j6 Hardy Plants for Cottage Gardens 



notwithstanding it was placed in a dry bed in full sun. Later 

 a seedling appeared in the hard-baked walk at the edge of a 

 stone step, and owing to my negligent hoe, escaped infantile 

 disaster. Through the severe droughts of the past three sea- 

 sons, it has flourished and bloomed in the dry hard soil, in 

 full sunshine, the stone over the root being its salvation. It 

 is almost impossible to tell a cardinal flower from Veronica 

 spicata when in the seedling state; the only difference being 

 that the cardinal plant has a leaf of a darker green and less 

 crenate at the edge. I mention this because the destruction 

 of young Veronicas is one of my occupations: they lodge at 

 all seasons in every unguarded place. 



Another addition to the green of a garden is obtained from 

 the first year's growth of the Allegheny vine (Adlumia cir- 

 rhosa). It is a biennial and does not run as a vine until the 

 second year; but the first year it makes a low spreading 

 growth of delicately divided leaves on long slender stems, 

 much resembling the maidenhair fern, and it is quite as use- 

 ful as that fern in the arrangement of cut flowers. I espe- 

 cially recommend the plant for this purpose, and as an equally 

 beautiful vine the second year. It then dies; but as it is self- 

 sowing it is permanent when once established. As it does not 

 root deeply, the first year's growth may be used in a lily bed 

 with the pink annual larkspur as a shade to the ground. In 

 an iris bed a cover to the ground may be secured by growing 

 pansies, either as seeds, which bloom in a few weeks, or set- 

 ting out the full grown plants. Other plants that root but 

 lightly are candytuft, sweet alyssum, Clarkia puchella, Scotch 

 pinks and Helianthemum, and they may be grown in lily or 

 rose beds. Gladioli are to be recommended for rose beds, as 

 they require much the same conditions as roses, and do not 

 shade the ground. I have tried Shirley poppies in a rose bed, 

 and though they root lightly, they make such a rank growth 



