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HOME AND FL0WEE8 



mass in which it grows. London Pride 

 deserves a 'pla.ce in all borders where 

 brightness is needed, and the Sweet Will- 

 iam is still one of our best hardy, early- 

 blooming plants. 



I remember that grandmother always 

 took a handful of Pinks "to meeting" 

 with her in Pink-time. When they were 

 gone, Artemisa took their place in the 

 Sunday posie. Southernwood, they were 

 called in those days. In some localities 

 it was known as "Old Man." The signif- 

 icance of this name I could never learn. 

 Its pungent, spicy fragrance had a refresh- 

 ing quality in it. I used to fancy it had 

 the ability to ward off a threatened head- 

 ache, if used in time. It grew to be quite 

 a bush, and would be a great addition to 

 the border of today, for its finely-cut foliage 

 is attractive, and there are but few who do 

 not like its odor. It is still plentiful in 

 country gardens, where roots of it can be 

 obtained in any quantity for the asking. 

 Another plant that seemed akin to it was 

 the Chamomile. So far as I know this 

 has been lost sight of. I have not seen 

 it for a good many years. It was of creep- 

 ing habit, soon covering quite a space of 

 ground with a carpet of bright green 

 foliage, above which its little white flowers, 

 quite like miniature Daisies in form and 

 color, were held to attract the attention of 

 the garden's visitor. It was a plant having 

 great medicinal virtues, in the opinion of 

 old ladies, and quantities of it were gath- 

 ered and hung up in the attic every season 

 along with Boneset and Thoroughwort and 

 Smartweed. 



Nearly all old gardens had their clumps 

 of Peonies, and all, so far as I can remem- 

 ber them, were alike. They were great crim- 

 son flowers, globular as to form and profuse 

 as to petal. A strong old plant would 

 often form a mass of stalks and foliage a 

 yard or more across, and bear a hundred 

 flowers. The Peony was the showiest of 

 all garden flowers in those days, and it is 

 still unexcelled in that respect. I know 

 of clumps which were planted more than 

 a hundred years ago, if the unwritten 



records of family history can be depended 

 on, and they are as vigorous today as when 

 I first knew them a score of years ago. 

 The Peony was a favorite in those days, 

 and it is a favorite still, and its popularity 

 is well deserved. For borders, where it 

 can grow to large dimensions, it is one of 

 the best of all hardy flowers. Give it a 

 rather heavy soil, which should be well 

 manured each season, keep the grass away 

 from it, and it will take care of itself 

 after that. JSTowadays we have scores of 

 varieties, ranging from pure white to 

 darkest crimson, with many intermediate 

 shades of pink and rose and carmine, and 

 all are beautiful, l^o flower is of easier 

 cultivation, and no flower gives greater 

 satisfaction. It is among herbaceous 

 plants what the Lilac is among shrubs. If 

 you own a garden, and it is without 

 Peonies, you are not living up to your 

 privileges. 



The Hollyhock was always a favorite 

 flower with our grandmothers. In their 

 day it was quite unlike the Hollyhock of 

 the present time. Its flowers were single. 

 They were red and pink and white, as a 

 general thing, with now and then an inter- 

 mediate shade. They grew to a height of 

 seven or eight feet, each plant sending up 

 several stalks from its strong roots. In 

 those days it was a longlived plant. The 

 modern Hollyhock is dwarf in stature, 

 weak in constitution, and shortlived. It 

 has fine double flowers, of many colors, but 

 its beauty has been gained at the expense 

 of vitality. Beautiful as it is, it lacks the 

 dignity which characterized the old type, 

 and I am glad to know that some garden- 

 ers who have an eye for real beauty are 

 making use of the old varieties in groups 

 on large lawns and in prominent places 

 with fine effect. I know of no perennial 

 plant with greater decorative possibilities. 

 I can well rem^ember when the first double 

 Hollyhock was introduced into our neigh- 

 borhood. It attracted great attention, and 

 its owner was besieged with applications 

 for seed from it, or a root. In those days 

 comparatively few persons bouo-ht plants. 



