CHAPTER XLIV 



HARDY BORDER PLANTS 



Very many persons are fond of flowers who have 

 but little time to devote to their culture. It is a fact 

 that cannot be denied that the cultivation of annuals 

 requires a good deal of hard labor, and that much time 

 must be devoted to the garden if you would have it 

 what it ought to be. These persons would do well to 

 devote their attention to hardy border plants. Once 

 established, these plants are good for years, and they 

 will require less attention each year than any other 

 class of flowers. In spring they should be dug about, 

 to keep the grass from crowding them out. Manure 

 should be worked in about them, and about every other 

 season their roots should be divided. This constitutes 

 pretty much all the care they require. While they do 

 not bloom all through the season as most annuals do, 

 they give a most profuse crop in summer, and many 

 of them are extremely beautiful. 



The following are among the best : 



Aquilegia — Known as Columbine in some locali- 

 ties ; in others as Honeysuckle ; very beautiful in form 

 and habit, and equally so in color; some varieties are 

 blue, others yellow, scarlet and white, while some com- 

 bine these colors in beautiful contrast ; some are single, 

 others double; an early bloomer, and very desirable. 



Campanula — This is the well-known and ever- 

 popular Canterbury Bell ; color blue and white ; fine. 



Carnation — The garden variety of this most beau- 

 tiful flower is quite equal to the popular greenhouse 

 class ; it has large, perfect flowers of most beautiful 

 coloring, and is delightfully fragrant; it is almost as 



