210 



The American Flower Garden 



sheared privet or evergreen hedge also admirably displays gay 

 flowers sharply contrasted against it; formal gardens are frequently 

 enclosed by such a border. But from the cultural view-point the 

 planting of perennials next shrubs and hedges is not desirable 

 unless the roots of the stronger can be prevented from trespassing 

 upon the weaker's preserves. English gardeners, to whom the 

 mixed border is indispensable, sink planks in the earth as a parti- 

 tion; yet, in a land where lumber is costly, a narrow trench filled 

 in with coal ashes is quite as discouraging a barrier to pilfering 

 roots. If no obstruction be put in the way of them, only the most 

 vigorous perennials should be left to struggle fiercely for survival 

 with the shrubs. Properly partitioned, almost any perennials 

 you please may be grown in a mixed border, but pray not a large 

 assortment dotted about in a meaningless way! The border is 

 usually viewed from a distance and bold masses of one kind of 

 flower in a given area are most effective. Indeed, no plant appears 

 at its best unless given adequate space to display its charms either 

 between or in front of the shrubs. Scattered about with no 

 relation to the height, foliage and colour of their surroundings, 

 perennials can be more distracting than delightful in mixed 

 borders. 



Whoever thinks it a simple matter to plan an artistic, hardy 

 border that will contain masses of harmonious bloom from early 

 spring until late frost with no clash of colour in it at any time, no 

 bare spaces, no untidy tangled effects, no confusion of dissimilar 

 foliage, no spotty groups not blended with their surroundings, 

 can never have tried to make one. Because it is one of the most 

 difficult garden feats attempted, albeit the first one the novice 

 is apt to try his 'prentice hand upon, we rarely see thoroughly sat- 

 isfying perennial planting. The border is too often regarded as 



