THE WELL-CONSIDERED GARDEN 



then beginning their long period of bloom. Can- 

 terbury bells are usually the centres of colonies of 

 annual asters (my great favorites are the single 

 Aster Sinensis, in chosen colors not to be had in 

 every seed-list, by the way), and of groups of 

 gladiolus bulbs so arranged as to hide the vacancy 

 left when the Canterbury bells must be lifted from 

 the ground after blooming. 



In four places in the garden where rather low- 

 growing things are desired, are alternate groups 

 of a handsome, dark, velvety-red sweet-william 

 the seed of which was given me by Miss Jekyll, 

 who described this as the color of the sweet-wil- 

 liam of the old English cottage garden and well- 

 grown plants of Stokesia cyanea. As soon as the 

 fine heads of sweet-william begin to crisp and dry, 

 the beautiful lavender-blue flowers of the Stokesia 

 take up the wondrous tale, and a veil of delicate 

 blue is drawn over the spots which a few days 

 since ran red with a riot of dark loveliness. 



Among larkspurs I plant Salvia patens, which 

 to look tidy when blooming must be carefully 

 staked while the stems are pliable and tender. 

 Second crops of delphinium bloom seem to me a 

 mistake I believe the vitality of the plant is 

 somewhat impaired and the color of the flowers is 

 46 



