January, 1916 



THE G A R D E N MAGAZINE 



18' 



Sod edges which have to be kept trimmed 

 to a line are an abomination. From the 

 viewpoint both of looks and maintenance, 

 the better way is to allow the flowers to 

 meet the grass in an indefinite line with no 

 bare soil showing; and while the grounds 

 may be as neat as the time and inclination 

 of the owner permits, their care need not 

 necessarily become a burden. 



ALTERNATIVE COLOR SCHEMES 



The alternative plans which follow and 

 their accompanying lists illustrate how flow- 

 ers may be massed informally to frame the 

 lawn at the back of a typical suburban lot, 

 though the underlying principles and ideas 

 therein set forth are readily interchangeable 

 with other situations. Three of the plans 

 are for hardy perennials and are designed 

 to meet conditions quite generally en- 

 countered; such as poor soil, shade and 

 absence from home during midsummer. 

 The three other plans show color effects 

 obtainable with annuals which will be more 

 effective than the average hit or miss com- 

 bination. 



To provide for continuous bloom through- 

 out the season isa comparatively easy matter. 

 Simple effects are always the most striking. 

 Plan therefore to have only one or two dom- 

 inant flowers in bloom at the same time. 



For instance, in plan No. 5, the early 

 spring is characterized by yellow — For- 

 sythia, Alyssum, and Narcissus, with 

 minor effects of border plants like Forget- 

 me-not and Creeping Phlox. Toward 

 end of May this is replaced by the late 

 Tulips and Iris, pink and lavender. In 

 June and July there will be Larkspur and 

 Hollyhocks; in August, Giant Daisies, 

 Phlox, and Coreopsis, followed in September 

 by Sedum, Boltonias, and Helenium. 



ARRANGING FOR EFFECTS 



In arranging the border it is not essential 

 that every part shall be in continuous 

 bloom. Preferably one part should be 

 arranged as a climax for one season, to be 

 succeeded by another special effect in 



another part of the garden later on; while 

 the space occupied by the first effect be- 

 comes a quiet expanse of green. 



Having made sure that at no period of 

 the summer will the border be bare of 

 flowers, next in importance comes the 

 arrangement of the plants according to their 

 height and form. The lists show them 

 classified as tall, medium, and short. 

 Generally speaking the tallest are placed 

 at the back, the short ones in front, and 

 those of medium size in between the two. 

 However, the line of demarcation between 

 the different heights should vary informally, 

 or stiffness will result. 



It is necessary to proceed with the same 

 systematic care in the preparation of the 

 plan as in the selection of the flowers. In 

 plan No. 5 the shrubs are first placed 

 against the fence and the tall autumn 

 blooming plants in the background, but 

 allowing room between the masses for the 

 taU summer plants. The fall flowering 

 sedums are then placed at intervals in the 

 front of the border. The next step in order 

 is to put masses of small spring flowering 

 border plants at the front of the border in 

 combination with groups of spring bulbs. 

 The latter will assure you a splendid spring 

 effect. It now remains to distribute 

 throughout the intermediary spaces masses 

 of medium sized plants, alternating early 

 with late, being careful that no one mass 

 shall be so unruly as to eclipse its neighbor. 

 (See planting list for height, color, and 

 season.) 



We can now consider texture and form. 

 For instance, no border is complete with- 

 out some carefully placed soft round masses 

 like Gypsophila, contrasted with tall archi- 

 tectural spikes of Foxglove or Gladiolus. 

 Also, the general character of the planting 

 as a whole must be determined: thus, it 

 requires no great stretch of imagination to 

 perceive the difference in type between the 

 sturdy brilliant masses of Boltonias, Phlox, 

 and Iris in No. 5, and the woodsy delicate 

 effect obtained by the Trillium, Ferns, Fox- 

 gloves, and Japanese Anemones in No. 2. 



In the problem of color effect the choice 

 is not so rigidly defined as in the selection 

 for season and height, thus we are tempted 

 to allow the imagination to run riot. There 

 are, however, a few general rules that have 

 proven helpful: (1) Avoid placing two 

 discordant tones where they can be seen 

 at the same time; or, better still, do not 

 have on your list any colors that clash. 

 (2) A safe and reliable scheme is a com- 

 bination of soft pink, pure blue, lavender, 

 clear yellow, and deep purple. (3) In 

 evolving a special color study, one must 

 keep constantly in mind the original idea, 

 even at the expense of the elimination of 

 favorites. 



For instance, a garden of one prevailing 

 tone would prove monotonous, but if 

 enhanced by a few touches of complemen- 

 tary colors become vivid and interesting. 

 The pink border is improved by a little 

 light blue, primrose yellow or deep purple. 

 The yellow border seems more intense be- 

 cause of the deep blue next the orange; 

 and the light blue with the pale yellow, and 

 red flowers contrasting with white seem 

 more brilliant. 



