HARDY BORDERS AND ROSE GARDENS 211 



flowers very much resemble Crocuses. The bulbs should be planted 

 in July and August, in clumps, not too set looking, in the front of 

 the borders. They may be had in white, lilac and blue. 



The Red Hot Poker plant, or Tritoma, may be classed among 

 the Autumn flowering bulbous plants worthy of a place in all hardy 

 borders. The orange, coral red and yellow flowers are very strik- 

 ing. Some of the newer kinds have earl}', free, and. continuous 

 blooming qualities, and succeed in an ordinary garden soil. Tri- 

 tomas are not altogether hardy in some locations and, for safety, 

 should be lifted in the Fall and wintered under cover, buried in 

 sand in a cool cellar or shed. 



The Montbretia is a hardy bulbous plant that should be in every 

 flower border. The flowers are brightly colored, mostly orange 

 red, and on stems from two to three feet high. They should 

 be planted in an open, sunny position. Bulbs may be set in the 

 Autumn or very early Spring. 



ANNUALS IN THE BORDERS 



Very often the effect of perennial beds is marred by allowing too 

 much bare soil to show, particularly along the edges. This may be 

 overcome by planting cover plants, or in the new border by planting 

 an assortment of annuals. As hardy cover plants the Candytuft, 

 Creeping Phlox, early blue Phlox, Plumbago, Rock Cress, and many 

 similar varieties, are splendid. Of the annuals many kinds are 

 suitable for border planting: among the best are Sweet SultaU; 

 Silene, Coreopsis, Larkspur, Balsam, Zinnia, Dianthus, Eschscholt- 

 zia. Aster, Godetia, Clarkia, Snapdragon, Calendula and Poppy. 

 Annuals are very easily grown. If wanted early, the seeds should 

 be started indoors in flats. Many kinds may be quickly and easily 

 grown by sowing in the open ground when danger of frost is over. 



Really, the material for hardy beds is ine.xhaustible and a selec- 

 tion may be made for a constant succession of bloom through the 

 entire season. If they are planned carefully, remembering that it 

 is the contents of the beds and not the outline that is attractive, 

 and with the idea of permanency before us, such borders wiU con- 

 tinue for years with but little care. 



ROSE GARDENS 



Every one knows how satisfactory the Rose is for outdoor 

 decoration and for cutting, but it does not receive all the considera- 



