The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-06-05
PLANTS FOR THE DOOR YARD.


VIZ y EpOOh
Now for the flower garden. What shall
we plant, how shall we plant, and when ?
Where one has a large lawn or garden they
can SOW as many varieties of flowers as
they choose, but for a small garden it is
best to select those kinds that bloom the
most and longest, for it is really annoy
ing to the amateur, after all their time and
trouble, to find they have only planted the
early, or the very late blooming sorts. that
are only in bloom for a few days, and soon
gone.
Ageratum is a pretty Mexican flower,
and will give an abundance of blue flowers
until frost. Crepis barbata and the golden
headed baritonia are two very early sorts
and continue to bloom until late in the
season. The delphiniums are one of the
handsomest and most useful of all our
! plants. The double dwarf rocket (aiacis
hyacintliflorum) is truly lovely; the plants
are from ten to twenty inches high, and
densely covered with heavy spikes of double
flowers, fine and rich in coloring. Cen
taurea (sweet SULTAN is quite a curious and
attractive plant in a garden. The blooms
somewhat resemble a basket filled to over
flowing, hence the name it sometimes has
of basket-plant. Candytuft is one Of our
garden favorites, but SO much improved of
late years as to be scarcely recognizable.
The candytuft rocket is one of the very
best; it blooms abundantly, and bears
large trusses of flowers of dazzling white
ness. Mignonette is a sweet little plant,
and quite indispensable for the bouquet
maker. Two years ago I grew the par
SON tree mignonette; it is truly a giant;
the flowers are almost pure white. of great
fragrance. and borne on spikes from six
inches to a foot or more in length; the
plant is fully three feet high. blooms until
frost. Dianthus chinensis is one of the
choicest of our annual pinks; mine of last
year were very fine; the flowers are ex-
tremely double and rich in coloring, and
will bloom the second year if the
roots are protected during the winter.
Those who have never grown the longitlora
four-o'clock have missed a treat; they
scarcely resemble the common four-o'clock,
the plants are of more PROSTATE habits,
and the flower trumpets are from six to
nine inches long, pure, waxy white, and
very fragrant; early in the evening the
plants present a beautiful appearance.
Gyprophelia muralis is Il lovely dwarf an
nual; its delicate, fine foliage and pink,
star-shaped flowers are excellent for all
kinds of bouquets, suitable for border
edgings or hanging baskets. There are
very few flowers in cultivation that make
so dazzling a display of beauty as a bed of
the brilliant-colored portulaccl. Phlox
drommondii is one of our best ANIMALS for
all purposes; they give a large variety of
colors, and bloom abundantly until frost.
Last year | grew thirteen distinct varieties
all in one bed, and they were lovely. Yer
benia and pansies are old favorites of all,
and no garden is perfect without them. A
bed of petunias should grace every ga arden,
not only for their beauty, but for their
fragrance. A small bed will scent a whole
garden. A few foliage plants are al adj
dition to a garden, and when not conye-
nient to obtain them from a green house a
few of the ANIMALS may be substituted.
Ambrosia, sometimes called Jerusalem
oak and by others known as the oak
%geranium," is a pretty foliage plant with
deeply indented leaves, somewhat resent
bling an oak leaf; strong and robust in
habit, and densely covered with leaves and
flowers from root to topmost branch. and
very neat for a dividing line. Perilla, for
an ornamental foliage plant, is very desira-
BILE; it has a broad serrated leaf. of a dark
metallic bronze, is of erect habit, and suit
| able for a low hedge or fine for the centre
of A bed. There are several varieties of
amarantlius cultivated for their foliage,
which are really fine and rich in coloring;
the colors will be more brilliant if planted
in a moderately rich soil.