DREER’S SELECT 
Hardy Perennial Plants. 
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 some- 
thing 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 individual 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 themselves to such 
varied assortment of climatic or soil conditions, but the most effective posi- 
tion for Hardy Perennial plants in general is a good open border, backed by 
a hedge, a 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 bloom. 
Soil and Planting.—Cultivation is of the simplest, beginning 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- 
An OLv-FAsHionep Harpy Borper. 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 over- 
crowding ; give each plant sufficient room to allow it to develop to its fall size. The nearest approach to a rule which may be fol- 
lowed 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 high, may be planted 12 inches 
apart, while Delphinium formosum and Japanese Iris, which grow 8 feet high, should be 18 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 account, and the different plants as evenly dis- 
persed as possible in order to maintain an equality of flowering plants, leaving no portion of the garden bare or flowerless nor crowd- 
ing together too many that bloom at the same season. 
Care in Summer.—During the growing season careful attention 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 encouraging 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 refaining the 
moisture and in keeping the soil from baking ; short grass, the rakings of the lawn after cutting, is excellent material for this pur- 
pose. 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 naturally with- 
out 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 n aturally to their support than if this work is accomplished 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 possible 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. 
This article is continued on next page. 
(172) 
