CROMWELL GARDENS, CROMWELL. CONN. 



Hardy Perennials 



THE HARDY PERENNIALS 



HOW, WHEN, WHAT TO PLANT, AND THEIR CARE 



PEREXNIAL PLANT is one which is hardy. It dies down with the approach of winter, 

 rcappcarint; with the coming of spring to bloom forth again in greater profusion and with 

 ad'icd \ i-nr. I lii-, the nature of perennials, is usually uiult-rstood, but it sometimes happens 

 ili ii lip \ iir plaiiicd with the misconception that when once planted they are perfectly 

 aliK lake ( arc of themselves for all time. As a result, wt- witness a rather emphatic dcmon- 

 ^tr.ition of "ihe survival of the fittest." In your hardy border "the fittest" must be kept 

 within its allotted bounds, and divided as often as necessary, if you wish results from the 



( lit ire planting. 



To maintain a icalK ^iiccc^sf ul har(!\- border, the strong-growing kinds of spre.tding habit should be 

 taken up ami 'lix iili il .1^ nlicn ,1-, mc r^^.uA . As ,111 in^l.iiuc the drrp ( riiiiMin ,iiul i;li)\\ini; sr.u-lct Phloxes 

 will, if left iin.ll\ 1.1< .1 .1 nniiilM i .it \ cirs/riAcrt Ki the (.bu( tioiKililc iiKiucnl ,1 ,iiul l.iM iiiiir luR's SO often 

 found in n.'.^Kvlr.l -^anlnis. I'lilnx, I {, ,|| , ,,,1,, . Il.mlv AMn-.. A, lull,-,,. Art c-iiii>i,i , K lull ur ki,. . Spireas and 

 spccirs ,,l Minikir li.ii.il si, , Mild \n- ,ii\ i.K-<l , \aT\ s,v..ii(l \r,ir ,iii,l rrpLiiil.-.l ill cnnrlii-d mmI. J,i|..iiir>c and 

 Germ, in 1 1 i^. ( triml ,il l'<ip|iii-s. s|i.i-,ta I ),iisif>. I Iniin 1 ir.illis, 1 Vlpliiniii 111-, |- nnki,! , ( 'lir\ -,nU luiiiiinis. \'e- 

 roni(,is, .ind s(j (jii. i \c IN iliiid \(\ir, ,uul the snuillcr-growing kinds as uttcn as their coiulition reciuires it. 



lirinlri , 1,1 ,1 inuM pn iiMiu nt nature can be obtained by confining the varieties to comparatively non- 

 spre.i(lni_; ~iil.|( .is -11. h ,is I'Kjnics, Dictamnus, Japanese Anemones, Columbines, Platycodon, Bleeding 

 Heart, lietiilura, Stalice and Slokesia. 



HOW TO PLANT 



In the preparation of the Imrdcr, the soil slmuld be dug to a depth of 18 inclus— more if it is prac- 

 ticable — and the soil well piiK ci i/cd .iiid enriched with well-decomposed stable ni.uiiirc, to w hich a good 

 sprinkliii',; of ( d.iisc linnc iiu-.d iiiii;lil be .iddcd to ,id\-.int,igc. The prcp.uMtion should be completed some 

 time 1m r I hr ,11 1 i \ .il ul I he pLinl-,, pcnnlll iiiK tiir soil Id lie. i.iiir s, mu^u li,il settled. 



Willi ill.' plain - .111 Imi.l, I lie s|irl,i. a- .Mil I ii- 1. 1. i-i-iu'd up \mi li a i.iki - ,iii.l the plants spaced out properly 

 before .iii\ pi. 111111114 IS .iiteinpie.l, I lie ,1. iiKil ,irr,iii:<eineiit . il ill.' ;4r.Mips iiiiisi , of course, be a matter of 

 personal taste, but the ni.iii.i <>l lui:,;lii slionl.l l.e kepi in mind. Keep tli<' t,ill-i;ro\\ ing kinds in the rear 

 or background, tapering lli.' | il. uK in- .l.nvn lo tin- l.ire;.;r(uiii.l with the d\\,ul\-i- kinds. ,i\-oiding a stiflf, 

 unnatural arrangement by dep,iiiiie.; Ii.iin ihis rule, pi-nnittini; ,111 oe. .isi.iii.il pLint or group to stand clear 

 of its neighbors. The Peony makes ,,1, e\. . lliait specimen plant ior this pm post-. 



Planting can usually be done with ,1 iiowel, making the holes l,iri;e eiioiiL;li to receive the plants com- 

 fortably. If dormant, the plants sli.iuld In- set just deep enoui;li to oxer the crowns. Pot-grown plants 

 should be set deep enough to co\er the b.ill of soil from i to inches, acct)r(ling to their size. The soil, 



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