PREFACE 
book. Annuals have not been included, as their dates depend altogether 
upon the time when their seed is sown. Of biennials but few are mentioned; 
but of hardy perennials it can fairly be said that all are included which de- 
serve a place in the garden proper, in the rock or wild garden, or which are 
worthy of naturalizations and of tender perennials a few that should find a 
place in every garden have been added. Large estates as well as small gar- 
dens are increasing so rapidly throughout the country and so many new 
and unfamiliar plants have come to enlarge the gardener’s choice, that it 
has seemed best to make this book offer all which the most varied taste 
could wish for beautifving a great estate; but it is selection rather than 
variety which the small gardener needs, and for his sake such plants as are 
especially serviceable or exceptionally to be desired are marked with a 
single or double asterisk. 
The details of this book have been almost infinite in number, and my 
best thanks are due to all who have helped me: To Mr. Robert Cameron, 
of the Harvard Botanical Gardens, for revision of all facts mentioned in 
the book and for much valuable assistance; to Prof. Benjamin Watson, of 
Harvard, for advice and encouragement; to Mr. L. T. Ernst for observing 
many of the dates of flowering; to Miss Louisa B. Stevens and Miss Turner 
for the preparation of the color chart and, with the assistance of Miss Edith 
May, for the skilful comparison of colors; to Miss Rose Standish Nichols, 
who has conducted the book through the press; to Messrs. John L. 
Gardner, J. S. Lee and J. Woodward Manning for many admirable photo. 
graphs which I should have gone far to secure elsewhere; and to Miss 
Elizabeth Dean for much devoted work. ‘To all of these I feel greatly in- 
debted for their real interest and assistance, and in a special sense I wish to 
record the gratitude with which I shal! always remember the unselfish and 
unremitting assistance and encouragement given me by Miss Pauline 
Brigham. 
For the rest I only hope that this book may help to make more gardens 
lovely and more gardeners content. 
M. C.S., 
Brooking, Mass., Nov., 1906. 
ix 
