90 
House & Garden 
In the Italian Atelier 
Ro rim cr-B ro oks 
Studios 
Intelior Decoratore 
and Craftsmen 
Furniture, Fabrics, Rugs 
and Objets d’Art 
The scope and ser¬ 
vice of Rorimer- 
Brooks ranges from 
planning and exe¬ 
cuting the complete 
decorative scheme 
of your home to 
building a single 
piece of furniture 
or aiding in the 
selection of a sin¬ 
gle objet dart or 
bit of tapestry. A 
tour thru Rorimer- 
Brooks Shops and 
Studios (one sec¬ 
tion is shown above) 
discloses a veri¬ 
table treasure-trove 
of artistic sugges¬ 
tions. 
(JutkortteHve tjeauty 
ROOM or a kouse is just 
as truly a composition as 
a fine painting or a piece 
of sculpture. Unless 
planned and executed 
v?itk a tkorougk mastery 
of colors, fabrics, finishes and 
architectural styles, it almost 
necessarily fails to fulfill the hopes 
of its owners. 
To the designing of the interior 
treatment of a home, or the 
redecorating of a single room, 
Rorimer-Brooks designers bring a 
scholarly authority leavened by 
that freshness of viewpoint which 
marks genuine artistry. 
The truly remarkable series of 
residences and clubs which bear 
the imprint of Rorimer-Brooks 
artistic ability is in itself evidence 
beyond argument on these points. 
On any detail connected with 
the interior beauty of your home 
Rorimer-Brooks designers and 
craftsmen stand ready to lend you 
their billing assistance. 
Middle Plants for the Perennial Border 
(Continued from page 51) 
sown in early spring. Easily cross- 
fertilized, so does not always come 
true to seed. Bloom from mid-May 
until mid-June and grows from 1' to 
VA'- 
Butterfly Weed ( Asclepias tuberosa) 
—Large fragrant and showy clusters 
of orange-yellow flowers in July and 
August. Grows 2' high, and has 
many light green leaves which are 
not very noticeable. Plant should 
be cut down after blooming and place 
hidden by other things. May be col¬ 
lected, but plants raised from seed 
bloom longer. 
Canterbury Bells ( Campanula medi¬ 
um) —Really a biennial and seed 
should be sown as soon as ripe in or¬ 
der to assure bloom the next year. 
Good stiff plant with fair foliage. The 
flowers are bell shaped, about 2" long, 
and of colors varying from white, 
pink and blue. It grows from T to 
3' high. Plant about 18" apart. 
Slight winter protection. 
Peach-Leaved Bellflower ( Campanula 
persicifolia) —Blooms in June and 
July. About 2 y 2 ' high. Graceful 
stalks covered with cup-shaped flow¬ 
ers which are purplish-blue. Leaves 
resemble those of the peach tree, very 
effective. After first period of bloom 
cut back and it will bloom again in 
the fall. Propagate by seed, or by 
division after the flowering season. 
Plant 14" apart. 
Turtle Head ( Chelone Lyonii) —Flow¬ 
ers a showy rosy-purple in terminal 
clusters. Leaves handsome, and plant 
makes an effective mass about 2' 
high. It is best suited to moist places, 
and prefers partial shade. A heavy 
mulch of rotted manure will add to 
the growth and number of blossoms. 
Propagate by seed, cuttings, or by di¬ 
vision in the spring. Gan be collected. 
Shrubby Clematis ( Clematis recta )— 
Broad terminal clusters of fragrant 
white flowers in great number in June 
and until mid-July on bushy plant 
which grow from 2' to 3' high. They 
need a deep rich soil and will be im¬ 
proved by a slight amount of lime. 
Susceptible to drought. Propagate by 
seeds sown as soon as gathered, or by 
division of the crowns. It is also pos¬ 
sible to grow cuttings if they are 
taken before it comes into bloom. 
Sweet William ( Dianthus barbatus )— 
Flat terminal clusters of small flowers 
in shades of white, pink and crimson, 
borne on leafy stems about 2' high in 
late May and lasting until July. 
Should be planted about 6' apart and 
is best treated as a biennial because 
they become scraggly after blooming 
and wintering. The single white, 
true pinks, and deep red make vivid 
color notes, but the parti-colored va¬ 
rieties should be avoided as they are 
often ugly. Select one or two good 
clusters and protect them with a pa¬ 
per bag until seeds are ripe. Then 
sow in July for next year’s blooms. 
