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



Frequent are ihe discussions and many- are llie ideas concerning their cultivation and the best method of arranging them in the 

 garden. In arranging hardy flowers one sliould never forget the ways of Nature, clioosing tlie flowers she uses in the positions 

 she thinks most suitable, while endeavoring to conceal stifl"ness 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, a fence or 

 trellis covered with Rambling Roses or any other hardy climbing 

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

 hocks, Sunflowers, Rudbeckias, Boltonias, Bocconias, etc., are 

 also very attractive when planted throughout a shrubbery bor- 

 der, their showy flowers forming a bright contrast with the fo- 

 liage of the shrubs throughout the summer and fall, when few 

 of the latter are in bloom. 



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 com- 

 mon mistake of overcrowding; give each plant sufficient room 

 to allow it to develop to its full size. The nearest approacli 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 

 high, may be planted 12 inches apart, while Delphinium for- 

 mosum and Japanese Iris, which grow 3 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 sea- 

 son of flowering of the different types should also be taken into 

 account, 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 time. 



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 encouraging growth and keeping the weeds in check. 

 During hot, dry weather, or when it is not convenient to water, 

 a mulch of any loDse, light material will be found very benefi- 

 cial in retaining the moisture and in keeping the soil from bak- 

 ing; ohort grass, the Takings of the lawn after cutting, is ex- 

 cellent material for this purpose. Early in summer many varie- 

 ties 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 appear- 

 ance as if grown naturally 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 them- 

 selves more naturally to their support than if this work is ac- 

 complished 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 



Many not thoroughly familiar with this class of plants have an idea that nothing but a large field-grown clump will give satisfac- 

 tory returns the first season. This, as experience has taught us, is in most instances a mistake. A vigorous plant of proper size 

 will, in nearly every case, give quicker and better returns than the best so-called "field clumps." The majority of the stock 

 offered in this catalogue is pot-grown. This does not mean that the ]ilants have been altogether pot-grown, but that they have 

 been field-grown and dug and potted up during the fall months, and such stock can be planted, even late in the spring, with prac- 

 tically no loss, which, in the case of clumps, is often quite serious. The following letter from the well-known and successful 

 amateur, W. C. Egan, endorses our views on this matter. 



Egandale, III. 

 Gentlemen — Your shipment of perennials arrived safely to-day in most excellent order. It certainly is a pleasure, as well as a 

 profit, to receive plants from you. Your system of growing these in pots allows shipment without disturbing the roots, thus insur- 

 ing uninterrupted growth and no loss in planting. 



Respectfully yours, 



W. C. Egan. 

 (1) 



spare the time or who may not have the materials at hand neces- 

 sary to perform this work in the best possible manner, it cannot 

 be too strongly emphasized that these are two of the most im- 

 portant 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 re- 

 sponding 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. 



Winter Care. — About the middle of November or later, 

 when all the soft growth has been killed by the frost and the 

 plants are thoroughly ripened, Ihe old hard-wooded stems 

 should be removed and burnt up. It will then be found bene- 

 ficial to cover the plants with a top dressing of loose stable lit- 

 ter, or, if this is not to be had, a covering of leaves — Nature's 

 protection. This covering is best applied when the ground is 

 in a dry condition, and should not be overdone, two or three 

 inches spread over loosely being all that is required. A deeper 

 covering would incite the plants into premature growth in the 

 early spring, with a liability of damage by late -frosts; don't be 

 in a hurry to cover the plants; a little frost will do them good. 

 As the extreme cold weather begins to disappear this covering 

 should be removed by degrees, allowing any young growths 

 which the plants may have made to gradually haiden off. 

 This process usually occupies only a few days, after which Ihe 

 plants may be fully exposed to the sunshine, and the litter or 

 covering which has protected them during the winter may be 

 raked up and removed. 



Replanting. — It is all nonsense to suppose that Hardy 

 Perennials once ]:lanted require no attention for several years. 

 The truth is, if we wish them to give fenfire satisfaction, we 

 must each spring see that each variety is treated in the best 

 manner to insure its fullest development during the next flower, 

 ing season. Many ideas are advanced on the question of how 

 often they ought to be divided and transplanted, but no positive 

 rule can be applied. Some sorts w'ill take two or three years or 

 even longer to get established and develop their fullest beauty 

 after being transplanted, and usually the longer they are 

 allowed to grow without disturbance the better results will be 

 accomplished, while others should be transplanted or reset 

 each season. 



Most hardy plants which flower during the spring or early 

 summer months, such as Anthericum, Paeonies, Doronicum, 

 Dielytras, etc., produce their new growth from the crown of 

 close, compact roots, and are better if left undivided and un- 

 disturbed for several years, the only care necessary for these be- 

 ing a liberal covering with fresh soil or compost early in spring. 

 The late summer and autumn blooming species are usually of a 

 more vigorous growth. Such sorts as Helianthus, Rudbeckias, 

 .Asters, Boltonias, Physostegias, etc., on which the original 

 crowns die out each season and many new side-growths are 

 made, are far better if replanted each season, selecting frcm 

 three to five of the strongest growths, which, after the ground 

 has been redug and enriched, may be reset in the same position 

 or replanted to another section of the garden. Treated in this 

 manner, they will not only produce flowers of larger size and 

 finer colors, but will kee]i the stronger and more rampant grow- 

 ing varieties from crowding out their equally interesting but 

 less vigorous neighbors. 



