142 



A LITTLE BOOK OF PERENNIALS 



Culture. These plants nearly always flower the same season 

 they are planted. They grow readily, sending up long spikes, so that 

 nicely ' shaped bushes are formed in a couple of seasons. Medium 

 sandy loam is the best soil. Do not cut the old stems back in the Fall 

 when the blossoms are gone, but let them die away naturaUy so as not 

 to injure the crown, which should be set about one inch below the 

 surface. Slight Winter protection is beneficial. 



Propagation. The most successful method is by seeds. The 

 root stalk is fleshy and thick and a great deal of care must be exercised 

 in dividing it. 



Plumbago — Leadwort 



Plumbago Larpentse or Ceratostigma plumhaginoides is one of the 

 very late blooming small border plants. Because it is such a persistent 

 blooming plant from July until freezing weather in the Winter, it is 

 very much valued at the time of the year when most other border 

 plants have finished blooming. Plumbago Larpenix grows about 

 10 inches or 12 inches high and forms a round, ball-hke mass of dark 



Left, Plumbago, one of the best late blue edging plants; right, Knotweed or Poly- 

 gonum, with its Buckwheat-like flowers. 



