Planning and Planting the Perennial Border 



THIS SEASON'S OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A BORDER THAT WILL C 



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By Henry Wild, 



Conn- 

 ecticut 



THIS SEASON'S OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A BORDER THAT WILL GIVE FLOWERS 

 ALL THROUGH THE SEASON AND GROW BETTER AS TIME PASSES — A MODEL PLAN 



MORE than half the fun of a gar- 

 den lies in its making, with the 

 pleasure of anticipation to urge 

 one on to something really worth 

 while. Then there is the selecting of your 

 favorite plants and the knowledge gained by 

 trying out new ones, which is an attraction 

 in itself. 



October is the best time of the year 

 to make a start in the hardy border, 

 especially as to the proper preparation of 

 the soil itself. If you would have results 

 you must have the proper soil conditions, 

 and it is the shirking of this detail right 

 now that accounts for a host of failures 

 or disappointments. Therefore I strongly 

 urge "trenching." Sounds like hard work, 

 eh? Well perhaps it is; but just consider 

 for a moment. Many of the plants, such 

 as peonies, lilies, delphiniums, etc., are to 

 remain in the same place undisturbed for 

 several years and if conditions are right, 

 will increase in beauty. Would you plant 

 an orchard on unprepared land? The 

 cases are analogous. 



To trench a border, dig out the soil to 

 a depth of two feet and three feet in 

 width, wheeling the lifted soil to the 

 far end of the border. Then take off the 

 top soil of the next section, placing this also 

 at the far end of the plot, but separately. 

 This will give a clear start for stirring up the 

 bottom of the first trench and allow the 

 turning over into it of the second, to which 

 should be added well rotted manure, 

 partly decayed leaves or other garden 

 compost. Place the top soil of the third 

 section on the surface of the soil thus turned 

 over into the first trench. Continue this 

 method until the digging is completed, 

 filling in the last trenches with the material 

 taken out at the start. 



The ground should now be given several 

 days to settle and a dressing of sheep 

 manure or bone meal raked in with the 

 levelling of the surface. This will ensure 

 a border in which the roots of the plants 

 will go far down to find moisture instead 

 of running along the top, as is the case 

 when the soil is shallow and resulting in 

 the need of artificial watering with every 

 dry spell. 



If a hedge of privet, arborvitae, or hem- 

 lock is used as a background, or as a means 

 of adding privacy to the border, it is ad- 

 visable to leave a space of at least three 

 feet between the hedge and the garden. 

 This will serve as a path and prevent the 

 roots of the hedge from robbing the border 

 to a great extent. 



If space be available, a background of 

 shrubs, such as lilacs, spireas, altheas, etc., 

 with a few evergreens planted in a broken 

 outline, form an ideal setting and assist in 

 giving the border a natural appearance 

 and charming effect. 



Foxgloves, aquilegias, helianthus, etc., 

 mingle well with the shrubs and, when 

 planted informally, present the appearance 

 of having escaped from the border and 

 lend just that touch to the planting that 

 suggests the semi-wild. 



The mistake often made is that of plant- 

 ing too closely together. Peonies may be 

 given three feet. Boltonias, helianthus, 

 Pyrethrum uliginosum that grow erect yet 

 have broad heads of bloom, can be given 

 from two to three feet. Phlox, delphin- 

 iums, iris and others of similar habit 

 eighteen inches; alum root (heuchera), 

 alyssum, the dwarf campanulas, etc., re- 

 quire at least a foot. 



When plants are received from the 

 nursery, the top growth has all been cut 

 off and unless one is familiar with the habits 

 of growth, many kinds will be crowded 

 the first season unless plenty of space be 

 given. The best plan, therefore, is to give 

 extra room to the strong growers, using 

 biennials and such bulbs as narcissus, 

 Darwin and May-flowering tulips and 

 Galtonia candicans between them, all of 

 which add to the charm of the border 

 and lengthen the flowering season of each 

 group. This will do away with the neces- 

 sity of taking out or dividing many of 

 the plants the second season, when the 

 border should be at its best. 



