ih tj i ape i see eS ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY AT “ORNELL UNIVERSITY SB 453.1287 Tina Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924002832347 ALITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND Photo by Nathan R. Graves Co. A LITTLE GARDEN OF FAIR FLOWERS A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND WHEREIN MUCH JOY WAS FOUND EXPERIENCE GAINED AND PROFIT SPIRITUAL AS WELL AS MUNDANE DERIVED WITHOUT LOSS OF PRESTIGE IN A PRACTICAL NEIGHBORHOOD BY GARDNER TEALL air) $s. a Bie a NEW YORK E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 681 FIFTH AVENUE Copyricat, 1919, By E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY All Rights Reserved @ Sr. 453 “T2e7 @15993 Printed in the United States of America TO MY FATHER WILLIAM ALLEN TEALL THIS LITTLE BOOK IS DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF THE FIRST LITTLE GARDEN I EVER KNEW -A FOREWORD TO THE DEAR GARDEN-LOVER A little garden square and wall’d; And in it throve an ancient evergreen, A yew-tree, and all round it ran a walk Of shingle, and a walk divided it. TENNYSON. . LITTLE garden the year round— A how dear memory holds it in the heart! What lessons it taught, primer of all which you, Dear Garden-Lover, will find in this little book! And if it chances that you don’t skip prefaces, things the author may say of the pages to follow, or return to demand from him an explanation of your pos- sible disappointments, let him confide to you that he might never have ventured forth into the realms of your generosity, had not the kindly encouragement of your neighbors al- ready put seal of approval on the various es- vii vii FOREWORD TO THE GARDEN-LOVER says in garden literature from his own pen which have faithfully served as quarry, when here a stone and there a stone seemed as ready as his craft could make it to lend strength to the foundation of this little edifice. This little book of a little garden the year round seeks, in friendly way, not only to be useful to every garden-owner, and to every garden-beginner who looks forward to making a garden of his own, but to convey some sense of the joys of gardening, some realization of the pleasures that find place in the heart and soul of one who combines the companionship of prose and poetry in the going about his gardening, an occupation indulged in for rec- reation, whose limits have taught him that a world may be held in a nutshell after all, if the experiences of his own are not forgotten, and particularly if his trained, observant and sym- pathetic eye is permitted to make its discov- eries in the broader acreage of his fellow gar- den-makers, There can never be too many garden-lovers, nor can there ever be too many garden books. I turn to my gardening shelves and scan their titles lovingly. They have taught me much, A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND ix have confirmed observations of my own and even those with whom I have, in the mind’s way, held dispute, still linger that I may do battle with them, and thus renew confidence in my own reputed prowess! Perhaps some impatient garden-maker will shrug shoulder at the things I find in a little garden. Let him snatch at lettuces, confound grubs, bully cabbages and drive potatoes to his cellar with the lash of a hardened prac- ticality that never gets above the stomach! For him this little book is not! You, Dear Garden-Lover, you I count upon, for you too, I know will be thinking of the birds and the flowers even while arranging your radish seeds in orderly rows. And [I shall be gratefully appreciative to you, as I am to those who have permitted me to draw upon the essays, of which I have already told you, that I might plan for you this little book. Acknowledgments are due Mr. Charles Al- len Munn, Messrs. Munn and Company, Inc. (publishers of American Homes and Gardens during the editorship of the author), Messrs. Condé Nast and Company, Inc. (publishers of House & Garden, of which the author was x FOREWORD TO THE GARDEN-LOVER earlier Associate Editor), Mr. Richardson Wright, Editor of House & Garden, Woman’s Home Companion; The House Beautiful, Pictorial Review, The New York Tribune, Art & Life, and Messrs. Robert M. McBride & Company for their courtesy in permitting the author to draw upon the articles he has con- tributed to the periodicals named for such of the material as he has woven into this little gar- land of garden thoughts and suggestions. CONTENTS PAGE A Littte Frowrer GaRDEN .. . 1 Maxine THE Littte FLowrer GarpEN 8 Sprinc Frower-Puantine TaBune. . 22 Danuias . . . wee Cosmos ....... . . 8 AutTuMN FLowreR-PLANTING . . . 36 AutTuMN FLows=r-PLantinGc TABLE . 47 PEONIES . . .. . ... . 49 GuaDIOLI. . . .... . . 68 BuLBs INTHEGARDEN. . . . . 59 Tue Hyacinth . ..... .. 65 A Persian GARDEN. . . . . . Tue Inpoor GARDEN... . .. 81 EVERGREENS AND FERNS FoRINDOoRS. 95 GeRANIUMS . ..... . . 105 Tue VEGETABLE GARDEN. . . . 114 A VEGETABLE-PLANTING TABLE . . 121 Tue Sauap GARDEN. . . . . . 122. VINES. 2 «© «© «© «© « « «& «a 180 Curmatis. . . .. . . . . 136 xii CHAPTER XXII. XXII. XXIII. XXIV. XXV. XXVI. CONTENTS PAGE SHRuBS . . . . . . «+. + ~ 4142 EveRGREENS. . . . . . . .- 150 GARDENS AND ARCHITECTURE . . . 160 Sunpiau Mortors . .. . . . 166 THROUGH THE YEAR IN A LITTLE GARDEN... . fog ee we TS L’Envor: Tut Vesrer GARDEN . . 225 12. 13. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS A Littte Garpen or Far FLowers Frontispiece A Lirtte Garpen Lixe Tuars ONE Is A Happy Possession. . . cars A Littte GarpEN WELL Buen Waitt Cosmos. A GaRDEN OF PERENNIALS IS A GARDEN or DE.icHT. Pronies SHoutp Havn a ee In Every GARDEN . A Toure Baasee 1s MicuEes — GorcEous Girt FraGRANt Snowy Hyacinrus ARE SPRING’S Most Perrect GARDEN GIFT Puan of A Prrstan GARDEN A Happy Bepping ARRANGEMENT OF GERANIUMS . 3 ra Oe VEGETABLE GARDENING IS NOT ALL DRUDGERY . Tue Cuiematis (C. Vancrsiass) AS A Porca VINE . , Saruss Do Muvc# To ee tHE Hovuse TO THE LANDSCAPE. xiii FACING PAGE 1 105 114 136 142 xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE 14. Everereens Lenp NosiILitry TO THE GarpEN Lanpscape ... . . . 4150 15. Tuere is Beauty In THE WELL-PLACED GarpEN ARcH . ..... . . 160 16. Tue Perrect Garpen SHoutp Have Its Sun-DiaL. . . .ttt~SS~<‘“CS;ti‘z: OC 17. A Lirrtte Garpen or Buts Furowrers . 