Chapter 21

====================+=========+========+=======+=======+==================== NAME |TENDER | | | | |OR HARDY | COLOUR |HEIGHT |SEASON |REMARKS --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- Aquilegia-COLUMBINE | H.P.* | | 3 ft. |June |Columbines are among | | | | |the most graceful Chrysantha | |Golden | | |and easily raised | |yellow | | |of hardy plants. Coerulea | |Rich | | |They will thrive in | |Blue | | |open borders, but do Glandulosa vera | |Blue and| | |better in partial | |white | | |shade, after the | | | | |habit of our local | | | | |species, the "Red | | | | |Bells" of hillsides | | | | |and rocky wood. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- CANTERBURY-BELL | H.B.** | | 2 ft. |June |Old-fashioned plants Campanula media | |Blue, | | |of decorative value. | |white, | | |As with all | |pink | | |biennials, the plant | | | | |dies soon after | | | | |maturing seed; a new | | | | |sowing should be | | | | |made each spring and | | | | |seedlings | | | | |transplanted as soon | | | | |as the old plant | | | | |dies; this secures | | | | |strong growth before | | | | |winter. CHIMNEY BELL-FLOWER | H.P. |Blue |3-4 ft.|Aug. |Desirable because of | | | |to |of its late blooming Campanula | | | |Oct. |combined with its pyramadalis | | | | |striking appearance. | | | | |Should be planted in | | | | |connection with the | | | | |tall white hardy | | | | |phlox. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- Coreopsis | H.P. |Yellow |1-2 ft.|Summer |A sturdy plant lanceolata | | | | |either for massing | | | | |or as a border to | | | | |sunny shrubberies. | | | | |Flowers carried on | | | | |long stems suitable | | | | |for cutting. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- CANDYTUFT--Iberis | H.P. | |1 ft. |Summer |When transplanted | | | | |from seed bed, Sempervirens | |White | | |plants should be | | | | |set eight inches | | | | |apart to make the | | | | |best effect, given | | | | |room, they make fine | | | | |compact bushes. The | | | | |foliage is | | | | |evergreen. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- Delphinium-- | H.P. |Blue, |3-7 ft.|June, |Our most satisfactory LARKSPUR |Flowering|all | |July, |blue flower, but |first |shades | |and |like all of this |year | |Oct. |colour should have | | | | |a setting of white. | | | | |If plants are cut | | | | |down to the ground | | | | |as soon as the | | | | |blossoms fade, they | | | | |will give a second | | | | |crop in October. D. Grandiflorum | |White |1-2 ft.|Summer |These flowers have Chinensis | |and blue| | |a peculiar | | | | |brilliancy, and if SIBERIAN LARKSPUR | | | | |set in a bed edged | | | | |by sweet alyssum, | | | | |are very | | | | |satisfactory. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- Dianthus | H.P. | |1 ft. |May |There is nothing plumarius | | | |and |more suggestive of SCOTCH CLOVE PINK | |Various | |June |the old time gardens Her Majesty | |White | | " |of sweet flowers Lord Lyon | |Pink | | " |than these fringed | | | | |pinks. If once | | | | |established in a | | | | |well-drained spot, | | | | |and not harassed, | | | | |they will sow | | | | |themselves and last | | | | |for years. Her | | | | |Majesty and Lord | | | | |Lyon are new | | | | |varieties, and as | | | | |double as | | | | |carnations. Dianthus | H.P. |Var. |6 in.- |Summer |Excellent for either Chinensis | | | 1 ft. | |bedding or edging. CHINA PINK |first | | | |Have an apple | year | | | |fragrance. Dianthus | H.P. |Var. |9 in.- |Summer |These summer pinks Heddewigii | | | 1 ft. | |are not grown in JAPAN PINK |first | | | |masses as freely as | year | | | |as they deserve. | | | | |They bloom with all | | | | |the profusion of | | | | |annuals without | | | | |their frailty. For a | | | | |succession the seed | | | | |should be sown every | | | | |year, as the old | | | | |plants bloom | | | | |earliest and the new | | | | |follow them. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- Dianthus barbatus | H.P. |Var. | 1 ft. |June |An old-time SWEET-WILLIAM | | | | |favourite with | | | | |slightly fragrant | | | | |blossoms that will | | | | |keep a week in water | | | | |when cut. A bed when | | | | |once established | | | | |will last a long | | | | |time if a few of the | | | | |finest heads of | | | | |flowers are allowed | | | | |to go to seed, as | | | | |with many perennials | | | | |the younger plants | | | | |bloom more | | | | |vigorously than the | | | | |old. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- Digitalis--FOXGLOVE | H.P. | |3 ft. |June |A dignified as well Variety | |White, | | |as a poetic flower gloxinoides | |pink, | | |if given its | |purple, | | |natural, half-wild | |light | | |surroundings. It | |yellow | | |will thrive best | | | | |in partial shade if | | | | |the soil be good. | | | | |While if the stalks | | | | |of seeds are saved | | | | |and the contents | | | | |scattered along wild | | | | |walks or at the edge | | | | |of woods, surprising | | | | |results will follow. