218 THE COMPLETE GARDEN 



tention to keep them within bounds by staking and cutting back. 

 Otherwise they will produce a loose, ragged effect not in keeping with 

 the neat lines desired in a small garden, and will often crowd out inter- 

 esting types of smaller perennials which mean more to the success of 

 the garden. 



Most varieties of the hardy aster or Michaelmas daisy, the sneeze- 

 weed, the loosestrife, and the plume poppy are too rampant and 

 vigorous in their habit of growth to be successful in a small garden. 



The most important requirement in the development of any flower 

 garden is to provide perpetual bloom throughout the growing season. 

 There are a variety of combinations of perennials which can be used 

 to accomplish this purpose. As illustrative of a possible range of 

 plants it is well to list some of the thoroughly tested varieties that will 

 grow in any good garden soil and which will provide flowers from early 

 spring until late fall. For a person who understands plants to some 

 extent the lists of perennials, grouped according to colour and season, 

 will make an excellent source of reference from which to select types for 

 continuous blooming effects. 



There are some perennials, among the most important of which are 

 the peony, of which the blooming period is very short and the foliage 

 effect during a great part of the summer may be consequently mo- 

 notonous and uninteresting. In such plants it is highly desirable 

 to have touches of colour throughout the later parts of the season. 

 To accomplish this there can be introduced, among the peony plants, 

 such types as the monkshood, the blazing star, lilies and gladioli, to 

 provide flowers and add interest to the otherwise monotonous mass of 

 green leaves. 



A considerable part of the success of any perennial flower garden 

 is the presence of groups of perennials which present good blooming 

 combinations. Often a garden is seen where some particular colour 

 note attracts special attention. On close examination it is found that 

 this effect is produced by a combination of colour brought about by 

 the successful grouping of two or more perennials. The average 

 garden lover cannot become familiar, from his limited study of plants, 

 with all of the interesting types of perennials which produce colour 

 effects that harmonize with each other. A list of these groupings 

 has been included in this chapter, and through further study many 

 others may be found which will be equally effective. 



Annuals are most often planted because of their ability to produce 