175 ALITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND Photo by Nathan R_ Graves Co. A LITTLE GARDEN LIKE THIS ONE IS A HAPPY POSSESSION A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND I A LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN / \ HERE is a lovely garden nestling in a quiet valley of the Connecticut countryside that I shall call Every- man’s garden, because here one finds, season after season, a world of delight in the delec- table array of blooming things dear to the heart of every one who holds close to him the memory of Hollyhocks, Larkspurs, Columbines, Mari- golds, Cockscombs, Poppies, Asters, Fox- gloves, Canterbury Bells, Love-in-a-Mist, Mignonette, Sweet William, Petunias, the Zinnia and all the other beautiful flowers we have called old-fashioned because we love them best. Here one finds no orderly array of I 2 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND stiffly designed flower beds, looking for all the world like a patch-quilt for keeping Nature covered up. Instead, great banks of Phlox, clumps of Peonies, trellises of Sweet Peas, and banks of Nasturtiums hold almost riotous sway over the domain that stretches from doorstep to the gate, which seems always swinging open to welcome you to the wonderland it gives ac- cess to. When you see the gorgeous blaze of wonderful color before you, as though all the gems of Aladdin’s command had been strewn by careless but generous hand just there, you will rub your eyes to make sure you are not dreaming; that this little paradise is real, after all. Whatever notions you may have enter- tained about stiff borders, symmetrical edges and formal garden lay-outs will vanish utterly under the spell this garden casts around one, and you will find that it can teach you more in an hour than many another has taught you in a season. A few years ago—fifty if you will—we were all imagining that we had no history; to-day we realize we have made a great deal. We cannot whirl through the countryside and catch a glimpse of some old house, landmark of our A LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN 3 Colonial era, that our hearts do not bound up within us with the pride we hold in all we have done since then. It is not because this old pewter mug, or that old sampler, or these quaint candlesticks evoke our admiration merely in themselves for their intrinsic worth that we bargain for them, collect them, and carry them off with us, to adorn our houses, with almost as much pride as the conquerors of old brought back their spoils to adorn the victory; it is because history and these things have gone hand in hand, a thing we love to be reminded of, the quality which lends to the “antique” its chief charm. That, too, is why we must have reproductions of the old things, if the old things themselves are to be denied us. So it is with gardens. The Englishman may walk among his box-bordered geometri- cies, his Yew-covered paths; the Italian among his balustrated terraces, sentineled by Cy- presses; the Hollander among his Tulip-beds, the Spaniard within his arbors of Jasmine, the Frenchman around his rows of Lilies, and the northlander about his shrubbery, his Moss- Roses and Forget-Me-Nots; but to the heart of every American that garden of flowers is 4% A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND the loveliest which carries with its perfume the reminiscent suggestion of those gardens of our cradle days, when Salem roasted witches but overlooked the enchantments of her dooryard, red with Four-O’Clocks, white with Candy- tuft, blue with Batchelors’ Buttons, and when the good folk of Boston Village, each over his neighbor’s fence, discussed the newest Lark- spur seed, the fantastic forms of the Gourd. We love to be reminded, too, of Martha Wash- ington’s garden at Mt. Vernon, of the bouquets that used to come fresh with the morning dew upon them to Mistress Dolly Madison, of the garden where the brave Boys in Blue and the brave Boys in Gray played in their happy youth, taking little heed of the prophecy of the relentless Dicentra—Bleeding Heart, in- deed! And so, when I come into a garden such as this one, where on a Summer’s day the hum of bees throws me into drowsy meditation and the winds waft sweet music of the nodding stems to listening ears, I say it is the best garden of all—your garden, my garden—Everyman’s garden. A LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN 5 “If they to whom God gives fair gardens knew The happy solace which sweet flowers be- stow; Where pain depresses, and where friends are few, To cheer the heart in weariness and woe.” These words of a poet, whose name has long since been forgotten, come to one as he strolls through the banks of flowering verdure, but only because we feel sorry for that poet of long ago. He may have known lovely gar- dens, but had he known this one, never would the burden of his song have carried with it suggestion of any plaint, but he would have felt that spirit of all gardens whispering as the genius loci to him, as in the exquisite words of Francis Thompson’s “An Anthem of Earth”: “Here I untrammel. Here I pluck loose the body’s cerementing, And break the tomb of life; here I shake off The bur o’ the world, man’s congregation shun, And to the antique order of the dead I take the tongueless vows; my call is set Here in thy bosom; my little trouble is ended In a little peace.” 6 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND How inseparable, indeed, are gardens and poetry, poetry and gardens, though many there be (they, perhaps, who are merely born with the botanist’s eye, the agriculturist’s crop pro- clivities, or the spademan’s muscle) who pre- tend to find in the garden only the suggestion of a deal of troweling, a scattering of seeds, a turn at weeding, a thorn or two, and the trouble of beginning it all over again, meeting the oc- cupation or the necessity withal, as the case may be, season after season and year after year, but as a matter of business, as part of the business of life, a duty performed well but blindly, unillumined by the inner light that sheds its radiance upon the joys of gardening. Indeed, I know a man who has a yard full of plants space-filling his summertimes. If you should ask him why he plants them, he could not tell you, though I suspect he is coming un- der the spell of habit and that a few more years will find him understanding that he has a gar- den, not merely a Rose here, a Lilac there and a row of Geraniums, causing him a deal of grumbling and trouble, because he looks upon them solely as agents in outvieing his neigh- bor’s floral display; I say he cannot forever A LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN v4 escape the heart-song his sorry garden is try- ing to sing to him—sorry garden, for a garden cannot make itself—he cannot escape it if he has a soul, and I think he has. When I go down his street and look over his fence at the growing things beyond, for all the world a garden of prim precision and joylessness, I say to myself, “That is Noman’s garden,” and I pass on with a sigh. I tried to talk to him once about gardens—about mine. It was in the early Spring, and I hoped to learn how he had managed to make his Larkspurs taller than mine, though his were not so blue. Alas! Enough chemicals to have established a phar- macy, and a grim determination that his gar- den would look down upon mine,—that was all I got out of him; he had never heard of Omar Khayydm, of Francis Thompson, and would have lost faith in Francis Bacon had he known the great philosopher had “wasted”’ his time in discoursing “Of Gardens.” ‘For my own part, I can dismiss the matter of Noman’s garden from my mind as though he were a pur- veyor of dried herbs, being, nevertheless, char- itable enough to wish him well. II MAKING THE LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN Everyman’s garden. Now and then a whiff of clover-fragrance, of perfume from the lovely