
PCAENNIALS 
TOR LASTING 
BEAUTY e—o 


flower garden. They bloom profusely from 
early spring until late fall if planted with a 
definite blooming program in mind. The very 
name of this group means they live for several 
years and up to a certain point, improve with 
the years. They are generally the first to break 
into blossom following the spring flowering 
bulbs. Some perennials live indefinitely; others, 
like Sweet William, tend to die out after three 
or four years, unless the roots are taken up, 
divided and replanted every two or three years. 
The latter are known as ‘‘imperfect perennials.”’ 
In many old-time gardens most of the plants 
were hardy perennials, such as Phlox, Peonies, 
Delphinium and Bleeding Heart; hence, although 
Piitewer card are the very backbone of every 
they are just as popular and probably even more’ 
widely grown in all well-balanced gardens, they 
are known as ‘‘old-fashion”’ plants. Because of 
their hardiness, permanency and variations in 
color, height, foliage, and nature of bloom, those 
old-fashioned flowers form the background of 
modern gardens. They are often referred to as 
the ‘busy man’s favorite’’, for they render un- 
necessary the sowing of seed every year. While 
some perennials will flower the first season from 
seed if it is sown early, they often are not at 
their best until the second year. Because of this 
you will naturally ask yourself the question: 
‘Shall I grow perennials from seed or get plants 
ready to set out in my garden?’ 
The answer to this depends a lot on your 
patience, and how long you are willing to wait 
for flowers. If you grow them from seed you 
have the satisfaction of having grown your own 
plants literally from the ground up. On the 
other hand you may have better success by 
purchasing your plants from your local seed 
store. 
Differing from annuals in many respects, 
especially in their flowering habit, perennials 
offer the gardener many advantages. For one 
thing, as new plants come into bloom and old 
ones pass, the garden scene presents changes 
almost from week to week, constantly giving the 
gardener something to look forward to. In a 
garden of annuals the picture of the same plants 
in blossom for long periods is apt to become 
monotonous. Only a few perennials bloom all 
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season, and most of them in congenial surround- 
ings increase in beauty with the passing of the 
years. With judicious selection and arrange- 
ment of plants one may be assured of continuous 
change from early spring until fall, and because 
of this ever-shifting picture the perennial border 
has become more and more a feature of Amer- 
ican gardens. 
The perennial border is also one of the most 
flexible parts of the garden, having no regular 
formal design but lending itself to variations 
according to the taste of the individual gardener. 
Plants should be arranged with reference to the 
space allotted them. Place the tallest species in 
the background, especially those which provide 
a good display of foliage. Some of these tall 
sorts should, however, extend into the front, 
especially in the wider parts of the border, to 
provide interest and relieve any possible monot- 
ony. Dwarf edging plants of compact growth 
(either perennial or annual), should be used in 
the foreground, with plants of intermediate 
height distributed throughout the rest of the 
border. 
If a border is devoted entirely to perennials it 
should be at least five feet wide. If the grounds 
are small and there is a hedge or a shrub border, 
the space between that feature and the lawn 
can be widened by two or three feet and beauti- 
fied by planting perennials in the bed so cre- 
ated. Perennials are always best when planted 
in masses or clumps; these are more interesting 
and attractive than a hit-or-miss planting, 
especially if consideration is given to color 
harmony or contrast. A generous use of white 
flowers is frequently advisable. 
As for planting directions of perennials, it is 
best to follow the general rules of all planting 
plus these special ones. Make your planting 
holes large enough so that the plant to be set in 
has enough room for its roots to spread with no 
crowding. 
The holes should be spaced a little closer than 
half the height of the plant. This rule varies 
with some. If you are transplanting a field grown 
plant, or one from your own garden proper, 
mark off 18 inches between holes. They may 
crowd as they establish themselves and grow, 
but you can thin them out later next season. 
Don't worry about this; it is always necessary to 
go over your perennial groups each year, re- 
spacing them, etc. This is a regular part of their 
care. 
If you are growing Phlox or Delphiniums, give 
them still more space in which to grow. 
With this wide spacing, your perennial beds 
and borders may look sparse during the first 
year. This is an excellent time to fill out not 
only with annuals but also bulbous flowers. 
When the plant is set, scatter topsoil down 
around the roots, being careful not to cram them 
together, and when the hole is filled, firm the 
earth around the stem. This firming should be 
done well. Then you give the plant plenty of 
water, so that the soil will settle still closer around 
the roots, without leaving any air pockets. 
After watering, take some compost (decayed 
vegetable matter from your compost heap), or 
