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, even- 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 

 01d=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- 

 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 

 condiiion, 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 full 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 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 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 cluck. 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 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 naturally 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. 



An Old-fashioned Hakdv Border. 



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