fields beyond, cuts keenly to our retreat, and the master of the garden shakes his head laughingly and gives warning that his flower-children will be jealous. So they are; the next fluttering of leaves is turned by zephyrs scented with the subtle incense of the Columbine, the Honeysuckle or the strange, sweet breath of the Dahlia. Then I tell the master of this garden all the hopes and fears I hold for my own. For two seasons now, I tell him, I have been striving to rear my treas- ured plants and bring them to maturity, that they may frame the garden of my dreams. He leads me to an old back porch screened with Honeysuckle, Clematis, and stringed Morn- 8 I LOVE to sit out under the trees of A LITTLE GARDEN WELL PLANNED MAKING THE LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN 9 ing-Glories. “Here,” he tells me, “I keep the diary of my garden.” I look over his shoul- der at the books he holds forth and find that for many years he has jotted down with lov- ing care therein all sorts of things every one should know about his garden. Some of the things I find written in these bulky notebooks are much the same as the things the master of Noman’s garden begrudgingly dispensed when I pressed him for information. How differ- ently it is with the master of Everyman’s gar- den! Eagerly I begin to compare notes, first turning to his trim little entries under SITES AND SOILS FOR THE GARDEN “They must be weed-free.” We both agree as to that. Weeds cannot be cut under and allowed to hide their heads, ostrich-like. We must not let the foolish things take silly ad- vantage of us that way. We must root them out in earnest, and burn them. Moreover, if the garden plot we have determined upon is neighbor to a weedy field, we shall be called upon to exercise some vigilance over-fence. It is a poor neighbor who will not lend hand to 10 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND organized effort in a community to root out obnoxious weeds. We all know that nothing is so injurious to a flower garden as too much water, or too little. A garden spot upon a slope with a southern exposure is ideal for a site, permitting, as it does, access to sunshine —all flowers need that—and proper drainage often denied to the flat garden. We are re- minded, too, of the havoc north and west winds wreak upon Roses and other tender plants and we must plan a hedge, shrubbery or some other means of shielding our gardens in the direc- tions of these winds. The owner of Every- man’s garden tells me he chose its site away from the road-front, for he not only wished his flowers to be free from the dust clouds stirred up by the vehicles constantly passing, but also because, wishing to have the joy of spending several hours each day tending his plants, he sought a spot that would give him greater pri- vacy than the road-front. We both discovered, as every one who has a garden comes to discover, that dirt is not soil —at least not soil in the sense of the proper source of nourishment for plants. With earth made up of sand and clay and decayed vege- MAKING THE LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN 11 table, called humus, plant life must be sup- plied from these in proportion to the require- ments of species. We usually refer to a very sandy or a very clayey soil as a poor soil, and one abundantly supplied with humus as good soil. A poor sandy soil contains from 80 to 100 per cent. of sand, and as sand, unmixed with vegetable or animal matter, supplies little nutriment to plants, it stands to reason one would hardly expect to make a lovely garden out of a mere sandbank, or out of a stretch of closely-packed clay, for though clay may con- tain plant food, the roots of plants cannot get to it unless the clayey soil is mixed with other soil. To a mixed sandy and clayey soil we give the name loam. Such loam contains from 40 to 60 per cent. of sand; if from 60 to 80 per cent. of sand, we call it sandy loam, and if less than 40 per cent. of sand we call it clayey loam. This loam is the basis of all good gar- den soil. Drainage lightens the soil and per- mits aération, which is so necessary to it; and, freed from stagnant moisture, the earth be- comes warmer and drier and more fertile, as the bacteria which nitrify it and convert manure into plant food can live in soil that is 12 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND properly drained and tilled in infinitely greater quantities than in soil that stands neglected. We must remember, too, that no amount of commercial fertilizer will help our gardens if the body soil is not put into a proper condition to receive and take care of it; one might as well try to strain tea through a basin of jade. The owner of Everyman’s garden has written in his notebook this quotation from Sorauer’s “Physiology of Plants”: “The ideal condi- tion of a soil is one which resembles a sponge and in which it will retain the greatest amount of nutritive substances and water without los- ing its capacity for absorbing air.” There you have it in a nutshell. The problem does not seem so terrifying after all. We have only to dig a bit in the garden area. If we find the soil there too “heavy,” we shall know what to do; too light, we shall likewise know how to al- ter its condition; but in either event we shall not forget that it will require frequent fer- tilizing to keep it “up to pitch.” DRAINAGE I know of no better method of testing the soil of the garden plot than that of digging sev- MAKING THE LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN 13 eral holes to a depth of three feet and covering them to prevent rain from entering. Then, after several wet days, the covering may be re- moved, and if water is found to have risen within the holes it may be safely assumed that the ground is not properly drained. For large areas of garden soil runs of tile drainage pipe will be needed if the water collects beneath the top soil, but for small garden areas the soil may be removed to a depth of some thirty inches to receive an underbed of five inches of gravel. Of course, in such an operation the top soil must be restored to its original po- sition. FERTILIZING It is not always easy for the garden begin- ner to know just how much fertilizer the soil requires. Perhaps he will discover that “over- fed” Nasturtiums wither and die, but one can- not seem to “over-feed” the jolly little inhabi- tants of the flower-bed. Probably for the average flower garden stable or barnyard manure (that which has been heaped for at least six months, until it is well rotted) will prove sufficient. Stable manure, two barrow- 14 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND fuls, say, to a square rod being ample, or some- what less if barnyard manure (better for dry soils) is used. Annuals bloom more freely the more fre- quently they are cut. Sweet Peas, Mignon- ette, Gaillardia, Nicotiana, Nasturtiums, Core- opsis, Love-in-a-Mist, Sweet William—how could we get along without them! Often it happens that a severe winter wreaks havoc in the perennial border. With the advent of Spring we find bare spots in the garden bor- ders where there should