CHAPTER V

Flowers that come up Every Year by Themselves (Perennials)

No, the heart that has truly lov'd never forgets, But as truly loves on to the close; As the sunflower turns on her god when he sets The same look which she turn'd when he rose. --_Moore._

THAT big word ARISTOCRACY simply means "those who rise above the rest of the community in any important respect,"--and rightly, indeed, are the perennials called "the aristocrats of the garden." They are strong and sturdy (good points in both people and flowers), and can be depended on to appear about a certain time, make us a nice visit with all their loveliest clothes, and show their appreciation of our attention and care by returning every season with increased beauty and grace.

A few of the perennials, such as the peony and the iris, grow so slowly that generally people haven't the patience to wait for them to flower from seed, and instead try to get some roots from their more fortunate friends, or buy from a florist. But I will tell you more about this class in connection with the bulb and tuber families.

THE SEED BED

While a small number of these beauties will bloom the first year if started early in the spring, most of them make their debut in garden society the second summer. Before that they have to be watched, or they might meet with accident. A good way, therefore, is to have a little bed (preferably a cold frame) for a seed nursery off to one side, in a safe place, where the baby plants can be cared for, protected from cold, and tended like the infants they are, until grown up and old enough to enter the society of bed or border. In such a place the seeds should be planted in fine, rich soil, preferably from the middle of May to the 1st of July, and all carefully marked. Sow thinly, and then cover the seed by sifting over with fine soil from 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep. Sprinkle very lightly by means of a whisk broom dipped in water, so as not to wash out the seed, and if you possibly can, cover with a piece of glass. Keep in the shade at first, and never let dry out. Some of this seed will germinate in less than a week, while some may take so long that you will think it is not going to grow at all! But don't give up; and maybe some day when you have forgotten all about it, you will discover a lot of new babies in your nursery.

TRANSPLANTING PERENNIALS

As soon as your seedlings are big and strong enough to be handled, they must be carefully lifted and set in another part of the nursery, not less than 3 inches apart, protected from the hot sun, and left until they become strong, sturdy children. Then early in the fall, before the middle of September, you can take them up very gently, without disturbing their tiny rootlets, and put them with their friends and relatives in the garden, wherever you wish them to bloom the following summer.

Of course you couldn't,--and you wouldn't want to grow everything you ever saw or heard about! Just think of the fun, however, of picking out a small number that will be sure to give you flowers, one after another, from earliest spring until cold weather! Yet the following list, suggested by one authority, is easy to get and little trouble to care for:

PERENNIALS FOR A WHOLE SEASON'S BLOOM

Creeping Phlox (_Phlox subulata_); white, rose, lavender; bloom April and May. Lily-of-the-Valley (_Convallaria majalis_); white; May, June. Bleeding Heart (_Dicentra spectabilis_); rose pink; April through June. Iris (_Fleur-de-lis_); white, purple, yellow; April to July. Peony (_Paeonia officinalis_); white, rose to crimson; May, June. Larkspur (_Delphinium_); blues; June, July, September. Balloon Flower (_Platycodon_); blue, purple, white; July to October. Phlox, Hardy (_Phlox paniculata_); no blue nor real yellow; June through September. Golden Glow (_Rudbeckia laciniata_); yellow; August. Blanket Flower (_Gaillardia aristata_); yellow, red; July to October. Boltonia (_Boltonia latisquama_); lilac; August to October. Sunflower (_Helianthus_); yellow; July to October.

The fault that I would find with the gentleman's list is that he has omitted chrysanthemums, which could be substituted for sunflowers to most people's satisfaction,--and which also would bloom as late as November. Also I should prefer columbine to his bleeding hearts,--and the golden-spurred variety will bloom from early May to early August! Above all, instead of boltonia, I would use the adorable snapdragons, which, although considered a "tender perennial," will survive cold weather if well protected.

But then, as I once heard, "A man's garden is like his wife, whom he never would think of comparing with anybody else's." So you don't have to follow any one's choice. Just make a list of the flowers that you like, find out when they bloom, and then choose as few or as many as you have room for, remembering to plan for something lovely every month of the blooming season.

One note of warning, however. After you have made your list, consult some friend that is a successful gardener, and make sure that what you have chosen will thrive in your particular locality. If you find it does not, strike it off, and put in something that will.

FLOWERS THAT COME UP EVERY YEAR BY THEMSELVES

A GUIDE TO THE COMMON PERENNIALS

NOTE.--A few of these will blossom the first summer, if started early. Also, some varieties of the same plant will flower in the spring, others in the fall. Make sure which kind you get.

