228 PERENNIALS 



others like to weed out the varieties they do not care for, con- 

 centrate on the best, and then take up another flower in the same 

 way. Some use the knowledge gained by collecting to produce 

 new varieties, others are content with the joys of possessing 

 flowers that no one else has and of being appealed to as authorities. 

 Still others abhor "florists' flowers" (i.e., big genera), and go in for 

 rare plants belonging to any genus under the sun, e. g., Ostrowskia 

 (plate 77). Every one has his favourite sport, but he has a favourite 

 flower too. There is "good fun" in collecting perennial flowers 

 and I expect to see Americans take it up with gusto. Have you 

 ever collected fifty varieties of any hardy flower say pinks or 

 Japan iris or phlox or bellflowers, or sedum or veronicas or peonies ? 

 The third great fact about perennials that struck me is that 

 the English understand better than we how to make beautiful pic- 

 tures with perennials. (See Solomon's seal, plate 77.) Cultivated 

 people will discuss at the table the best colour schemes for bor- 

 ders, how to hide the deficiencies of hardy plants after they bloom, 

 what flowers look well together, and the right and wrong way of 

 using the latest novelty. The designing of garden pictures seems 

 to me a higher pleasure than merely loving each flower separately 

 for its own sake. At any rate I shall not try to describe all the 

 new and wonderful plants I saw in England for, as old Gerarde 

 might say, that would be like rolling Sisyphus his stone. I shall 

 merely tell about a few artistic ways I saw of using hardy flowers, 

 especially those that bloom between the first of June and middle 

 of August. 



PERENNIALS FOR SHOWY MASSES 



The showiest border flowers that I saw in England were 

 peonies in June and larkspurs in July. It is right to plan for the 

 showiest features first, but the worst possible way to do it is to get 