be plants. Too late it is to move other perennials to fill these gaps and it is in such instances that we again real- ize how very necessary the spring-planted flow- ers are to every garden, as annuals can be used for filling up the borders. ‘Then our gardens would have whole dreary stretches of flowerless plants during those periods which await the time of blossoming perennials were it not for annuals. ‘The newly made garden becomes a joyful sight the first season by reason of a profusion of properly planted annuals. The Spring weeks will be slipping by speedily, and how glad the garden-beginner will be to have given thought in time to Spring planting prob- MAKING THE LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN 15 lems when he comes to realize that the peren- nials he planted last autumn will not be suffi- cient (the first season) to meet his expecta- tions, and that the perennials he will be plant- ing this Spring will not bloom until the second season. When seed is planted (see the Spring Flower-Planting Table which follows this chapter) the soil must be firmed down to hold it in place. This assists the rootlets to take a firm hold upon the germination. This firming (accomplished by pressing the soil with a board, removing the board, of course!) also greatly assists the soil of the flower-bed to pro- mote what Dr. L. H. Bailey terms “capillar- ity,’ providing the surface soil with a means to retain moisture to a greater extent than if the friable, loose soil were left “open” at the top for complete moisture evaporation. FLOWERING MONTHS Garden-beginners may find the following memorandum of flowers to be found in bloom in particular months of value and interest. April: Bellis, Forget-me-not, and Primrose. 16 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND May: Adonis, Sweet Alyssum, Alyssum Sax- atile, Iberis, Pansy, and Iceland Poppy. June: Ageratum, Columbine (Aquilegia), Adonis, Sweet Alyssum, Balsam, Bellis, Calendula, Calliopsis, Candytuft (Iberis), Carnation, Celosia, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Foxglove, Lark- spur, Lobelia, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Love-in-a Mist, Lupine, Pansy, Iceland Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Salpiglossis, Scabiosa, Silene, Stock, and Sweet Pea. July: Ageratum, Sweet Alyssum, Antirrhinum, Aquilegia, Aster, Bachelors’ Button, Balsam, Bellis, Calendula, Calliopsis, Campanula, Candytuft, Carna- tion, Ricinus, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Dahlia, Forget-me-not, Four O’Clock, Gaillardia, Globe Amaranth, Godetia, Larkspur, Lava- tera, Lobelia, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Love- in-a-Mist, Marigold, Mignonette, Monks- hood, Morning-Glory, Nasturtium, Nico- tiana, Petunia, Phlox, Poppy, Portulaca, Salpiglossis, Scabiosa, Schizanthus, Silene, Stock, Sweet Pea, Sweet William, Thunber- gia, Torenia, Verbena, Wallflower and Zin- nia. August: Ageratum, Sweet Alyssum, An- tirrhinum, Aster, Bachelors’ Button, Balsam, Calendula, Calliopsis, California Poppy, Cam- MAKING THE LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN 17 panula, Candytuft, Carnation, Castor Bean, Celosia, Chrysanthemum, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Dahlia, Four O’Clock, Gaillardia, Globe Amaranth, Godetia, Gourd, Helian- thus, Hollyhock, Larkspur, Lobelia, Love- in-a-Mist, Marigold, Mignonette, Monkshood, Morning-Glory, Nasturtium, Nicotiana, Pe- tunia, Phlox, Dianthus, Poppy, Iceland Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Portulaca, Pyreth- rum, Rudbeckia (Golden Glow), Salpiglossis, Scabiosa, Stock, Sunflower, Sweet Pea, Sweet William, Thunbergia, Torenia, Veronica, Wallflower and Zinnia. The following flowers may be found in bloom in the late months: Ageratum, Sweet Alyssum, Antirrhinum, Aster, Balsam, Calen- dula, Calliopsis, Candytuft, Carnation, Castor Bean, Celosia, Chrysanthemum, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Dahlia, Gaillardia, Go- detia, Helianthus, Hollyhock, Larkspur, Lobelia, Love-in-a-Mist, Marigold, Mignon- ette, Moonflower, Morning-Glory, Nasturtium, Nicotiana, Petunia, Phlox, Dianthus, Poppy, Iceland Poppy, Portulaca, Pyrethrum, Rud- beckia, Salpiglossis, Salvia, Silene, Stock, Sun- 18 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND flower, Sweet Pea, Thunbergia, Torenia, Ver- bena, Wallflower and Zinnia. COLOR GROUPS ‘As so much in flower gardening depends on color effects, the following short list of flow- ers, arranged according to color, has been com- piled: White: Ageratum, Sweet Alyssum, Columbine (Aquilegia), Aster, Bachelors’ Button, Balsam, Bellis, Campanula, Candy- tuft (Iberis), Chrysanthemum, Clarkia, Cos- mos, Dahlia, Foxglove, Four O’Clock, Globe Amaranth, Godetia, Gypsophila, Hollyhock, Annual Larkspur, Lobelia, Love-in-a-Mist, Lupine, Monkshood, Moonflower, Morning- Glory, Nicotiana, Pansy, Petunia, Phlox, Pink, Poppy, Portulaca, Scabiosa, Silene, Stock, Sweet Pea, Thunbergia, Torenia, Ver- bena, and Zinnia. Yellow: Adonis, Alyssum Saxtile, Calendula, Calliopsis (Coreopsis), California Poppy, Chrysanthemum, Clarkia, Dahlia, Four O’Clock, Globe Amaranth, Gail- lardia, Helianthus, Hollyhock, Love-Lies- Bleeding, Marigold, Nasturtium, Pansy, Poppy, Portulaca, Primrose, Rudbeckia, MAKING THE LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN 19 Scabiosa, Schizanthus, Sunflower, Thun- bergia, Verbena, Wallflower and Zinnia. Blue: Ageratum, Aquilegia, Aster, Bachelors’ Button, Campanula, Forget-me-not, Lark- spur, Lobelia, Love-in-a-Mist, Lupine, Monks- hood, Moonflower, Morning Glory, Pansy, Pe- tunia, Sweet Pea, Phlox and Tornia. Purple: Chrysanthemum, Clarkia, Globe Amaranth, Petunia, Phlox, Dianthus, Morning Glory, Sweet Pea and Veronica. Pink: Bachelors’ Button, Bellis, Campanula, Carnation, Chrys- anthemum, Cosmos, Dahlia, Globe Amaranth, Annual Larkspur, Lupine, Primrose, Silene, Sweet Pea and Zinnia. Red: Bellis, Chrysan- themum, Dahlia, Clarkia, Cosmos, Four O’Clock, Lavatera, Love-Lies-Bleeding, Morning Glory, Nicotiana, Pansy, Poppy, Portulaca, Salvia, Sweet Pea, Zinnia. FLOWERS FOR PARTLY SHADED LOCATIONS Among those flowers which will succeed in partial shade are to be noted the Antirrhinum, Aquilegia, Bellis, Campanula, Coreopsis, For- get-me-not, Larkspur (perennial), Monks- hood, Moonflower, Morning-Glory, Pansy, 20 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND Iceland Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Primrose, Pyrethrum, Schizanthus and the Verbena. This, of course, does not mean that these species will thrive in locations on which some direct sunlight does not fall for some part of the day. HEIGHT OF FLOWERING PLANTS Another thing to consider in planning the garden is the height which the flowering plant is, under normal conditions, likely to attain. Plants, for instance, which are comparatively low-growing are Adonis, Bellis, Candytuft, Pansy, Portulaca, Silene and Verbena. Those of a little taller growth are Sweet Alyssum, Forget-me-not, Marigold, Mignonette, Poppy, and Primrose. Among the plants which com- monly attain a height of twelve inches are Ageratum, Alyssum