14 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



tumbling over the border margin or forming groups in the woodland, 

 a luxuriant, crimson-stained perennial as sumptuous as anything raised 

 of recent years. The soil cannot well be too rich for the Pseony and it 

 pays in the long run to make a bed fully three feet deep for the plants, 

 and put in plenty of decayed cow manure unless the soil is very heavy. 

 Unlike the Tree Pseony, the herbaceous form appreciates some shade, 

 and the flowers remain longer fresh and full of colour when not ex- 

 posed to full sunshine, but planting against hungry shrubberies is a 

 mistake. The month to plant Paeonies is September ; it may be accom- 

 plished at other seasons, but this is the most appropriate, though they 

 are in full leaf at the time. When planted or transplanted at this time, 

 the Pseony quickly becomes established, sends out new roots, and is enabled 

 to go through the winter with safety. A wrinkle when planting in dry 

 soils is to leave quite a little depression round the crowns, so that water 

 when given may sink thoroughly to the roots, and not run off, as is the 

 case when planting quite on the level. Also give a surface mulch of 

 well-decayed manure in spring, to prevent parching winds and hot suns 

 drying up the moisture in the soil. Never put a Paeony less than a yard 

 from another plant, as they are so leafy and shrubby that when closer 

 together overcrowding is the result. When a bed entirely of Pseonies 

 is planted the surface has a bare look, but this may be remedied by 

 planting Pansies between, or some evergreen, such as the mossy Saxifrage 

 (Saxifraga hypnoides). Frequently four years elapse before the Pseonies 

 attain their full blossoming perfection. The crimson shoots in spring 

 are very charming, and a pretty colour contrast results by putting yellow 

 Daffodils between, whilst Lilies may be used in the same way. There 

 are two distinct classes of Pasonies, the May flowering and the more 

 popular forms of P. albiflora. Of the May blooming group, select from 

 the single red-flowered P. anomala, which has also very prettily cut 

 foliage, and there are many fine varieties of crimson -shaded colouring. 

 A. arietina, and its varieties, are beautiful too, but of the species a list 

 will be found at the end of the book. 



P. albiflora, the parent of the most familiar Paeonies of the day, 

 has single white flowers relieved by a central tuft of golden stamens. 

 It is in brief a flower of dashing beauty, but the varieties offer a charm- 

 ing colour-range, from white through rose, flesh-pink, purple, red, to 

 full rich crimson. A selection may be made from the following : 

 Agnes Barr, rose-white ; De Candolle, rose-pink ; Eugene Verdier, blush ; 

 Festiva maxima, pure white ; Lady Beresf ord, pink ; Lord Salisbury, 

 crimson ; Mme. Furtado, rose ; Mme. Calot, white, rose shading ; 

 Princess Clothilde, flesh-colour ; Solfaterre, sulphur ; Triomphe de Paris, 

 white ; and Whitleyi, yellowish white, a very beautiful Pseony. These 

 are all double varieties. A few good singles are : Angus, rose ; Duchess 

 of Sutherland, flesh ; Queen of May, rose ; The Moor, crimson, touched 

 with maroon ; Venus, rose ; and Water Lily, pure white. 



Pansies (Violas). The show and fancy Pansies cannot be re- 

 garded as flowers for the beginner's garden, and they are seldom 

 satisfactory in the South of England, but of late years many beautiful 

 varieties have been raised, known collectively as tufted Pansies, the 



