V 



SENECIOS 



HEIE Senecios, at least the three species of these truly 

 tropical appearing plants that I know, have perfectly enor- 

 mous leaves and late Summer flowers of clear, rich, vivid 

 gold. They seem to me to have been created especially to assemble 

 with the tall pampas grasses near the wall fountain, beside the 

 well-curb or in groups at the pool side (that is, providing the pool 

 is not a small one). 



The Senecit)s bear huge leaves that are rather more than a 

 foot long, and they are wonderful subjects when grouped with 

 plants that produce foliage in sharp contrast; for example, let me 

 suggest the planting of the Yucca filmentosa in advance and be- 

 tween the Senecios with the feathery, green, lace-like foliage of 

 the Cimicifuga simplex, and here and there for greater contrast to 

 the huge, tropical type foliage of the Senecios, the long, drooping 

 sword-like Yucca tilmentosa and the misty fineness of Cimicifuga 

 Simplex, which is quite as exquisite as any maidenhair fern and 

 quite as liardy as an oak. The Avhite, plume-like flowers of Cimi- 

 cifuga Simplex are abloom in late Summer with the Senecios, and 

 t do you know, even the flowers are in delightful contrast. 



The Senecios are like large, single golden roses, while those 

 of the Cimicifuga Simplex are more • like small, curled, white 

 ostrich feathers. The Yucca has already bloomed, though to me 

 its tall flower-spear has no charm, but its broad, curved leafage — 

 I would call it almost evergreen — makes it a splendid foliage 

 plant; that is, in the right place, and with the Senecio§ and the 

 Cimicifuga Simplex it is indeed perfectly positioned. Aside from 

 the fact that these groups are -thoroughly hardy, they are of un- 

 common interest when assembled together. 



Any plant that is at its best from late Summer on to freezing 

 time is particularly valuable, because it is then and then only 

 that some of our gardens take on that "Summer has past" appear- 

 ance or a dejected and often hopeless air, and there is really no 

 reason for it when we have so many remarkably lovely, unusual 

 and beautifying plants to bring into our gardens, plants of par- 

 ticular usefulness in the late Summer, and this is why we should 



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