216 
Rustic Adornments. 
polygonums, etc., may grow in the turf as well as the border, while between 
and behind, fox-gloves, "willow herbs, and monks’-hoods will impart a rural 
appearance to the spot. 
In regard to planting the borders, many things have to be considered. 
The first and most important is the choice of plants adapted for the position. 
Some plants, for instance, will only thrive well in the sun, others in the shade. 
Others, again, born in the woodland and copse, like the fox-glove, would 
not be at home in every part of the garden, but in a corner more akin 
to its native habitat. A Lilium auraium , again, though it likes a little shade, 
would not look well in company with the fox-glove, and so on. In the wilder 
and more shady positions plant ferns, fox-gloves, mulleins, golden rod, helle¬ 
bores, Solomon’s seal, lily of the valley, primroses, the common columbine, 
Japanese wind-flower, crown imperial lily, creeping jenny, periwinkle, 
asphodel, St. John’s wort, daffodils, scillas, crocuses, and snowdrops, to 
blossom the greater part of the year, or to render the spot attractive in other 
ways. In large borders in out-of-the-way corners, w r here it is not quite so 
shady, Michaelmas daisies, perennial larkspurs, cow T -parsnip, Leopard’s bane, 
evening primrose, snapdragon, wallflower, sweet rocket, Canterbury bell, 
polygonums, day-lilies, daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops, scillas, and snowflakes, 
with a few lilies, will make a charming display. Coming to borders in more 
important positions, these can be beautified with perennial sunflowers, rud- 
beckias, perennial larkspurs, white Japanese wind-flowers, Michaelmas daisies, 
carnations, pansies, roses, violas, sweet williams, bergamot, goat’s rue, and 
other plants, which will be found in the list at the end of this chapter. These 
should be planted in groups of not less than three plants, if possible a dozen 
of each, so as to produce a good effect. One or two plants make a miserable 
display, but a group of a dozen or so, as shown in the illustration of foxgloves 
on page 213 is most effective. Avoid planting in lines or placing all the 
tallest at the back and the dwarfest in front. An arrangement of this kind is 
very artificial and objectionable. The better plan to follow, and the one 
which will prove the most effective, is to boldly bring the tall plants to the 
front here and there, and place some of the dwarfer towards the back of the 
border. What is wanted is to make the arrangement of the plants as diversi¬ 
fied as the other parts of the garden. Groups of monthly or other dwarf 
roses may be intermixed with hardy flowers in a border if desired. Bare 
trunks of trees in a border, or old stumps, can also be effectively decorated by 
planting honeysuckle, everlasting peas, clematis, or climbing roses at their 
