cannot spend a great deal every year on its upkeep, is its 
economy compared with many other forms of gardening. Once 
the plants are in place they are there to stay, and, instead of 
having to be renewed every year, one is enabled to be generous 
at small cost in supplying friends with the increase. 
Many of the hardy plants are admirable as cut flowers and 
provide a welcome change from the usual run of stock obtainable 
in the florists’ stores. Just to remind you of the wealth of 
flowers, suitable for cutting plants, among the denizens of the 
old-fashioned flower border, the following are mentioned: 
peonies; iris, dahlia, gladiolus, delphinium, columbine, lily-of- 
the-valley, sea holly, baby’s breath, blanket-flower, hardy sun- 
flower, coral bells (Heuchera ) , pincushion flower ( Scabiosa ), and 
sea lavender. These are only a few of the many plants available 
for this purpose. 
Although many of the plants will thrive even if they are 
neglected and no endeavor made to provide them with congenial 
soil and surroundings, one can scarcely expect to get the best 
results without giving some thought to their requirements. It is 
possible to obtain among the hardy plants some that will succeed 
under almost any kind of environment. Some like shade and 
languish in full sunshine; some are only happy when their “feet” 
are in water, or something approximating it; and some are most 
intolerant of anything like stagnant moisture at their roots. 
Many plants succeed best in clay soil, and some are only thor- 
oughly at home when the soil is loose and sandy. These points 
should be taken into consideration when assigning plants their 
quarters in the garden. The result will be fewer unhappy plants 
and more satisfied gardeners. Most of the nursery firms that 
specialize in hardy plants publish catalogs in which the likes 
and dislikes of the plants are indicated. These catalogs are 
worth studying, although one must admit that some of these 
catalog writers are inclined to be optimistic with reference to 
the behavior of plants under adverse circumstances. 
When a bed or border is made for the reception of hardy 
plants, it should be prepared on the assumption that the plants 
are to remain there for a number of years without removal. 
Some, it is true, of the stronger growing kinds need to be dug 
up and replanted every two or three years, but most of them 
succeed better if their roots are not continually being disturbed. 
Every effort should be made to have the soil in the best possible 
condition before the border is planted. The top soil should be 
broken up to a depth of a foot or eighteen inches, if it extends 
that far, and a liberal supply of well decayed manure buried as 
deeply as possible. This will encourage the roots to penetrate 
