NOTEWORTHY PERENNIALS 55 



It grows from 6 inches to 8 inches high and the small flowers, appearing 

 among the fohage, make an exceedingly pretty picture, but the foliage 

 itself is not very attractive. 



Uses. Sweet Woodruff* is fine for cutting purposes, and is used 

 with varieties of the Enghsh Ivy for a ground covering among shrubs 

 and under trees. Dried leaves have a very agreeable aromatic odor. 



Culture. It will succeed when planted in clumps if given a 

 partially shaded position. 



Propagation. It is propagated by division and from seeds and 

 increases rapidly. The seeds germinate slowly. 



Asphodel — King's Spear 



The classic Asphodel is rarely seen in gardens although its interest- 

 ing, tall and stately spikes of yellow and white flowers are of interest to 

 garden lovers. The Asphodels are variously catalogued as Asphodeline 

 and Asphodelus; the former genus is erect and has leafy stems, the latter 

 is stemless. In Asphodeline lutea the flowers are sweet scented and 

 yellow, the stems 3 feet to 4 feet tall. The plants bloom in June. 

 In Bailey's "Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture" we read that this 

 is the plant mentioned by Homer which grows in the meadows of the 

 dead, where the heroes gathered in Hades. In Greece it is wild and is 

 always associated with waste places and the dead. To us it has no 

 such associations. 



The name King's Spear, is often used for this plant. There is, 

 however, another perennial, the Eremurus, which is called by that 

 name. 



Culture. The Asphodels are excellent border plants, where they 

 may be grown in partial shade or sun. They are suited to most garden 

 soils. 



Propagation. The plants are readily divided in Spring or Fall. 

 Seed is advertised in some catalogs. 



Aster — Michaelmas Daisy 



The American who reads English books about gardens is thriUed 

 by the love of the British for Michaelmas Daisies. He immediately 

 hunts his own roadsides and delves into catalogs to acquire some of 

 these lovely flowers. For the wild Asters are truly lovely and are 

 an asset to any garden, many of which bloom at a season when the 



