hardy plants. 
B 7 G. S. Wooison, in Report of Sew Jersey State Board of Agriculture. 
In no other class do we find such a variety of plants, 
adapted to so many purposes, aa here; whether for plant¬ 
ing in beds upon lawns for color effect, in mixed her¬ 
baceous borders, along brooks and the margins of ponds, 
firatural or artificial, in meadows, upon the rugged 
hill-side or sandy plain, are many beautiful species 
which readily adapt themselves to these varied soils and 
positions. 
We also find that their period of flowering is much 
onger than with bedding plants. From the earliest 
pring, when the beautiful Hepatica opens its azure 
flowers, to the time when the last Golden Rod or Aster 
ades in November, tliere is scarcely a day when we can¬ 
not find some new or interesting species in bloom in a 
well-selected collection. The idea, so prevalent with 
many, is that hardy perennial plants are nothing more 
han weeds, and not worthy of a place in a good garden, 
and we often hear this remark made by persons who 
should know better. 
That a mass of weedy plants is sometimes to be found 
m gardens under the name of “hardy plants” we must 
admit, as for instance, some of the weedy Asters, Golden 
Ro^, Toad Flax, Live-for-ever, Hemerocallis or Day-Lily, 
Md Mme others occasionally seen; but these wiU never 
be planted by one who rmderstands their habits, or if 
planted by mistake wiU soon be rooted out, when there 
are so m^y showy species which ai-e easily grown and 
^ 0 , either^ in foliage or flower, are more attractive, 
^e comparative cheapness of hardy plants is an item to 
be taken into consideration by those whose time and 
nMans are limited. No costly greenhouses and then- 
attendant expenses are required, no immediate large 
outlay for plants or seeds, no necessity of being obliged 
to procure new stock each season, as with bedding plants; 
only a few doUars expended judiciously from year to 
year, either in plants or seeds of the choicests sorts, and 
m a wonderfully short period a garden weU worthy of 
the name, and one which wiU be a delight to its o>vner 
as well as the visitor, is the result. 
In how few of our- gardens, either public or private 
do we find groups of magnificent Lilies, one constant 
Mcoessjon of bloom, from the earliest dwarf Ltlium 
tenmfoKum to the latest auratum and speciosum ? And 
yet there are no plants more easily grown. A deep soli 
weU dug and enriched to a depth of not less than tu-o 
feet, and an abimdance of heavy mulcliing in summer 
to prevent the bulbs and soil from drying out, are all 
that is required to give us the most beautiful and rich 
shades of color throughout the summer and autumn 
months. Such a bed prepared as above, and planted 
with the various species of Lilies, now much cheaper 
and more commonly found than formerly, the bulbs 
plan^ not less than six inches deep, will not need to 
be disturbed, for four or five years; the only attention 
It requires is to apply a heavy coating of well-rotted 
manure each Fall or Spring, and fork it lightly in. We 
have growing over our meadows and roadsides in this 
State three species of Lilies, which, though common, are 
none the less beautiful and worthy of a place in the 
garden, as there they become much finer. 
Nor need we confine ourselves to Lilies for beautiful 
subjects; take our own wild Orchids, plants scattered 
over many portions of the Northern States, and w-hich, 
from their showy as well as curious flowers, are attract¬ 
ive to all, siupassing in many instances in beauty those 
rare species which can only be grown in greenhouses. 
These are readily cultivated in low moist ground, where 
they can have partial shade, or even, in many instances, 
in ordinary garden soil. What is so showy in the Orchid 
family as our native Ladies’ Slipper, Cypripedium specta- 
bile, with its charming w^hite and pink flowers, or its 
near relative, the Yellow Moccassin Flower, Cypripedium 
pubeseetis, both of easy cultivation in spots such as we 
have described, or the last species even in quite dry soil 
if it can have partial shade. Besides these, we have the 
pretty httle Calopogon pidchellus, Pogonias of several 
species, Calypso borealis, a rare and delicate plant, 
whose beauty is seldom seen in cultivation, and Arethusa 
Intlbosa, found in many of our bogs, with beautiful large 
rose-jiurple flowers; the last two requu-e more care and 
attention than the Ladies’ Shppers, but can readily be 
gi-own in pots or pans of sandy leaf-mold with plenty 
of drainage, and kept in a shaded cold frame. 
There are also many species of Habenarias or Fringed 
Orchids, with spikes of fringed white, purple, or yellow 
flowers, wliich appear in summer and early autumn, 
and are of easy cultivation. We might also mention 
many of the Orchids found in northern and central 
Europe, and which are as well worth growing as our 
own, such as the Fly Orchis and Bee Orchis, but enough 
has been said to show the capabilities and uses of bardv 
Orchids. 
StUl another large group of hardy plants must claim 
a share of oiu- attention, as the species are so readily 
gro-wn and so showy in flower. This is the Iris, which 
tor teanty of bloom may be compared to that of the 
Orchis family. From the early-blooming bulbous Irises, 
^e the Spanish, English, Snakehead, and other species, 
to the larp German sorts of nearly every shade of color, 
followed by the Japanese Iris Icevigata Koempferi, there 
16 a constant succession of flowei-s of nearly every hue, 
pmbmed m many queer and fantastic associations, like 
L-is J^enca, -nuth large duU purple flowers marked with 
a velvety blpk spot on each petal, and Iris tuberosa, or 
Snake-head Ins, with a queer combination of velvety 
black and gi-ep in its flowers, or Iris silririea, van 
choice col¬ 
lection of Inses, inth the colors properly arranged in 
The Miaxd Sorder.-We now come to speak of the 
^ f border.” This may 
be depnbed as a bed five feet or more wide, and of any 
lengtli suited to the sWa ^ j ^ 
plants used. Such abedasthio or number of 
the disnlav of i. allows ample scope for 
and ptenttos At the proper selection 
and plantmg. At the back should be ai-ranged the taUei- 
gro'ving species, gradually sloping to the frott li 
where some dwarf or creenin? of f 5 , * 
or creepmg plants are to be used. 
