Annuals In Herbaceous Borders

It will be seen that I do not suggest the restriction of herbaceous borders to perennial plants. Annuals are very useful, because of their quick flowering from outdoor-sown seed, their bright colours, and their cheapness. When people get a little less conventional in their gardening, they will not hesitate to sow early-blooming annuals near late-blooming perennials, and late-flowering annuals near earlyblooming herbaceous plants. When I say "sow," I might perhaps say "sow or transplant from seed-boxes," because the broader expression includes the setting out of such things as Asters, Stocks, Verbenas, Phloxes, Petunias, Snapdragons and Indian Pinks, which are sown under glass in January, February or March, and transplanted to the borders in April, May or June. It is useful to have a "reserve plot" somewhere in the garden - a kind of "stores department" - of such seedling plants. Raised under glass, they can be put out a few inches apart in the reserve garden in late spring, hoed to keep them growing and to suppress weeds, and drawn upon when any part of the border wants reinforcing, either owing to an unexpected failure, or owing to the fading of an early plant.

Some Selected Perennials

From the plants already named, the amateur could build up a very attractive border; but if he prefers the mixed system, he may be glad to have the names of a few good hardy herbaceous plants, with a guide to their height and colour. All may be bought and planted in March or April. The lists, with notes to follow, provide the guide to the hardy plant catalogues which I promised in an earlier chapter.

Very Low Growers

Ajuga Reptans, blue Anemone Apennina, blue Arabis, white Aubrietia, rose, lavender, mauve, and purple Campanula Pulla, blue Cyclamen Coum, rose Dianthus Alpinus, pink Draba Aizoides, yellow.

Hepaticas, blue, white, and pink Linaria Alpina, violet Myosotis (Forget-me-not), blue Omphalodes Verna, blue Phlox Reptans, violet Primroses and Polyanthuses Sanguinaria Canadensis, red Silene Alpestris, white.

Dwarf Growers

Achillea Clavennae, white Alyssum Saxatile Compactum, yellow Aster Alpinus (Michaelmas Daisy), purple Campanula Carpathica, blue „ „ Alba, white.

Corydalis Lutea, yellow Dianthus (Pinks), in variety Erigeron Aurantiacus, orange Geranium Endressi, pink.

Iberis (perennial Candytuft), white Inula Glandulosa, orange Meconopsis Cambrica (Welsh Poppy), yellow Ourisia Coccinea, red Plumbago Larpentae, violet Primula Denticulata, lilac Thalictrum Anemonoides, pink Trollius (Globe Flower), yellow.

Dwarf To Medium Growers

Achillea The Pearl, white Adonis Vernalis, yellow Anthericum, white Aquilegias (Columbines), various colours Aster Amellus, purple „ Dumosus, mauve Calceolaria Golden Glory, yellow Chrysanthemums, in variety Coreopsis Grandiflora, yellow Doronicums, yellow Erigeron Manescavi, pink Evening Primroses, in variety Gaillardias, in variety Geranium Sanguineum, red Gerbera Jamesoni (Barberton Daisy), orange Geum Coccineum, red Hemerocallis, orange Heucheras, in variety Incarvillea Delavayi, crimson Lobelia Cardinalis, red Papavers (Poppies), various Phlox Canadensis, various Polemonium coeruleum, blue Primula Japonica, rose Pyrethrums, in variety Senecio Pulcher, purple Spiraeas, various Stokesia Cyanea Praecox, blue Tiarella (Foam Flower), white.