Saxatile, California Poppy. Still taller in growth are the Aster, Bachelors’ Button, Carnation, Chrysanthe- mum, Gaillardia, Globe Amaranth, Annual Larkspur, Dianthus, Iceland Poppy, Pyre- thrum, Petunia, Lupine, Love-in-a-Mist, Godetia, Gypsophila, Calliopsis, Calendula, Salpiglossis, Salvia, Scabiosa, Schizanthus, MAKING THE LITTLE FLOWER GARDEN 21 Stock, Sweet William, Torenia, Veronica, Wallflower, and Zinnia. Among those flower- ing plants which reach in height to three feet or more, one may note Antirrhinum, Colum- bine, Campanula, Castor Bean, Celosia, An- nual Chrysanthemum, Clarkia, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Dahlia, Foxglove, Gourd, Helian- thus, Hollyhock, Larkspur, Lavatera, Love- Lies - Bleeding, Monkshood, Moonflower, Morning Glory, Mallow, Nasturtium, Nico- tiana, Phlox, Oriental Poppy, Pyrethrum, Rudbeckia (Golden Glow), Sunflower, Sweet Pea, and Thunbergia. By carefully taking into consideration this matter of height of flowering plants, the gar- den-maker will be able to obtain much more pleasing effects of “landscape quality” than otherwise would be possible. One of the commonest mistakes with garden- beginners is to place low-growing plants which are intended to be conspicuously in evidence in positions where, as the season advances, they become completely hidden away by plants of much taller growth. In planting flower seeds, mark the rows with neat labels of a durable sort, so there will be no confusion later, Ill SPRING FLOWER-PLANTING TABLE PERENNIALS AND BIENNIALS Plants, | Seeds, Bloom Flower nches | Inches Colors : Apart Deep June-July n Ache. (Columbine). . 12 _ Various uly 10 _— Various 6 _ Yellow ug.—O 10 _ White—Rose May-Aug. | Bleeding-Heart (Dicentra). 26 = Crimson — i June-July | Campanula.............. 10 yy Blue—White—Pink July-Aug | Coral Bell......... 12 — ‘ora! Aug-—Oct. | Chrysanthemum. 18 ¥% Various April-July | Forget-Me-Not 6 \y Blue 2 June Foxglove. . 12 % White—Pink Aug—Sept. | Helianthus 18 _— ellow ug. lollyhock 16 ¥, Drills} Various June-Sept. | Iceland Popp; 6 \% White to Ora June-July arkspur...... 8 ¥% Blue—White—Pink June Lupine.............- 5 _— Blue~—White—Pink May-Oct ATS Y's ta:nis-scavacs¥e (: syehas ave 12 ¥% Various May-June | Peony.............. 48 — Red—White—Pink uly-Oct. | Phlox............. 8 ¥% Various ug. Pinks carsie.crejesarae: aye 6 % White to Rose April-May | Primrose.......... 6 _ Yellow—Pink Aug—Oct. Pyrethrum........ 12 _ Various Aug.—Sept. | Rudbeckia........... 12 _ Yellow Aug—Oct. | Salvia 6 ¥% Scarlet , June-Aug. | Scabiosa. 8 _ Blue—Yellow—White June-Aug. | Silene 6 — White or Rose July—Aug. puepdragon 8 yy Various Aug. Sunflower 86 \y Yellow July—Aug. weet William 10 % Red—White—Pink June-Aug. | Verbena. 8 _ Various Aug. Veronica 6 _ Purple March Violet... 6 _ Violet July-Aug. | Wallflower. 8 K% Yellow—Brown SPRING FLOWER-PLANTING TABLE 23 Salpiglossis. . _ ious White—Red—Yellow Various Yellow—Lilac Seeds, Bloom Flower Inches Colors Deep — Yellow yy Blue—White % Various ly \% Blue—White—Pink June-Sept. | Balsam (Lady’s Slipper)... 4 Various June-Oct. | Calendula............... \ Orange Aug. California is Poppy os S6Ga Ss \% Orange June-July en anula (Bellflower). . yy Blue—White—Pink June—Sept. andytuft............... yy White Aug. Castor Bean 4 Green Aug—Oct. | Chrysanthemu: \ Various June—Sept. larkia.. . yy White—Purple—Rose June-Oct. | Cockscomb 4 arious June-Oct. | Coreopsis. . ¥% Yellow—Brown June Cornflower & Blue—White—Rose Aug.—Sept. ‘osm0s \ Red—White—Pink July-Sept. | Dahlia ores _— Various May DSISY eii.viers conse Ca e8 — White—Pink—Rose July-Aug. | Evening Primrose........ —_ Yellow July-Aug. | Four O’Clock............ \y Red—White—Yellow July-Oct. % Yellow—Red July \Y% Pink Tuly-Oct. % | White—Red July—Oct. ae x Various May-July | Iris _— White—Blue—Yellow July Lavatera 4 Rose : ‘ June-July | Larkspur \& Blue—White—Pink June-Sept. | Lobelia ¥% Blue—Red June-J Love-Lies-Bleeding....... \y Scarlet June-Sept. | Love-in-a-Mist........... M4 Blue—White Fen _ White—Rose yy Lemon to Orange \¥% Whitish Green _— White—Blue 5 yy White 12 yy Various 10 % Various 8 y Red—White 8 Scatter | Various ¥% Various \% Vari 2 % 4 Schizanthus.. Stock SCOABDOWAAD _ & ays White or Red White Various Various! IV DAHLIAS HILE the Dahlia does not share the conspicuous renown of either the Rose or the Lily, or yet that of the Chrysanthemum, it still remains in our estimation one of the most beautiful and satis- factory of the old-fashioned garden flowers and one which no true lover of flowers should neg- lect to plant in his garden. Unlike the Rose and the Lily, it has not fragrance to boast of nor has it the delicate texture of the showy Chrysanthemum, although equally attractive from a decorative standpoint, if not more so. The soft loveliness of textural quality has had much to do with the unusual vogue of the Chrysanthemum, an attribute of almost paint- er-quality; while in contrast to this is the sculptural definiteness of the form of the Dablia. The Dahlia was first introduced into 24| DAHLIAS 2g England in 1789 by Lady Bute. These speci- mens did not flourish, and again the Dahlia was brought into England by Lady Holland. The actual bed in which these pioneers were planted may be seen to-day at Holland House, Kensington. The first Dahlias were single in form, successive generations under cultivation having produced the remarkable double varie- ties that have made the modern show Dahlias famous. Indeed, it is doubtful if more re- markable examples of floral double composites exist. Early in the nineteenth century a horti- culturist succeeded in producing the Pompon type of Dahlia. This gave a decided impetus to the cultivation of the plant just as the ap- pearance of the Cactus Dahlia did in 1880, which was evolved by a Dutch Horticulturist of Juxphaar. While tastes in the choice of flowers differ, it is doubtful if any flowers surpass the single Dahlia varieties, no matter how showy the other types may be. It is a fact that in those countries where a sense of design is more prev- alent with the public at large than it is in America or in England, the Dahlia is most popular. Its appeal is not one of sentiment or 26 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND sensuousness, but very truly one of design and strong color. One must remember that Dah- lias in the garden present quite a different problem than may be suggested by a collection of the flowers in an exhibition, and for this reason the home garden-maker can well afford to devote some study to the matter of the choice of specimens for garden display. Nearly all of the Dahlias of the single types may be grown successfully by the amateur gardener. Dahlias should have a good garden soil, which must not be kept overly moist else suc- culence in the Dahlia plants and an over-tall growth will be induced. A moderate watering of once a week or so should prove sufficient. However, these periodical waterings should not be mere sprinklings, but should, instead, soak the soil thoroughly. The earth must not be allowed to become packed around the base of the plant stems, for in keeping