THE GROWING OF THE ORNAMENTAL PLANTS
THE CLASSES OF PLANTS, AND
LISTS - Continued
3. HARDY HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS
There is a rapidly growing appreciation of perennial herbs, not only as
flower-garden and lawn subjects, but as parts of native landscapes.
Every locality yields its wild asters, golden-rods, columbines, iris,
trilliums, lilies, anemones, pentstemons, mints, sunflowers, or other
plants; and many of these also make good subjects for the home grounds.
It is important to remember that some perennial herbs begin to fail
after one to three seasons of full bloom. It is a good plan to have new
plants coming on to take their place; or the old roots may be taken up
in the fall and divided, only the fresh and strong parts being
planted again.
Perennial herbs are propagated in various ways,--by seeds, and by
cuttings of the stems and roots, but mostly by the easy method of
division. On the raising of these plants from seeds, William Falconer
writes as follows in Dreer's "Garden Book" for 1909:--
"Hardy perennials are easily grown from seed. In many cases they are a
little slower than annuals, but with intelligent care they are
successfully raised, and from seed is an excellent way to get up a big
stock of perennials. Many sorts, if sown in spring, bloom the first year
from seeds as early as annuals; for instance: gaillardia, Iceland
poppies, Chinese larkspur, platycodon, etc. Others do not bloom until
the second year.
"The amateur may have more success and less bother growing perennials
from seed sown in the open ground than from any other way. Prepare a bed
in a nice, warm, sheltered spot in the garden, preferably not very
sunny. Let the surface of the bed be raised four or five inches above
the general level, and the soil be a mellow fine earth on the surface.
Draw shallow rows across the surface of the bed three or four inches
apart, and here sow the seeds, keeping the varieties of one kind or
nature as much together as practicable, covering the seeds thinly; press
the whole surface gently, water moderately, then dust a little fine
loose soil over all. If the weather is sunny or windy, shade with papers
or a few branches, but remove these in the evening. When the seedlings
come up, thin them out to stiffen those that are left, and when they are
two or three inches high, they are fit for transplanting into permanent
quarters. All this should be done in early spring, say March, April, or
May. Again, in July or August perennials are very easily raised out of
doors, and much in the same way as above. Or they may be sown in early
spring indoors, in the window, the hotbed, the coldframe, or the
greenhouse, preferably in boxes or pans, as for growing annuals. Some
gardeners sow seed right in the coldframe. I have tried both ways, and
find the boxes best, as the different varieties of seeds do not come up
at the same time, and you can remove them from the close frame to more
airy quarters as soon as the seed comes up, whereas, if sown in a frame,
you would have to give them all the same treatment. When the seedlings
are large enough, I transplant them into other boxes, and put them into
a shady part of the garden, but not under the shade of trees, as there
they will 'draw' too much. About the fifteenth of September plant them
in the garden where they are to bloom, or if the garden is full of
summer-flowering plants, put them in beds in the vegetable garden, to be
planted out in the early spring, and give them a light covering of straw
or manure to keep sudden changes of the weather away from them."
Hardy perennial herbs may be planted in September and October with
excellent results; also in spring. See that they are protected with
mulch in winter.
Perennial herbs suitable for lawn and "planting" effects.
Some of the striking plants that are valuable for lawn planting in the
North, chosen chiefly on account of their size, foliage, and habit, are
mentioned in the following brief list. They may or may not be suitable
for flower-gardens. It is impossible to give to this list any degree of
completeness; but the names here printed will be suggestive of the kinds
of things that may be used. The * denotes native plants.
Yucca, Yucca filamentosa.*
Funkia, Funkia, of several species.
Peltate saxifrage, Saxifraga peltata.*
Rose mallow, Hibiscus Moscheutos.*
Elecampane, Inula Helenium (Fig. 251).
Wild sunflowers, Helianthus* of different species, especially H.
orygalis, H. giganteus, H. grosse-serratus, H. strumosus.
[Illustration: Fig. 251. Elecampane. Naturalized in old fields and along
roadsides.]
Compass-plants, Silphium* of several species, especially S.
terebinthinaceum, S. laciniatum, S. perfoliatum.
Sacaline, Polygonum Sachalinense.
Japanese knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum.
Bocconia, Bocconia cordata.
Wild wormwood, Artemisia Stelleriana* and others.
Butterfly-weed, Asclepias tuberosa.*
Wild asters, Aster* of many species, especially A. Novae-Anglae
(best), A. laevis, A. multiflorus, A. spectabilis.
Golden-rods, Solidago* of various species, especially S. speciosa,
S. nemoralis, S. juncea, S. gigantea.
Loose-strife, Lythrum Salicaria.
Flags, Iris of many species, some native.
Japanese wind-flower, Anemone Japonica.
Goat's beard, Aruncus sylvester (Spiræa Aruncus).*
Baptisia, Baptisia tinctoria.*
Thermopsis, Thermopsis mollis.*
Wild senna, Cassia Marilandica.*
Wild trefoil, Desmodium Canadense* and others.
Ribbon grass, Phalaris arundinacea* var. picta.
Zebra grass, Eulalia (or Miscanthus) species, and varieties.
Wild panic grass, Panicum virgatum.*
Bambusas (and related things) of several sorts.
Ravenna grass, Erianthus Ravennæ.
Arundo, Arundo Donax, and var. variegata.
Reed, Phragmites communis.*
This and the remaining plants of the list should be planted in the edges
of water or in bogs (the list might be greatly extended).
Wild rice, Zizania aquatica.*
Cat-tail, Typha angustifolia* and T. latifolia.*
Lizard's-tail, Saururus cernuus.*
Peltandra, Peltandra undulata.*
Orontium, Orontium aquaticum.*
Native calla, Calla palustris.*
A brief seasonal flower-garden or border list of herbaceous
perennials.