Groups of one color are effective and 

 easy to handle for the beginner. Write 

 on a label the name of the plant and color; 

 for instance, "Phlox Independence. White," 

 and place in the border where each is to 

 be planted. These labels not only act 

 as guides to the planting, but also keep you 

 in touch with the color scheme when filling 

 in with bulbs, annuals, etc. To explain 

 this system of double planting, a few 

 suggestions follow: 



Peonies and Lilium speciosum. The 

 lilies fill in during August and September. 



Phlox La Cygne, a beautiful white for 

 the front, with pink verbena as an under 

 cover, using either Boltonia latisquama or the 

 giant pyrethrum as a background; both 

 are late flowering. A few bulbs of Darwin 

 tulips may be planted among either, the 

 flowers will show to perfection among the 

 young foliage of the perennials. 



Anthemis tinctoria and narcissus Empress 

 with delphiniums planted at the ba ck make 

 a splendid combination, while the dwarf 

 Campanula Carpatica, blue, with crocuses 

 will make a nice front. Japanese iris may 

 have gladiolus as companions. 



Seeds of love-in-a-mist Miss Jekyll, 

 sown early between Aconitum Napellus, 

 will give flowers until the latter opens. 

 Of course the gladiolus will not be planted 

 until next spring. 



Bulbs of many kinds can be planted 

 between perennials without interfering in 



95 



any way. Tulip Cottage Maid will follow 

 Arabis albida nicely; while one of the early 

 red varieties makes a beautiful contrast 

 with Alyssum saxatile. The cheery yellow 

 blossoms of the alyssum brighten the border 

 with the first warm days of spring. 



The foregoing combinations will give an 

 idea of what can be done to keep up a 

 succession of bloom — which is always to 

 be kept in mind in planning the hardy 

 border. There is such an excellent variety 

 of material to choose from that selecting 

 a list is quite a task. What follows must 

 be taken as merely suggestive and may be 

 greatly varied to suit individual tastes. 



Let us commence with the early spring 

 flowers. Arabis albida with its mass of 

 white blossoms, is followed by Alyssum 

 saxatile and the carpet Phlox subulata. 

 This is a charming plant for an edging or 

 as an under cover for the later types of 

 phlox. Cerastium tomentosum and Linum 

 perenne are a study in blue and white, 

 when planted as companions. The linum 

 flowers quite late into summer. 



Plant a few Anthemis Kelwayi, the fern- 

 like foliage of which forms a beautiful 

 setting for Tulipa Gesneriana var. major. 

 The tulips add color to the border, their 

 tall stems carrying the flowers well above 

 the foliage. 



Columbines are useful for cutting and 

 planted among late phlox they supply a 

 wealth of bloom, lasting until the latter 

 is ready to open. 



Sweet Williams are old favorites and 

 always welcome. A number of new var- 

 ieties of solid color have been added of 

 late. Pink Beauty is a grand addition, as 

 also are Salmon Queen, Newport Pink and 

 Sutton's Scarlet. 



The aristocrats of the garden are the 

 peonies. The number of varieties is legion, 

 wonderful in their range of color and form. 

 From the old-fashioned Paeonia officinalis, 

 var. rubra to the more recent creations of 

 present day specialists, there is a rich list to 

 choose from. Better consult the cata- 

 logues to suit your fancy and purse. 



Some of the well recognized best are 

 Festiva Maxima, a grand old variety, a 

 dazzling white with splashes of bright 

 carmine in the centre; Queen Victoria, an 

 early white; Floral Treasure and Golden 

 Harvest, are splendid in the softer shades of 

 pink; Louis Van Houtte is a fine late dark, 

 Francis Ortegal, crimson; Felix Crousse, 

 brilliant red; Marie Lemoine is a fine late 

 creamy white; Venus a beautiful shell 

 pink; Rosea elegans a large rosy purple. 

 Perfection a brilliant rose pink; Delicatis- 

 sima pale pink. These make a dozen that 

 embrace some of the most desirable types 

 and colors, so far as my judgment goes. 



Lilies can be planted between peonies 

 to give a display during the summer. 



