Dreer's Select Hardy Perennial Plants 



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A Hardy Perennial Border. 



OF all the plants that are cultivated for purely ornamental purposes there are none which have made such rapid strides in 

 public favor as the Old=fashioned Hardy Garden Flowers, the inhabitants of the perennial garden. Their popularity 

 is not at all surprising when we consider the many varied and pleasant changes which take place throughout the entire 

 growing season in a well-arranged hardy garden, in which every week — yes, every day — brings forth something fresh and new to 

 interest and delight even the most critical. Beginning in April the early-flowering varieties open their flowers often before the snow 

 has entirely disappeared, and continue, with constant changing variety, throughout the summer until late in the fall, when only 

 severe freezing weather will stop such persistent late-blooming kinds as Japanese Anemones, Pompon Chrysanthemums, Gaillardias, 

 Stokesias, Tritomas, etc. 



THE MAKING AND CARE OF AN OLD=FASHIONED HARDY BORDER. 



Frequent are the discussions and many are the ideas concerning 

 their cultivation and the best method of arranging them in the 

 garden, but no hard or fast lines can be laid down, as it largely 

 depends on location, the ground at the disposal, and the indi- 

 vidual taste of the cultivator. In arranging hardy flowers one 

 should never forget the ways of Nature, choosing the flowers she 

 uses in the positions she thinks most suitable, while endeavoring 

 to conceal stiffness of arrangement by a careful study of her 

 plans and the judicious use of the beautiful hardy plants at our 

 disposal. 



Situation. — There is no class of plants which lend them- 

 selves to such varied assortment of climatic or soil conditions, 

 but the most effective position for Hardy Perennial plants in 

 general is a good open border, backed by a hedge, i fence or 

 trellis covered with Rambling Roses or any other hardy climbing 

 vines; while some of the taller-growing sorts, such as Hollyhocks, 

 Sunflowers, Rudbeckias, Boltonias, Bocconias, etc., are also very 

 attractive when planted throughout a shrubbery border, their 

 showy flowers forming a bright contrast with the foliage of the 

 shrubs throughout the summer and fall when few of the latter 

 are in 1)1 oom. 



Soil and Planting. — Cultivation is of the simplest, begin- 

 ning with any good garden soil as a foundation, which may be 

 enriched with such fertilizers as well-decomposed manure, bone- 

 meal, or sheep manure deeply dug and well-pulverized. The 

 best time to plant hardy plants is just when they are emerging 

 into life after their season's rest, when the weather is favorable 

 and the soil in condition, or they may be set out in the autumn. 

 Above all things avoid wet planting. Do not make the common 

 mistake of overcrowding; give each plant sufficient room to 

 allow it to develop to its full size. The nearest approach to a 

 rule which may be followed in planting being to set out plants 

 which grow to a height of 2 feet or less 12 inches apart and all 

 others space equal to one-half their height when developed. For 

 example, Aquilegias and Gypsophila, which grow 2 feet hii;!), 

 may be planted ]2 inches apart, while Delphinium formosum 

 and Japanese Iris, which grow 3 feet high, should be 1H inches 

 apart. Care should also be taken to blend the colors throughout 

 the garden, so as to prevent too many of one shade of color 



coming together, causing jarring contrasts. The season of 

 flowering of the different types should also be taken into ac- 

 count, and the different plants as evenly dispersed as possible in 

 order to maintain an equality of flowering plants, leaving no 

 portion of the garden bare or flowerless nor crowding together 

 too many that bloom at the same season. 



Care in Summer. — During the growing season careful at- 

 tention should be given if best results are to be obtained. There 

 is nothing so beneficial as frequent stirring up around the plants 

 and raking the ground into order again; it allows the air to 

 move more freely through the surface of the soil, thereby encour- 

 aging growth and keeping the weeds in check. During hot, 

 dry weather, or when it is not convenient to water, a mulch of 

 any loose, light material will be found very beneficial in retaining 

 the moisture and in keeping the soil from baking; short grass, 

 the rakings of the lawn after cutting, is excellent material for 

 this purpose. Early in summer many varieties will have made 

 considerable growth, and the supporting of these should be taken 

 up in time. It is hardly possible to stake and tie up a plant so 

 that it will have the same graceful appearance as if grown natu- 

 rally without their aid; still, supports should be inserted at all 

 tall-growing sorts early in the season while the plants are small. 

 In this way they will lend themselves more naturally to their 

 support than if this work is accompl^hed after the plants have 

 made considerable growth. Once the plants get broken down 

 or allowed to get "set" it is impossible to tie them up into 

 natural shape again. This phase of summer work in the garden 

 is often considered a matter of small importance, yet the difference 

 between doing same in a slipshod and a workman like manner 

 is most apparent,- and, while fully sympathizing with those who 

 may not be able to spare the time or who may not have the 

 materials at hand necessary to perform this work in the best pos- 

 sible manner, it cannot be too strongly emphasized that these 

 are two of the most important factors in the successful cultivation 

 of all out-of-door plants. The removal of old flower stems will 

 also materially help the appearance of the plants at all times, 

 many species responding to this treatment with an extra crop of 

 flowers later in the season. All decayed foliage should also be 

 removed, so as to keep the garden neat and tidy at all seasons. 



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