the soil worked up by cultivation depends success in Dahlia culture. Should the soil in which Dahlias are planted be a sandy one, a top- dressing composed of one part of nitrate of soda to four parts of bone meal, well mixed DAHLIAS 27 together, can be applied. This should not be done before the plants are well above ground. As to the quantity of this top-dressing to be applied to the soil, it will probably be found that one ounce of the mixture will be sufficient for each square yard of the planted area. On the other hand, it will be found that the above mixture will probably contain too much nitrogen for a soil of heavier character, one into which, previous to the planting, stable manure has been worked. For soil of this last description the garden-maker will probably find an equal-part mixture of bone-black and acid phosphate, freely applied, highly success- ful. As to planting, the roots (either clumps or divided) should be placed to a depth of six inches below the soil, the earth just covering the crown. In the process of division the roots should be divided to a single eye. When grown in beds Dahlias may be placed three and a half feet apart. When the newly started plants have attained a height of six or eight inches it will be well to “pinch” the stem tops to encour- age a bushy growth, which is more pleasing than a scraggly one. As the growth advances, 28 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND the Dahlias should be supported by firm stak- ing. Nowadays the more attractive gardens pay great attention to the matter of stakes. There was a time when it was considered that a piece of lath stuck in the ground was suffi- cient, but modern gardening is more careful to employ neater accessories, hence the most improved practice is to utilize painted stakes especially planned for the purpose of support- ing the more or less troublesome plant stems. VARIETIES OF DAHLIAS Among the varieties of Dahlias the follow- ing are to be recommended: SincLE Dau- iss, white: KEckford Century (unusually large flowers, flecked with pink and crimson), Gigantea alba Century (snow white, a prolific bloomer) ; pink: Rose Pink Century, Twen- tieth Century (an exquisite flower showing a blending of color from outer zone of white through rose hues to a center of violet crim- son) ; Evelyn Century, red: Cardinal Century (one of the best deep reds and very large), Wildfire Century (no Dahlia collection should be without this), Poppy Century, Amy Baril- DAHLIAS 29 let (a rich wine-red. The foliage of this va- riety is very dark); maroon: Blackbird (a lovely velvety hue. The petals of this variety have bright red spots at their bases), Fringed Maroon Century; yellow: Golden Century. SHow Dauuias, white: Grand Duke Alexis (soft lavender tipped), Storm King (early and free blooming), White Swan, Penelope, Camellizfolia, John Walker, Lottie Eckford (striped crimson) ; pink: Duchess of Cambridge, Mme. Moreau, A. D. Livoni, Dor- othy Peacock, Mrs. Gladstone, Susan, Wm. Pierce; red: Red Hussar, A. Moore, Bon-Ton, Crimson Globe, George Smith, Madge Wild- fire (orange red); yellow: Arabella, Lemon Beauty, Queen Victoria, Gold Medal. Cactus Dautis, white: Snowstorm, Flag of Truce, Frigga, Snowden, Flora, Pius X; pink: Mme. H. Cayeaux, Aurora, Dor- othy, Fritz Severn, Juliet, Pink Pearl, Mar- guerite Bouchon (one of the largest varieties known), Perle Hilde; red: Charles Clayton, Gabriel, Harbor Light, Mrs. H. J. Jones, Amos Perry, Floradora (dark velvety crim- son), Standard Bearer, Barmen, Florence Nightingale, Flame, H. Shoesmith; maroon: 30 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND Uncle Tom; yellow: Cockatoo, Countess of Lounsdale, J. B. Briant, The Pilot, Richard Box, Golden Eagle, Johannesburg, William Marshall, John H. Roach, H. Peerman, Coun- try Girl, Lightship, Miss A. F. Perkins, Morn- ing Glow, Prince of Yellow, Blanche Keith, Mrs. Charles Turner, Valker. DecorativE Danwias, white: Virginia Maule, Henry Patrick, Alice Roosevelt; pink: Delice, Sylvia, Jeanne Charmet, Mrs. Roosevelt, Mrs. J. G. Casett; red: Augusta Nonin, Admiral Togo, Maid of Kent, Jacque Rose, Lyndhurst; yellow: Golden Wedding, Golden West, Yellow Colosse, Clifford W. Bruton, Mrs. Hortung, Minnie McCul- lough. Pompon Dautias, white: Snowclad, Domi- tea; pink: Little Beauty; red: Indian Chief, Mars, Sunshine, Little Herman, Crim- son Beauty; maroon: Darkness, Raphael; yel- low: Amber Queen, Catherine. Prony - FLowErED Dautuias, white: Prin- cess Juliana, Cecelia, Hermine; pink: La France, La Hollande, Mrs. Carter Lewis, Marie Miletta Selma (resembles a Chrysan- themum) ; red: Big Chief, Cleopatra, Sensa- DAHLIAS 31 tion, King Edward, Roem van Nijkerk; yel- low: Canary, Sunny Jim, Geisha. Dahlia shows are becoming more and more popular year after year, which offers to the amateur an additional incentive in the pursuit of this delightful specialty. The second and third weeks in September usually find our Dahlias at their best, and it is during these weeks that local Dahlia shows are usually given in consequence. The plan of local flower- shows in village communities has not yet re- ceived the encouragement it should, but in a village where three or four enthusiasts pursue the culture of Dahlias, it would be compara- tively easy and an interesting thing for these amateurs to arrange for a little local exhibit. a COSMOS A HE Cosmos, unknown to our gardens until a few years ago, has achieved an extraordinary and enduring pop- ularity. It holds a place of its own for dis- tinctive beauty and utility, since it is equally, valuable for garden effects and for cutting. _ Even garden-makers of experience are not exceptions to the fact that it is not generally known that the Cosmos may be grown in soil far less rich than that required for most gar- den plants. In fact, a very rich soil tends to produce in the plant an overabundance of fo- liage and too few flowers, as well as causes late bloom. A more sandy soil is, in fact, pref- erable for planting. The Cosmos attains great size in California, but our Northern seasons are somewhat too short for full maturity for the giant varieties 32 Photo by Nathan R. Graves Co. innatus ) WHITE cosMos (C. bip COSMOS 33 there popular, although these may be grown for their foliage as a backing to the earlier varieties successfully brought to profuse bloom in other sections of the country. Of course, the Cosmos is propagated by seeds sown in April indoors in flats, potted, and then transplanted when the frost time is definitely past. Recently varieties have been introduced that will withstand a couple of de- grees of frost, but the typical plants will not survive such an experience. If seed is sown in the open ground on the chance of a late season, it must not be sown until there is no longer any danger of possible frosts. The plants should be 18 inches apart. When setting out the plantlets, an abun- dance of water should be supplied. The great feathery overgrowth achieved by a Cosmos plant is borne upon a comparatively brittle stem, whence it is necessary to give the plants stake-supports to prevent the summer winds from “tumbling” them. Grown