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- FEVERFEW | H.P. | |1-3 ft.|Summer |A very useful, Chrysanthemum |first |White | | |double-flowered parthenium, | year | | | |white composite, double | | | | |resembling a small | | | | |chrysanthemum. It | | | | |should be used | | | | |freely as a setting | | | | |for blue, pink, or | | | | |magenta flowers. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- FORGET-ME-NOT | H.P. | |1 ft. |Spring |Well-known flowers Myosotis alpestris | |Blue | |and |that do best in Victoria | | | |autumn |moist borders or | | | | |places where they | | | | |can be watered | | | | |freely. If cut down | | | | |after first | | | | |flowering, will | | | | |bloom again in | | | | |autumn. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- Gaillardia | H.P. |Yellow |1 ft. |Until |Brilliant and hardy cristata | first |and | |frost |plants for edging BLANKET FLOWER | year |red | | |shrubbery or in | | | | |separate beds. | | | | |Sprawl too much for | | | | |the mixed border. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- HOLLYHOCKS | H.P. | | |Summer |Of late years these Double and single | |All |4-7 ft.| |decorative plants | |colors | | |have suffered from a New Hybrid Hollyhock| |All |4 ft. | |blight that turns flowers first year | |colors | | |the leaves yellow from seed | | | | |and soon spreads to | | | | |the stalks. Use | | | | |great care that the | | | | |soil be new and | | | | |well drained, | | | | |sprinkle powdered | | | | |sulphur and unslaked | | | | |lime on surface and | | | | |dig it in shortly | | | | |before setting out | | | | |the seedlings. | | | | |Also spray young | | | | |plants well with | | | | |diluted Bordeaux | | | | |mixture at intervals | | | | |before the flowers | | | | |show colour. | | | | |A large bed should | | | | |be given to this | | | | |flower, with either | | | | |a wall or hedge as a | | | | |background, and they | | | | |should be allowed to | | | | |seed themselves from | | | | |the best flowers. | | | | |Thus a natural and | | | | |artistic effect is | | | | |produced unlike the | | | | |stiff lines of | | | | |tightly staked | | | | |plants. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- HONESTY | H.B. | | | |The old English Lunaria biennis | |White |2 ft. |June |flower of colonial | | to | | |gardens. Should be | | lilac | | |massed. The silvery | | | | |moons of its seed | | | | |vessels make unusual | | | | |winter bouquets. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- LUPINS | H.P. | | | |Good for planting Lupinus polyphyllus | |Rich |3 ft. |June |before the white | | blue | | |flowering June | | | | |shrubs. Flowers borne | | | | |erect upon long | | | | |spikes. Very | | | | |difficult to | | | | |transplant unless | | | | |the long root is | | | | |kept intact. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- HORSEMINT | H.P. | |2-3 ft.|Summer |Sturdy and somewhat Monada didyma-Bee | |Deep red| | |coarse plants, their balm or Oswego tea | | | | |square stems telling Monada fistulosa | | | | |the kinship with the WILD BERGAMOT | H.P. |Lavender|3-6 ft.|Summer |familiar mints. Of | | | | |good decorative | | | | |effect, should be | | | | |used as a background | | | | |in the bed of sweet | | | | |odours, as | | | | |especially after a | | | | |rain they yield the | | | | |garden a clean | | | | |fragrance of tonic | | | | |quality. The bergamot | | | | |grows wild in many | | | | |places and is easily | | | | |transplanted. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- Primula | H.P. | |6 in. |May |The beautiful tufted ENGLISH FIELD | |Primrose| | |primrose of the PRIMROSE | |yellow | | |English poets. Grows | | | | |in this country best | | | | |on moist, grassy | | | | |banks under high or | | | | |in partial shade. | | | | |It has, during the | | | | |ten years that I | | | | |have grown it, | | | | |proved entirely | | | | |hardy. The seed may | | | | |be in the ground a | | | | |year before | | | | |germinating, but | | | | |once established the | | | | |plant cares for | | | | |itself. Primula Japonica | H.P. |Yellows |6 in.- |May |The border primrose mixed border | |and reds| 1 ft. | |so freely used in | | | | |England but rarely | | | | |seen in everyday | | | | |gardens here, where | | | | |I have found it | | | | |perfectly hardy. | | | | |Makes a border of | | | | |rich colour for the | | | | |May garden. Must be | | | | |watered freely in | | | | |hot, dry seasons. Primula Officinalis | H.P. |Yellow |1 ft. |May |The English cowslip, COWSLIP | | | | |a charming garden | | | | |flower, but more at | | | | |home in nooks of | | | | |grassy banks, like | | | | |the primrose, or in | | | | |the open. