24 A PLEA FOR HARDY PLANTS 



Wisley, England, and if there are any more interesting or lovely gardens 

 than this I have failed to see them. 



Recently there have been introduced a great many new varieties of 

 nymphaeas, all interesting to the collector; but Mr. Robinson says, and 

 my experience confirms it, that the really desirable hardy garden kinds 

 can be included in a selection of six varieties, — that is, varieties of such 

 vigorous growth and free-flowering qualities that they make garden pic- 

 tures. The varieties he names are Nyiuphcea alba candidhsima, A' . Ghid- 

 stonlaiia, N. Marliacea rosea, N. Marliacea cbromatel/a, N. odorata, and N. 

 odorata rosea. 



The most important thing we have to consider in connection with 

 gardening hardy plants and shrubs is their arrangement. We must study 

 to produce a pleasing effect at all seasons and to have a succession of 

 bloom, so that the garden will never be dull or uninteresting. 



First, let us take the smallest garden that we can hope to make a 

 gardening success with, — that is, a fifty-foot city or suburban lot. This is 

 a lot usually considered too small to do much with in a gardening wav, 

 yet it is the lot owned by thousands of well-to-do and cultivated people, 

 and well worthy of consideration. I can best illustrate a good arrangement 

 for such a lot by describing a garden in my neighborhood. The lot is 

 fifty feet front and one hundred and twenty feet deep to an alley. A path 

 leads from the sidewalk to the steps of the front porch; thence around 

 the west side of the house to the steps of the kitchen porch, and thence 

 straight out to the alley. The house is thirty feet from the street line. 

 The owner of the lot believes with me that every garden should be 

 inclosed, and has selected as the most desirable inclosure a hedge of 

 California privet, which furnishes him a background of verdure to set 

 his flowering plants against. He has some difficulty in establishing a 

 portion of the hedge immediately between his house and those of his 

 neighbors, on account of the shade, but has overcome it by extra 

 culture and deep trenching and draining. The plan of his extremely 

 simple but efl^ective garden is as follows : A border has been made 

 entirely around the house except at the entrances, varying from one to 

 three feet in width. The front porch is covered wi':h Hall's and golden 

 honeysuckles. Clematis Jackmaiii, C. Heiiryi, and C. paiiicuhita . The 

 borders in front of the porch are planted with Eulalia gracil/iiiia , 

 erianthus, Fniikia Sicboldiana and F. suhcordala — the funkias in front 

 of the eulalia and erianthus. As ail these plants are grown for 



