly growing; and this 

 fact contributes to the increasing popularity of land- 

 scape gardening and ornamental gardening. Some of the 

 best effects in herb-planting are to be seen in the wild, 

 particularly along fences, roads and streams. The 

 planter must remember that herbs are likely to grow 

 larger and more bushy in cultivation than in the wild. 



A strip or border along the side of a lawn, or bounding 

 an area, is the best place for a collection of herbs — 

 whether annual or perennial — that are grown for orna- 

 mental effect. (See Fig. 597, Vol. I.) About any place 

 there will be special uses of herbs. (See the plans, Figs. 

 1812, 1813.) The home-maker should cover the bare 



and unseemly places about the borders of his place 

 (Fig. 1814). He may utihze a rock or a wall as a back- 

 ground (Fig. 1815). He may hide the ground-line about 

 a post (Fig. 1816) or along a fence. Some of the com- 

 monest herbs, that excite the least admiration, are 

 handsome when well grown and weU placed. (See 

 Fig. 1817.) One should always plant where the herbs 

 will have relation to something else, — to the general 

 design or handhng of the place. This wiU usually be 



1812. Plan of a residence area on uneven ground. The heavy 

 planting against banks and borders provides areas for herbs as 

 well as for shrubs. The location is indicated of library, dining- 

 room and kitchen. 



1813. Planting areas in a home ground. The general center is 

 kept open. There are trees along the streets and two on the lawn. 

 About the residence and on the boundaries, as well as in the 

 parking at one side, there is opportunity for herbs and shrubs. 

 D.R., dining-room; L.R., living-room; K., kitchen. 



about the boundaries. The hardy border is the unit in 

 most planting of herbs. (See Figs. 1814, 1818.) A 

 rockwork herb border (Fig. 1819) is often useful in the 

 rear or at one side of the premises. It is well to fill some 

 of the corners by the hou.se (Fig. 1820). In remote 

 parts of the grounds, half-wild effects may be allowed, 

 as in Fig. 1821. A pond or pool, even if stagnant, often 

 may be utilized to advantage (P'ig. 1822). A good herb 

 out of place may be worse than a poor herb in place. 

 But when herbs are grown for their individual effects, 

 give plenty of room and good care (P'igs. 1823, 1824). 

 Other discussions of herbs in relation to planting will be 

 found under .4«n!/aZs, Biennials, Border, Landscape Gar- 

 dening; also, for special uses, Alpine Plants, Autumn- 

 Gardening, Kitchen-Garden and Floiver-Garden. Spring- 

 Gardening, Wild-Gardening, and others. l H. B. 



Herbaceous perennials in landscape planting. 



No clear definition can be drawTi between herbaceous 

 perennials, biennials and annuals, between herbs and 

 woody plants, for there are tender herbs that in a 

 warmer climate would become shrubs or oven trees, 

 biennials that become perennials from stolons or offsets, 

 and annuals that become biennials from seed germinat- 

 ing late in the season. Strictly speaking, however, her- 

 baceous perennials are plants having perennial roots 

 with tops that die to the groimd annually, such as the 

 columbines, larkspurs, day hlies, peonies, and most 

 .sedges, grasses and ferns. It is customary, however, 

 in publications relating to this c!:iss of ])lants as well as 

 in actual use, to include closely allied spc-cios with ever- 

 green fohage, such as stafice, yucca, soniiiervivimis and 

 certain pcntstemons, together with plants having more 

 or less woody and persistent above-ground stems, such 

 as the suflfruticoso artemisias and the evergreen creep- 

 ing species of phlo.x, veronica, vinca, the iberis, the 