Cut down after blooming. 
Bleeding Heart ( Dicentra jormosa 
eximia) —Not as large as spectablis 
and will not die down after blooming 
but will develop handsome foliage. 
Grows about T high and has many 
pendant, heart-shaped flowers of a 
pleasing pink color. Propagate by 
division of the crown, allowing a bud 
to each division. A good plant to 
hide a spot left by an early blooming 
one. 
Gas Plant ( Dictamnus fraxinella alba) 
—An old-fashioned plant which im¬ 
proves with age and develops into a 
fine bushy plant covered with many 
fragrant white flowers in June and 
July. It grows about 3' high. Pre¬ 
fers rather heavy soil and will do well 
either in full sun or partial shade. 
Clumps should not be disturbed often. 
Propagate by seed or by division, with 
difficulty. Plant l l / 2 apart to allow 
for growth. 
Yellow Foxglove ( Digitalis grandi- 
flora) —Golden bell-like flowers on 
spikes which are often 2' long, rising 
from a heavy tuft of handsome leaves 
in June and July. It is a true peren¬ 
nial and blooms more or less con¬ 
stantly all summer if the withered 
flower stalks are cut. Prefers a rather 
moist soil and will thrive either in the 
sun or in partial shade. Plant 18" 
apart. Propagate by seed and by di¬ 
vision after blooming. 
White Day Lily ( Funkia subcordata) 
—Large clumps of heart-shaped, glos¬ 
sy green leaves which will hide many 
ugly bare spots. In mid-August and 
until mid-September, large, fragrant, 
white, lily-like flowers are borne in 
loose spikes from T to 2' high. Good 
also for edging down shrubs. Prefers 
deep, moist soil and partial shade. It 
also needs plenty of water in the sum¬ 
mer or the leaves are apt to wither. 
Propagate by division in the fall. 
Plant about 2' apart for development. 
Blanket Flower ( Gaillardia grandi- 
flora) —One of the most brilliant 
flowers of the border. It lasts from 
June through October. Large daisy- 
like flowers with yellow tipped rays 
shading to a deep maroon center. 
Grows to about 3' high, but is apt to 
fall over and sprawl. If pegged down 
will spread rapidly and send up erect 
flower stalks. Needs foliage of other 
plants. Color not easily adapted to 
others in the border. Propagate from 
cuttings or by division in August and 
September. Seeds also possible, but 
does not always come true. 
Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila paniculata) 
—One of the best plants to fill in 
gaps. It has a mist-like wealth of 
white bloom in July and August. 
The foliage is rather inconspicuous. 
Grows about 3' high and spreading. 
Is excellent for cutting. Any soil in 
the open sun and air. Propagate by 
division or by seeds sown where they 
can get the best possible light to avoid 
weakness. 
Lemon Lily ( Hemerocallis fiava) —In 
late May and through June the large, 
fragrant, yellow, lily-like flowers are 
borne on stiff stems from 2' to 3' high, 
above the slender, grass-like foliage. 
Any soil and in partial shade or full 
sun. Likes moisture and is excellent 
for waterside plantings, or before 
shrubs. Propagate by division in the 
fall. 
Alum Root ( Heuchera sanguinea) — 
One of the most ornamental late 
spring blooming perennials. Long 
panicles of dazzling crimson flowers 
on graceful stems l l / 2 ' high. The 
leaves are very decorative and form 
thick, persistent clumps of rich green. 
Large plants which show signs of 
weakness should be lifted and given 
new location, as it does not like to 
remain more than two years in the 
same place. Any garden soil and 
even partial shade are acceptable. 
Propagate by seeds sown in the green¬ 
house in March, or by root division 
in October. Many varieties and col¬ 
ors. 
Var. splendens —dark crimson—good. 
Var. Pluie de Feu —free blooming 
scarlet—good. 
St. John’s Wort ( Hypericum Moseri- 
an>um) —Large yellow single flowers, 
resembling a rose, in July and through 
until October, on long, slender, droop¬ 
ing stems 1' to 1 y 2 high. Few blos¬ 
soms at a time, so plant in clumps 18" 
apart. Leaves dark green and per¬ 
sistent. Not reliable in New England. 
Needs winter covering. Any soil, sun 
or half shade. Propagate by seed or 
suckers. 
German Iris (Iris germanica) —Blooms 
( Continued on page 92) 