------------------+--------+-------+-------+--------+-----------+------+---------- | | | SOW | SOW | | |BLOOMING NAME | COLOR |HEIGHT |INDOORS|OUTDOORS| GOOD FOR |PLACE | SEASON ------------------+--------+-------+-------+--------+-----------+------+---------- Alyssum (_Alyssum |Rich |1 ft. | | May |Rockery |Half |April, saxatile_) |yellow | | | June |Edging |shade | May | | | | |or sun | | | | | | | | | Anemone, Japanese |Rose |2 to | | May |Border |Half |Sept., (_Anemone |White | 4 ft. | | June |Bed |shade | Oct. Japonica_) | | | | | |or sun| | | | | | | | Aster, Hardy |White |2 to | | May |Anywhere |Shade |Aug. to (_Aster Novae- |Pink | 5 ft. | | June | |or sun| Oct. Angliae_) |Lavender| | | | | | |Purple | | | | | | | | | | | | | Baby's Breath |White |2 to | | May |Rockery | Sun |June, (_Gypsophila | | 3 ft. | | June |Border | | July paniculata_) | | | | | | | Balloon Flower |White |1 to | | May |Border | Sun |July to (_Platycodon_) |Blue | 3 ft. | | June | | | Oct. | | | | | | | Begonia, Hardy |White |1 to | | May |Border | Sun |June to (_Begonia |Pink | 2 ft. | | June | | | Aug. Evansiana_) |Rose | | | | | | | | | | | | | Bellflower |White |1 to | | May |Border | Sun |June, (_Campanula_) |Blue | 3 ft. | | June | | | July | | | | | | | [A]Blanket Flower |Red |3 to | | May |Border | Sun |July to (_Gaillardia | Yellow |5 ft. | | June |Bed | |Oct. aristata_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Bleeding Heart |Pink | 2 ft. | | May |Border |Likes |May, (_Dicentra | | | | June |Bed | half |June spectabilis_) | | | | | | shade| | | | | | | | Boltonia |Lilac |2 to | | May |Border | Sun |Aug. to (_Boltonia | | 6 ft. | | June |Bed | | Oct. latisquama_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Candytuft, Hardy |White |6 to | | May |Border | Sun |April, (_Iberis | | 12 in.| | June |Edging | |May sempervirens_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Chrystmas Rose |White |12 to | | May |Border |Half |Dec. to (_Helleborus | | 15 in.| | June | | Shade|March, niger_) | | | | | | |_outdoors_ | | | | | | | Chrysanthemum, |No |2 to | | May |Border | Sun |Sept. to Hardy |blue | 3 ft. | | June | Bed | | Nov. | | | | | | | Columbine |All |2 to | | May |Rockery | Sun |May to (_Aguilegia_) |shades | 4 ft. | | June |Bed | | Aug. | | | | | | | Coreopsis |Yellow |1 to | | May |Border | Sun |June to (_Coreopsis | | 2 ft. | | June |Bed | | Oct. lanceolata_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Daisy, English |Pink |3 to | | May |Bed | Sun |April to (_Bellis |White | 6 in. | | June | | | June perennis_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Delphinium |Blue |2 to |March | May |Border | Sun |June, (_Delphinium |to | 6 ft. | | June |Bed | |July, Sep. formosum_, |white | | | | | |Oct. Cut _D. Belladonna_,| | | | | | |down after _D. Chinense_) | | | | | | |each | | | | | | |flowering | | | | | | | Flag, see Iris | | | | | | | | | | | | | | [B]Forget-me-not, |Blue |6 to | | May |Border |Shade |May to Perennial | | 18 in.| | June | |or sun| fall (_Myosotis | | | | | | | palustris_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | [C]Foxglove |White |3 to | | May |Border | Half |June, (usually |Purple | 5 ft. | | June |Bed | shade|July biennial) |Rose | | | | | | (_Digitalis_) |Yellow | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fraxinella, | | | | | | | see Gas Plant | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gaillardia, see | | | | | | | Blanket Flower | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gas Plant |Rose | 2-1/2 ft |Long | May |Border | Sun |June, (_Dictamnus |White | | lived | June |Bed | |July albus_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Golden Glow |Yellow | 6 to | | May |Back of | Sun |July to (_Rudbeckia | | 8 ft. | | June | border | | Sept. laciniata_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | [B]Hollyhock |All | 4 to | | May |Back of | Sun |July, (_Althaea rosea_)|shades | 6 ft. | | June | border | |August | | | | | or bed | | | | | | | | | Iris |White | 1 to | | May |Border | Sun |May to |Purple | 3 ft. | | June |Bed | | July |Yellow | | | |Clump | | |Maroon | | | | | | | | | | | | | Larkspur, | | | | | | | see Delphinium | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Lupin |White | 2 to | | May |Border |Sun or|May, (_Lupinus_) |Blue | 5 ft. | | June |Bed | half |June |Pink | | | |Clump | shade| |Yellow | | | | | | | | | | | | | Madwort, | | | | | | | see Alyssum | | | | | | | | | | | | | | [A]Mallow, Musk |White | 1 to | | May |Border |Sun or|July to (_Malva|Rose | | 2 ft. | | June | | shade| Sept. moschata_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Michaelmas Daisy, | | | | | | | see Aster | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Monk's-hood |Blue to |3 to |Slow to| May |_Poisonous_|Sun or|July to (_Aconitum |white | 5 ft. | start | June | |shade |Sept. napellus_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Moss Pink, see | | | | | | | _Phlox subulata_| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Mullein Pink |White |1 to | | May |Border |Sun |June, (_Lychnis |Red | 3 ft. | | June |Bed | |July coronaria_) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Myosotis, see | | | | | | | Forget-me-not | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Myrtle, see | | | | | | | Periwinkle | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pansy |White |6 to |March | April |Border |Sun or|All (_Viola |Blue | 8 in. | | May |Bed |half |summer, tricolor_) |Yellow | | | | |shade |with |Purple | | | | | |care | | | | | | | Peony |White |3 ft. |Slow | May |Border |Sun or|May, (_Paeonia |Rose | |grower | June |Clumps |half |June officinalis_) |Crimson | | | | |shade | | | | | | | | Periwinkle |Blue |6 to |March | May |Trailing |Shaded|All (_Vinca minor_) |White | 10 in.| | June | vine |bare |summer | | | | | |spots | Phlox, Perennial |No blue |2 to |Slow | May |Border | Sun |Aug., (_Phlox | or | 3 ft. | | June | Bed | |Sept. paniculata_) | yellow | | | | | | (_Phlox |White |2 in. | | May |Carpeting | Sun |April, subulata_) |Pink | | | June |Border | |May |Lavender| | | | | | | | | | | | | Pink, Grass |White |1 ft. | | May |Rockery | Sun |May, (_Dianthus |Vari- | | | June |Border | |June plumaris_) |colored | | | | | | | | | | | | | Platycodon, | | | | | | | see Bellflower | | | | | | | | | | | | | | [A]Poppy, Iceland |White |1 ft. | | April |Border | Sun |June to (_Papaver |Red | | | May |Bed | | Oct. nudicaule_ |Yellow | | | | | | | | | | | | | Poppy, Oriental |Scarlet |3 ft. | | March |Border | Sun |June, (_Papaver |Orange | | | April |Bed | |July orientale_) |to pink | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pyrethrum |White |3 ft. | | May |Border | Sun |June, (_Chrysanthemum |Rose | | | June |Bed | |July coccineum_) |Crimson | | | | | | | | | | | | | [A]Rocket, Sweet |White |2 to | | May |Border | Sun |June to (_Hesperis_) |to | 3 ft. | | June |Clump | | Aug. |purple | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rockmadwort, | | | | | | | see Alyssum | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rose Campion, | | | | | | | see Mullein Pink| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Rudbeckia, | | | | | | | see Golden Glow | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Sage, see Salvia | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Salvia |White |2 to | | May |Border | Sun |May to (perennial) |Blue | 4 ft. | | June |Bed | | Sept. | | | | | | | [F]Snapdragon |No |1 to |March |May 1st |Border | Sun |June to (_Antirrhinum_) |blues | 3 ft. | | |Bed | | Oct. | | | | | | | Sunflower |Yellow |2 to | | May |Back of | Sun |Sept. to (_Helianthus_) | | 8 ft. | | June |border | |Nov. | | | | | | | [E]Sweet William |White |1 ft. | | May |Border | Sun |June to (_Dianthus |Pink | | | June |Bed | | Aug. barbatus_) |Maroon | | | | | | | | | | | | | Tickseed, see | | | | | | | Coreopsis | | | | | | | | | | | | | | [G]Wallflower |Yellows | 1 to | | May |Rock |Part |May (_Cheiranthus | to | 2-1/2 ft.| | June |garden | shade| cheiri_) |browns | | | | or | | | and | | | |border | | |purples | | | | | | | | | | | | | Windflower, |White | 1 to | | May |Clump |Part |April Snowdrop | | 1-1/2 ft.| | June |Border |shade |to (_Anemone | | | | | |or sun|July sylvestris_) | | | | | | | ------------------+--------+-------+-------+--------+-----------+------+----------

FOOTNOTES:

[E] Will bloom the first year from seed sown in March.

[F] Perennial in the South, but should be grown annually in the North.

[G] Really a biennial.