PERENNIAL PLANTS 



195 



how to secure them. Their length of life varies from two 

 years (properly called biennials, in which class there are a 

 few very valuable kinds) to 

 ten years or more. The as- 

 paragus is very long lived. 

 Some of the perennials can 

 be quickly and cheaply 

 raised from seed : such are 

 asparagus, foxglove, Canter- 

 bury bells, columbine, lark- 

 spur, forget-me-not, sweet 

 William, hollyhocks, phlox. 

 All of them can be bought 

 and transplanted, and cer- 

 tain of them must be : such 

 are iris, lily of the valley, 

 peony, rhubarb, yucca, vio- 

 let. Only the professional 

 plant-breeders grow these 

 from seed. But many per- 

 ennials grow so fast that 

 every few years they must 

 be divided, lest they crowd 

 each other ; others seed 

 themselves, and the seed- 

 lings are very numerous. In 

 spring, therefore, it might 

 easily be possible for you 



to get from your gardening elders roots or seedlings of such 

 plants as rhubarb, Canterbury bell, foxglove, larkspur, 

 Japanese anemone, sweet William, hollyhock, phlox, 

 chrysanthemum, iris, or violet. A real gardener, you will 

 find, loves to give plants away. 



Fig. 101. — Larkspur, one of the 

 finest perennials. These shoots are 

 from a single plant. 



