8o 



THE SCHOOL GARDEN BOOK 



with extreme ease, yet is not weedy. One variety (Boltonia 

 asteroides) bears white flowers, a pleasing change from the 

 yellow hues of other tall perennials. This is the taller, 

 stouter variety, although it needs some support where ex- 

 posed to strong winds. 

 The general effect of the 

 growing leafy stalks when 

 newly planted is pleas- 

 ing as a back-ground 

 throughout the summer, 

 and the variety is widely 

 and freely used by land- 

 scape gardeners for mass 

 effects in the border. 

 The pink variety (Bolto- 

 nia latisquamd) , which 

 has a lilac tinge, is of 

 weaker growth, and is 

 only used because the 

 color of the flowers makes 

 it desirable. Neither is 



New England Asters in a Japanese Flower-jar. valuable as affording CUt 



flowers, for the blossoms are difficult to preserve in form and 

 freshness when removed from the plants. 



The asters round out the season. Few varieties grow to 

 more than medium height, but otherwise they are rightly 

 classed in this group of perennials. They are in general very 

 hardy, and are easily multiplied by division. One of the 

 best sorts is the Snow r flake Aster, which is so clothed with 

 small white flowers in late September as to suggest a bank 

 of feathery snowflakes. Planted in masses or singly it at- 



