In the coastal areas of the Upper and Middle South, most perennials are planted during November and December. But, when selecting subjects to plant now or nearer the end of the year, those who live in that part of the country must not dwell on the lovely illustrations of spring, summer, and fall borders printed … Read more
In our enthusiasm for “something new,” for the “rare and unusual,” for “an improvement through hybridizing,” there seems to be a tendency to overlook some of the old-time garden favorites which might well be rated intrinsically 100%. Of all the hardy herbaceous perennials, Dictamnus and Platycodon, time-tested through many human generations, could be unhesitatingly recommended … Read more
The few good gardens Veronicas we grow are only a small part of the vast entanglement known to botanists, 300 or more of them, among which the majority are weeds. Most of them are inhabitants of the temperate regions where the gardening spirit seems first to have awakened in man. So these plants early attracted … Read more
The late Mrs. Clement S. Houghton of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, composed this little verse pointing out the difficulty of growing meconopsis. Written on the train to New York to attend a meeting of The American Rock Garden Society, it caused much amusement among her host of gardening friends and is still quoted. Her gift of … Read more
Perennials are the heart of the garden. They feel the urge to grow with the first breath of spring. Without effort, new shoots push through the still cold, wet soil, harbingers of promising beauty yet to come. In selecting perennials, some of the old-fashioned kinds should have a place, yet there is a challenge with … Read more
The Oriental poppy, perhaps the showiest of all perennials, is as easy to divide as it is beautiful. Its hairy finger-like leaves, sometimes 18” inches long, remain a deep green from early spring until mid-summer. After that, they die to regrow again in early September, remaining green long after all other perennials have frozen and … Read more
The color plate opposite by photographer Paul Genereux shows the old-fashioned Germander speedwell (Veronica Chamaedrys) as it carpets the ground with blue in June. There are so many kinds of veronicas that one may make a garden of them alone! Two Classes of Veronica Roughly they may be divided into two classes: the tall kinds, … Read more
Peonies head my list of worthwhile perennials which prefer fall planting. They are always such appealing subjects, from the time the bright red shoots appear in spring until heavy with superb blooms in May and June, that I rejoice in living in a part of the country where they grow and flower well. Fortunately, it … Read more
The home garden’s first choice should be showy, hardy, need minimum care, and permanent plants. Herbaceous peonies meet all four of these requirements. From the moment the crimson spears poke through the soil in early spring until the foliage is cut down by frost in late fall. The peony is lovely; for even when not … Read more