against wire- fences, the Cosmos stems may be tied with loops of raphia to the wire, which will give them excellent support. While Cosmos plants are often self-seeding, 34 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND fresh plantings are required from year to year to prevent deterioration. The young plants should be trained to a bushy form, symmetri- cal in shape by “pinching.” If this is not done, the plants will assume the scraggly nature of wild flowers. The clear white, yellow, soft pink, crimson, and deep red varieties make the Cosmos a pop- ular plant for cutting, as sprigs of the filmy- leaved stems dotted with attractive decorative flowers in these hues lend themselves effectively for filling large vases. In the garden it is much better to keep the separate colors massed to- gether than to mix the different varieties. A border of Cosmos seen across a lawn, or de- fining a garden boundary, presents a beautiful garden-note in the home landscape. Indeed, the landscape effects to be obtained by a ju- dicious planting of this lovely flower are infi- nite in their variety and utility. Where there is a scarcity of shrubs, either permanently or temporarily, the Cosmos will be found an ex- cellent annual to act as substitute. Of course, the giant varieties would be utilized for such purposes. The Cosmos bipinnatus often attains a COSMOS 35 height of ten feet, bearing white, pink, or crim- son flowers. The Cosmos Hybridus listed by seedsmen appears to be a trade name for mixed varieties of the Cosmos bipinnatus. All the yellow varieties are derived from Cosmos sul- phureus, while the Cosmos diversifolius is often called Black Cosmos. Some of the recent Cosmos varieties that may be recommended are: Lady Lenox (white), Klondyke (yellow), Conchita (crimson), Marguerite (various colors, fringed petals). While all varieties may be planted south of the latitude of Middle Illinois, the “safe” varieties for north of that are the early flowering mammoth ones. VI AUTUMN FLOWER-PLANTING APPILY the time is passed when H the American home garden-maker simply looked upon the patch of ground at his disposal as being merely a bit of practice acreage in which, as fancy dictated, he might plant here and there a few seeds of flowers or of vegetables in haphazard confu- sion or skimpy orderliness, feeling that the whole matter was one of experiment, and that failure on the part of the seeds to produce what was expected of them, or even to come up at all, was not attended with any disappointments of serious consequence. That was the time when the man of the house attended to the buying of vegetable seeds, leaving to the housewife all things connected with the seeding of the flower garden. I do not know why it is that our grandfathers and our grandmothers should 36 Nathan R. Graves Co. Photo by OF DELIGHT GARDEN ALS IS A I N A GARDEN OF PEREN AUTUMN FLOWER-PLANTING 37 have looked upon all gardening as a pursuit to be divided between themselves; why the raising of vegetables should have been considered a manly occupation or recreation and the grow- ing of flowers not; but so it seems to have been until comparatively a few years ago. Now, fortunately, the joys of gardening are shared alike by master and mistress, the children, the young and the old, and a statesman may wax enthusiastic over his gar- den of rare Pinks or a milliner over her bed of asparagus without any one’s criticizing the choice of either in garden planting. Nowadays, we do not confine our efforts to Springtime visits to the grocery store for a package of Petunia seed, a parcel of Sweet Peas, or an envelope of Candytuft, content to sprinkle it over a little dirt in a bed that occu- pies a corner of the “yard,” sighing the while that we cannot seem to raise the good old flow- ers to the state of perfection they reached in the old-time gardens of ante-bellum days, or of Colonial heritage; instead we are happy to have discovered the difference between those flowers which have to be planted every year —the Annuals—and those others—the Peren- 38 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND nials—which will continue to come up season after season from the original stock when once the seeds take root, and we have come to plan for permanent gardens, that shall fill our hearts with the joyousness their beauty will lend throughout the season when Nature dons her loveliest raiment. We have come, too, to un- derstand that just sticking a seed or two or a root into the ground anywhere is not all there is to gardening. Year after year our study of the ABC of home outdoor floriculture initi- ates us into the simple mysteries of garden craft, so that our gardens to-day are as lovely as those that ever gladdened the sight of the American home garden-makers of the early period. Autumn planting is an important part of the maintenance of the home garden. There are not in the whole realm of the Goddess Flora flowers more exquisite than the hardy species that lend themselves so admirably to perma- nent planting—the Sweet Williams, Delphin- iums, Foxgloves, Canterbury Bells, Pyre- thrum, Montbretia, Iris, Hollyhocks, Anem- ones, Primroses, Saxifrage, and the like. Oc- tober should be a busy month in every garden, AUTUMN FLOWER-PLANTING 39 for this is an excellent time for dividing old roots, re-arranging the clumps of hardy Peren- nials where these need it, of filling gaps in hardy borders, and of setting out new hardy plants. Perhaps one of the commonest mis- takes made by the garden beginner is to as- sume that a small garden requires small plants and that tall-growing and large flowering plants are out of place in any but a large gar- den. We have only to recall the wondrous beauty of the English cottage gardens that seem to be bursting with their glow of Holly- hocks, Larkspurs, Sunflowers, and Chrysan- themums, to realize how lovely a tiny garden planted with striking flowers may be. Fol- lowing this chapter is a table showing, in a general way, the height attained by various flowers suitable for Autumn planting when these have reached their maturity. Not one of the plants in this list would be out of place in the small home garden if properly placed. Under “location” those that require full sun- light have that fact indicated by the word “sunny,” and those that require less sunshine by the words “less sunny,” though the garden 40 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND beginner must never expect success with plants that hardly receive the sunlight at all. When planning for Autumn planting one must take into consideration the fact that in- asmuch as the hardy perennials are to form a garden that will, in all probability, remain un- altered for some years (so far as its essentials are concerned), it will be seen how necessary it is that such gardens be prepared with the greatest care and thought of their future as- pect. First of all, thorough drainage must be assured, after which manure must be worked into the earth to some depth, preferably three feet. A good way to prepare beds and bor- ders for permanent perennials is to dig a trench the size of the bed or border to the depth