Here also we seize the opportunity to 

 reproduce favorite combinations of flowers 

 revealed by a wayside glimpse. Many of 

 these are indicated on the lists: purple 

 Tulips with yellow Alyssum ; yellow Tulips 

 with purple Aubretias; Bleeding Heart 

 with Mertensia ; pale blue Iris pallida with 

 Peonies, and lavender Darwin Tulips being 

 suggestive of the many possible effects. 



Plan No. 2 is suitable for a shady but 

 not a wet situation — such as the north side 

 of the fence or under trees — the plants will 

 thrive in average soil, and respond pro- 

 portionately in better conditions. Annuals 

 especially, yield truly astonishing results 

 in a new, even crude, if well fertilized, soil. 



In ways that are too elusive to describe 

 and too joyous to define, does a garden re- 

 flect its maker. It is refluent of his charac- 

 ter, his moods, nay, even his humor. There- 

 in may he meditate and imbibe wisdom, 

 labor and not grow weary, rest and be glad. 



Note: — The following six schemes show alternative treatments of 

 available and will be sent on request to any subscriber who encloses 



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THE ANNUAL BORDER— THREE TONES OF YEL 

 LOW: ORANGE, GOLD, AND PALE PRIMROSE 



the same general plan. Working blueprints on a larger scale are 

 five cents for each plan desired, to cover cost of printing and mailing. 



BLUE. 18 — Centaurea Cyanus, bachelor's button. 69 plants or seed and thin to 6". 

 Deep blue for combination with orange. 19 — Ageratum, tall blue, 53 plants, or seed 

 and thin to 6". Note that soft blue is used with light yellow. 



BULBS— PALE YELLOW. 20— Gladiolus, palest yellow, 30 bulbs, 6"-12" apart. 

 Canary Bird. Isaac Buchanan. 21 — Dahlias, lemon color, 21 bulbs, 2'-3' apart. Caesar, 

 peony-flowered. 



Note: Blue flowers on plah shown shaded, yellow shown plain. 



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ANNUAL VINES. 1 — Climbing Nasturtiums, pale and 



golden yellow; seed. 2 — Echinocystis lobata, California cu- 



l ±J f\ cumber; seed. Fine white blossoms. 3 — Tropaeolum canari- 



ense, canary creeper; seed. Finely cut leaves and bright yellow 



blossom. 



ORANGE. 4 — African Marigold, tall orange, 26 plants, 15"-18" apart; 



or seed. 5 — Calendulas, orange, 37 plants, 12" apart; or seed. 6 — Zinnias, 



orange, 27 plants, 15"-18" apart; or seed. 7 — Eschscholtzia Golden West, 



orange yellow; seed, thin to 6". 8 — Dwarf French Marigold, 26 plants, 12" apart, 



or seed. Orange and brown. 



GOLDEN YELLOW. 9— Annual Coreopsis, 97 plants, 6"-12" apart, 

 or seed. Makes an excellent mass. 10 — Annual Sunflower, Primrose Queen. 46 plants, 

 seed, thin to 12". Soft yellow, grows 6' tall. 11 — Helianthus cucumerifolius, Single 

 Miniature Sunflower, 12 plants. Seed, thin to 12". Golden yellow, black centre, 4" 

 tall. 



PRIMROSE YELLOW. 12— African Marigold, tall lemon, 66 plants, 15"-18" 

 apart, or seed. 13 — Annual Chrysanthemum Morning Star, 35 plants, 6"-12" apart, 

 or seed. 14 — Calendulas, pale sulphur yellow, 31 plants, 12" apart, or seed. 15— 

 Annual Phlox, pale coffee color; seed, thin to 6". 16— Stocks, canary yellow, 24 plants, 

 12" apart. 17 — Mignonette, seed, thin to 4"-6". Not selected for color but to give 

 fragrance and green. 



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SHRUBS AND VINES. 1— Sambucus canadensis, elder, 16 U*\T. 







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plants. Will look scraggy when first set out. Beautiful effect PS" 1 !/; 

 when established. Rhododendrons and Laurel good in shade , : 

 -v^J but more expensive. Bush Honeysuckle, mock orange, and 

 witch hazel also excellent. 2 — Azalea Vaseyi, southern Azalea, 

 5 plants. Delicate pink. May. Looks well combined with 

 pale blue Virginia Cowslip. 3 — Ampelopsis heterophylla, tur- 

 quoise berry, 13 plants. Vine with beautiful blue berries, re- 

 taining green leaves until late fall. 4 — Aristolochia macrophylla, Dutch- 

 man's pipe, 3 plants. Extremely heavy vine with large leaves, useful for 



covering fences or for dignified architectural effect. 



PERENNIALS — Tall. 5 — Digitalis purpurea, foxglove, 82 plants. Pink and 



white. June and July. 12" apart. 6 — Aquilegia hybrids, columbines, 26 plants. 



Pink, yellow, creamy white, blue. May and June. 12" apart. 7 — Anemone japonica, 



Japanese Anemone, 98 plants. Pink and white, September and October. 12" apart. 



