April, 1914 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
293 
If the garden is to be made anew, see that no bed is wider than 
six feet or narrower than two and a half. A bed may be twelve 
feet wide, if it can be reached from both sides, as this restriction 
in width is governed by the difficult)' in giving attention to any 
space greater than six feet. Less than two or two and a half feet 
for a border restricts it to too few plants, or to but a single row 
of most varieties. Such a planting is too stiff. 
Hints for the careful selection of flowers for their color are 
given elsewhere in this issue, and it is only necessary here to 
advise the attempting of simple color harmonies, or one-color 
schemes. 
The matter of season of bloom is important. In your garden 
it is desirable to have as many beautiful flowers as possible, and 
to have them all the time. Some bloom in spring; others sum¬ 
mer; still others not till fall. A bed may then be arranged to take 
advantage of this, and with perennials it is easily possible, as most 
sorts die down after flowering, and leave their successors to spring 
into full glory after them. You must pick out plants that accom¬ 
plish this. The periods of bloom will overlap and leave no part 
of the border destitute. 
Then there is. the matter of height. In general, it is best to 
plant tall-growing sorts at the back of the border against the fence 
or hedge. If in a bed that may be seen from two or more sides, 
tall species should go in the center. That is only common sense; 
you do not want the little plants to be hidden. The creeping- 
plants and those of dwarf growth, for the same reason, are put 
along borders. These statements do not mean that all tall sorts 
should be placed in rows, like so many soldiers, backing the border. 
The gardener will use them for their place in the form part of the 
composition, probably between two groups of low-growing plants, 
Annuals fill in the gaps between perennials and give first-year brightness to the 
border. Phlox Drummondi, the annual phlox, appears in the foreground 
to give the bed a wavy, irregular line and to accent it in places. 
Location with perennials is not so very important, but the soil 
demands of some must be considered. There are, too, some 
flowers that do well in the damp, shaded places, and others that 
demand much sun. These peculiarities are factors determining 
where they shall go in your garden. 
You have now working data of the main requirements of peren¬ 
nials; you have your plan showing vour garden restrictions; you 
are now ready to make up your mind as to what plants you want. 
Your plans for color groupings come first, but keep them simple. 
The elaborate scheme requires experience and knowledge. It is 
often helpful to sketch in crayon or water color your main color 
scheme on the plan, making the colors cover the sections you de¬ 
sire to have — red or blue or yellow. 
Last issue, the matter of proper fertilization and drainage was 
elaborated in the Garden Department, and in the article on spring 
work the matters of sowing and planting explained. If you 
realize that all your hopes will be frustrated by improper soil con¬ 
ditions you will see to it that the garden earth is friable, well 
drained, free from acid and well supplied with available plant 
food. 
These same considerations of height, color, location and time of 
blossom naturally apply to those flowers classed as annuals. Such 
plants are those which flower from seed the season of planting, 
and then die down after blossoming or at the approach of winter. 
Seeds must be planted each year, with the exception of certain 
varieties that self sow. These will come up in a scattering growth 
next year. The greatest value of annuals is to supplement a per¬ 
ennial planting. The spaces between the newly set out plants will 
look bare the first year, and annuals round out this irregularity 
The low-growing Phlox subulala appears with the tulips. When the early bloom 
of these plants is past poppies keep up the succession of bloom 