of three feet, covering the floor of it with a five- inch layer of rubble to assist drainage, and a couple of inches of coarse ashes above this, fill- ing up the trench with the bedding composed of loam, manure, and sand. This will make an admirable soil for setting out the hardy plants. Of course, the earth of newly-pre- pared beds and borders will settle somewhat and will have to be evened off later by filling. Where it is not possible to give to the beds AUTUMN FLOWER-PLANTING 41. and borders such thorough preparation one must still be sure that the soil in which the plants are set is not poor or sour, and fertilizer should be worked in where needed, although it must be remembered that the soil should not be over rich. Seedlings grown from July sowing should be set out without delay in order that they may become established in their new environment before the setting in of winter. In this con- nection let the home garden-maker remember that, although Autumn planting is now gener- ally recommended, it is wiser in those localities where the winters are long and severe to defer planting until Springtime, as it often happens that the season of snow and ice sets in too early in such places for the newly-planted peren- nials to get their start ahead of the severity of the climate. There is an advantage in Au- tumn planting that should always be taken into account. October does not find one as rushed as does the month of May, for in the Spring the home garden-maker (who usually has only a limited amount of time to devote to planting and garden cultivation) finds the planning 42 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND of the seeded beds quite enough to take up all of his leisure moments. When working in an established hardy gar- den for the purpose of removing and dividing the roots of old plants, one must take care not to damage any clumps of bulbs which might remain hidden in the soil. As one garden- lover put it: “Roots are to be fished out, not to be speared!” In digging up a clump of herbaceous roots, for resetting or for division, all dead shoots clinging thereto should be cut away. It is needless to say that all roots should be handled tenderly. The garden-be- ginner will come to learn that there is no gen- eral rule that can be taught him for properly separating old root clumps into numerous parts, which, when set out, themselves become sturdy clumps in the course of a few seasons, again to be divided and reset. The garden- maker must use his judgment and learn by ex- perience and the intuition that will probably come to his aid just how he may cut or break up an established clump of roots into a number of settings for fresh culture. This process of root division refreshes the stock of any hardy garden. If the old plants were not lifted sea- AUTUMN FLOWER-PLANTING 43 son after season, they would eventually form root-masses that would overcrowd the beds and borders. Moreover, such plants as the Iris would form a hard root-mass which would give out a circle of leaves and flower-stems, leaving the center bare, thus forming unsightly patches of bare earth in the gardens. Fortunately for the garden-maker, Peren- nials present species adapted both for very sunny, half-sunny and shaded locations, thus offering a wide range of planting material both in low-growing Perennials and in those of taller growth. Again there are Perennials that thrive in rich soil, those that are best adapted to clayey soil, and still others that do very well in sandy soil. Among the hardy Perennials that require less sunlight than the class in general are the following interesting species: Monkshoods, Anemones, Primroses, Violets, Saxifrage, Funkia, Bleeding-heart, Lily-of-the-Valley, Day Lilies, Hepatica, Vinca, and others that will be found in the table following this chapter. Of the Perennials of low growth are to be mentioned Arabis, Aubrietia, Hepatica, Bellis 44 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND Perennis, and Myosotis, in connection with which it is worth noting that the earlier peren- nials do not, as a rule, attain as great height as those which bloom after June. None of the species just mentioned attains a height of more than six or eight inches. In arranging a border or a bed of hardy herbaceous plants the table following this chapter should prove useful, in- asmuch as the garden-maker can there see at a glance the various heights to which the peren- nials listed attain and can, therefore, place. them in the garden with reference to the taller species forming a background for those of lower growth. When arranging the permanent garden, succession of bloom must also be taken into consideration. In those states where Spring brings forth growing things at an early date one may look for Adonis, Columbine, Arabis, Hepatica, and Trillium to blossom; in May for other varieties of Aquilegia, for Anemones, Bellis Perennis, Iris, Primrose, Campanula, ete.; in June for Iris, Lychnis, Poppies, Sca- biosa, Spirea Trollius, Veronica, etc.; in July for Achillea, Centaurea, Funkia, Stokesia, Ve- ronica Virginica, etc.; in August for AUTUMN FLOWER-PLANTING 45 Asclepias, Boltonia, Helianthus, Rudbeckia, etc.; in September for Aconitum, Aster Amel- lus, Chrysanthemum, Lobelia, Phlox Pani- culata, Veronica Longifolia, Sedum, etc.; and in October, Aconitum Autumnale, Anemone Japonica, Chrysanthemum, etc., all these species flowering somewhat according to the climatic conditions in the matter of time. Another matter for thought in planning the permanent garden is that of color. One would not care to have monotony in this respect, therefore it is always well to plan carefully the color-scheme of the garden-to-be as it will ap- pear from month to month, always striving to have each month’s array of flowers present sufficient variety in the matter of color con- trast, as this color contrast is a matter which is of great importance in the planning of a fine garden. Man has spent so much of his time specializing, of segregating floral types, varieties, and colors that the garden beginner can easily go astray if he selects his plants with reference to species only. Indeed, the modern garden-maker must be something of an artist. It is not enough that things planted come up, grow, thrive, and endure that a garden will be 46 A LITTLE GARDEN THE YEAR ROUND evolved; in the true sense of the word a garden must be a spot where growing things give one a sense of enjoyment. All the flowers in the world wrongly placed hardly would do that, even though, in their entirety, they suggested pleasurable individual types. No, the true garden-maker must be an arranger of flowers as well as a putter-in-the-earth of plants, for he must select from Flora’s palette such flow- ers as represent the wealth of color Nature has placed within range of his skillful hand, VII AUTUMN FLOWER-PLANTING TABLE Auung |* ***entq—AoT]e X—OT MA ee wT oatT oy, pue yurg “ajdmg pue poy 04 o71q 4 woryeda ATVT 48q) Si][vo010m19} (Jemopung) sngqyaery fia: Soeis shots een ‘OTD WapOx (snmaejoIqy ees) quBLg sex) + geyanay sb eeeeeenn (8I]a@qorT) J9A07, ‘**(emnuedure: wae ee 4m. if LBA *'asnany—