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- POPPY | H.P. |Yellow |1 ft. |Early |Poppies are very { Iceland poppy | |and | |Summer |difficult to { P. nudicale | |white | | |transplant, owing to | | | | |their long, | | | | |sensitive roots, | | | | |though it can be | | | | |done. It is easier, | | | | |therefore, to sow | | | | |them thinly where | | | | |they are to remain | | | | |and weed them out. P. orientale | H.P. |Dazzling|2-3 ft.|June |A gorgeous flower, | | scarlet| | |subject to damping | | | | |off if heavy rains | | | | |come when it is in | | | | |full bloom. Should | | | | |be used to fill in | | | | |between white | | | | |shrubs, as its | | | | |colour is impossible | | | | |near any of the | | | | |pink, purple, or | | | | |magenta June | | | | |flowers, and a | | | | |single plant | | | | |misplaced will ruin | | | | |your garden. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- PHLOX | H.P. |In |3-4 ft.|July- |Offshoots of these P. paniculata | |variety,| | Oct. |hardy phloxes may be | |crimson,| |Miss |usually obtained by | |purple, | |Lingard|exchange from some | |salmon, | |in June|friend, as they | |carmine,| | |increase rapidly. | |and | | |But there is a charm | |white | | |in raising seedlings | |with | | |on the chance of | |colored | | |growing a new | |eye | | |species. These | | | | |phloxes are the | | | | |backbone of the | | | | |hardy garden from | | | | |July until frost, | | | | |while Miss Lingard, | | | | |a fine white | | | | |variety, blooms in | | | | |June to be a setting | | | | |for the blue | | | | |larkspurs. Phlox subulata | H.P. |Pink and|6 in. | |The dwarf phlox that MOSS PINK | |white | | |hides its foliage | | | | |under sheets of pink | | | | |or white bloom and | | | | |makes the great mats | | | | |of colour seen among | | | | |rock work and on dry | | | | |banks in parks and | | | | |public gardens. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- PENTSTEMON | H.P. | |3 ft. |Summer |Very fine border European | |Many | | |plants, almost as varieties. Mixed | | rich | | |decorative as | | colours| | |foxgloves, showing | | | | |tints of reds | | | | |through pink, white, | | | | |blue and white | | | | |cream, etc. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- PANSIES | H.B. |Many |1 ft. |April |It is usual to sow in varieties | flowers | rich | | to |pansies in frames | first | colours| |Dec. |during September | year | | | |and October, winter | | | | |them under cover, | | | | |and transplant to | | | | |beds the following | | | | |spring. | | | | |If pansies (well | | | | |soaked previously) | | | | |are sown in the seed | | | | |bed in late August | | | | |or early September, | | | | |they will be compact | | | | |little plants by | | | | |November, when they | | | | |may be transplanted | | | | |to their permanent | | | | |bed or else covered | | | | |where they stand, | | | | |protected by leaves | | | | |between the rows and | | | | |a few evergreen | | | | |boughs or a little | | | | |salt hay over them. | | | | |If an entire bed is | | | | |set apart set apart | | | | |for pansies and only | | | | |the finest flowers | | | | |allowed to seed, the | | | | |bed will keep itself | | | | |going for several | | | | |years by merely | | | | |thinning and | | | | |adjusting the | | | | |seedlings. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- DAY PRIMROSE | H.P. |Golden |1 ft. |Early |A day-flowering Oenothera fruticosa | |yellow | |summer |member of the | | | | |evening-primrose | | | | |family, resembling | | | | |the golden sundrops | | | | |of our June meadows. | | | | |Very fragrant, and | | | | |if once established, | | | | |will sow itself. EVENING PRIMROSE | H.B. |Yellow |3 ft. |All |The exquisitely Oenothera biennis | | | |summer |scented silver-gold | | | | |flower that unfurls | | | | |at twilight to give | | | | |a supper to the hawk | | | | |moths, upon whom it | | | | |depends for | | | | |fertilization. Grows | | | | |in dry soil and | | | | |should be used in | | | | |masses to fill in | | | | |odd corners. --------------------+---------+--------+-------+-------+-------------------- Violas | H.P. |Purple, |6 in. |April |A race of plants TUFTED PANSY-VIOLETS| |yellow, | |to Oct.|closely resembling for bedding | |rose, | | |pansies, that fill | |mauve, | | |an important place | |white | | |in the gardens of | | | | |Europe, but are as | | | | |yet little known | | | | |here, though they | | | | |are as hardy as the | | | | |primulas. As a | | | | |border for shrubs or | | | | |rose beds they are | | | | |excellent, but when | | | | |planted as a bed, | | | | |should be in partial | | | | |shade. ====================+=========+========+=======+=======+==================== *: Hardy Perennial. **: Hardy Biennial.