HARDY FLOWERING PERENNIALS FOR BEDS, BORDERS, &c. 



ANTHERICUM LILIAGO, or St. Bernard's Lily, a good border plant of easy culture, bearing Hardy 



fine spikes of pure white flowers ; about 2 feet high. A. liliastrum major is also a perennials. 

 fine border plant with white flowers ; both bloom during May and June. 



ANTHYLLIS ATRORUBENS. A fine and most useful plant for a dry bank ; it bears heads 

 of dark crimson flowers somewhat resembling a large clover. 



AQUILEGIA. A useful class of plants, better known as columbines. They vary in colour 

 and include whites, yellows, blues and purples. Amongst the best and most useful 

 are A. chrysantha, yellow ; A. vulgaris alba, white ; A. glandulosa, a fine blue- and - 

 white. These varieties are perfectly hardy, and do well in almost any position ; 

 height 2 feet. 



ARMERIA PLANTAGINEA ROSEA, Sea Pink, is a very effective plant of dwarf habit, with 

 fine heads of rose-coloured flowers ; it grows 12 inches high, and blooms from May to 

 the end of July. A. p. alba is a white-flowered variety. A. cephalotes grandiflora, 

 bears large deep red heads of flowers : 



height 2 feet. 

 ASPHODELUS RAMOSUS bears a fine bold 



spike of white flowers ; it thrives in 



almost any kind of soil, and should 



be in every border ; height 2 feet. 

 ASTER OR MICHAELMAS DAISY. These are 



indispensable as they continue to bloom 



until the frost comes and blackens 



them. There are a large number of 



varieties of which the best are : A. 



acris, 3 -4 ft., pale blue and early ; A. 



cordifolius elegans, 2 ft., small flower, 



blue ; A. Elsie Perry, pink, 3 ft. ; A. 



ericoides, small white flower, 3 ft. ; A. 



Hon. E. Gibbs, small lavender flower, 



3 ft. ; A. Lady Trevelyan, white, 4 5 



ft. ; A. Mrs. Burrows, mauve, 4 ft. ; 



A. Novi-Belgii R. Parker, large lavender, 



45 ft., one of the best ; A. W. Mar- 

 shall, blue, 4 ft. ; A. Miss Southall, 



mauve, 4 ft. ; A. Beauty of Colwall, 



lilac blue, double, 4 ft. ; A. Lil Far- 

 dell, pink, 4 ft. 

 ASTILBE, see SPIR^A. 

 AUBRETIA. There are many varieties, from 



which may be selected A. Leichtlini, a fine clear rose ; A. purpurea ; A. Firefly, 



deep red ; A. Monthemi, large pale rose ; and Dr. Mules, rich purple. All do well 



on a dry bank in ordinary soil. For rockwork or planting on rough dwarf walls 



in conjunction with Alyssums and White Rock, they are lovely. 

 BOCCONIA CORDATA. An effective foliage plant of strong growth, bearing buff-coloured 



spikes of flowers. Requires ample space, and is admirable for massing near water ; 



height 5 to 6 feet. 

 CAMPANULA, of which there are many varieties most serviceable as border and wall plants ; 



the best are C. persicifolia alba grandiflora and P. humosa with semi-double blue 



flowers ; C. glomerata dahurica, is purple and grows 18 inches high. These varieties 



flower about July, lasting to the latter part of August. C. macrantha has a good 



effect when planted in woods, etc., throwing up its tall spikes of blue flowers, reaching 



FIG. 372. DELPHINIUMS. 



317 



