Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-26
IN MYlADY'S GARDEN
Natural Arrangement and Planting
for Permanent Effect.
FROM SNOWDROP TO AUTUMN'S GREEN
Culture and Value of the Lily
and the Iris.
HARDY PLANTS AND SHRUBS


Written for The Evening Star.
As has been said, cultivators of flowers
are beginning to realize the folly of depend
ing upon bedding out plants and ANNALS
for the ornamentation Of their grounds-a
custom which confines its effects to three
or four months at the most, leaves the gar
den entirely denuded at the end Of the sea-
son and necessitates beginning all over again
each year. Whether on large or small
scale, the system, In the case OF those who
own or lease their homes. is as short
sighted as it is improvident, and to the
genuine flower-lover unsatisfactory. What
should be aimed at in any garden, great or
small. is not one effect, however dazzling,
but a succession of effects appropriate to
and expressive of the passing months. The
most skillful arrangements Of bedding
out plants weary the eye and starve the
heart. A chord of music, matter how
rich the tones how perfect the intervals.
of which it is composed. If necessarily re-
iterated becomes first tiresome, then mad
dening. What we want in our gardens is
not one chord, nor even one pretty tune,
but a symphony. beginning with the deli
cate tremolo Of snow drops and crocus.
and ending in the grand finale of the chrys,
speak the idle chatter Of afternoon teas,
the hardy plants the language of poets and
philosophers.
Landscape Gardening.
The landscape gardener has never lost
sight OF those truths, but wherever given
full scope has awaited himself of the pos
sibilities contained in many hardy plants
almost forgotten. or indifferently regarded
by the present generation. Believe me,
our great-grandparents knew precisely
what they were about: their gardens had
q nd oil fRonv, 1T I1
our modern ones lack but which they need
no longer lack. First must come the con-
v1ction OF our mistake, then careful study
of means and ends. The first cost may be
little startling. the desired result not as
Immediately apparent as under the old
system. but a garden once stocked with
good, hardy, well-chosen plants will be
source of inexhaustible pleasure and artis-
tic development In the end the saving in
expense and labor will be apparent to
any one. Not that hardy plants need no
care, for some of them require consider
able. but never that continual fussing over
flowers demand.
City Back Yards.
Once again the writer urges the beau
tifying Of city back yards. The American
abroad finds nothing more surprising than
the glimpses Of beauty gained from win
dows overlooking court yards and rear en-
closures in foreign cities. little splash
ing fountain encircled with handsome
plants, rockeries and grottoes wreathed in
vines and ferns, bits of velvet sand not
larger than a dinner napkin, neat gravel
walks, grapes and apricotS trained against
the dividing walls, which are never of I'M
slightly planks with us. but of good,
solid masonry. Truly we can learn many
lesson of thrift and beauty from the
'effete citizens of European countries
Let us then rise as one man and Danish
ash barrel and garbage pail from our back
yards, and make them little oasis of YER
dure if not of bloom. Few the spots
where nothing will grow, thanks to boun-
uful natures adaptiveness.
Study your ground. Note where the sun
shine falls earliest and remains longest;
note If there is any spot where water set
ties and remains after rains or melting
SHOWS. This last spot should be given an
outlet by draining it into an alley. Or it
may be deeply dug, say three feet, and
layer of stones. cinders or bricks placed at
it. No plants can long survive water set
Ting and freezing about the roots.
The Practical Details.
Lay out your beds generously, grudgingly
allowing for domestic purposes. Examine
the soil and supply what 1t lacks. If you
do not trust your own judgment in this, get
some one who knows to advise you. De-
vote at least as much thought to all these
preparations you would to the planning
Of a new gown or luncheon party, and to
the selection of what shall be planted
thousand times more. (All beds and Dor
ders are the better for being raised some
what in the middle.) Inform yourself OF
the nature of the plants you desire to cul-
tivate If possible visit all the fine gar
dens and lawns within reach. No matter
how inferior your own resources. some val
liable hints are sure to be obtained, and
professional gardeners and florists are gen
orally willing to talk to people who appre-
ciate their work. Study works on fforicul-
ture make diagrams of beds and arrange
ments, plant imaginary gardens and, final
~ decide on what seems most likely to
succeed well under the existing conditions.
Allow a margin for the evanescent summer
flowers, ANIMALS. etc. which help out won
derfully. especially In the first season or
two and be sure to plan for a succession
of bloom. Such a garden once started is
as satisfying as good, solid bank account.
Nature and Art.
Study for natural and picturesque effects.
Mass your plants--a clump Of peonies here.
another of lilies there. a group Of spirea
in one place. Of rudbeckia in another, of
scarlet phIox or ornamental grass else
where Around the roots Of hardy shrubs
plant narcissus; in grassy corners. which
the lawnmower must not invade plant our
native lilies. the scarlet Turks cap or
great clump of tiger lilies. In the Dor
ders too, plant in clumps tall-growing
plants down the middle; lower ones along
the edges-not in stiff rows. but as II drop
ped accidentally by spring in her joyous
flight. This Is true gardening, that rests
and refreshes eye and soul.
Successive Effects.
Perhaps it would not be amiss to suggest
how these successive effects may be obtain
ed. Suppose preparations to have been
made in the fall. as they should be, and
combining ourselves to hardy. permanent
bulbs and plants exclusively. here. in brief,
have almost without effort after the first
planting: March and April, crocuses, snow
drops, hardy violets, pansies, anemones,
daffodils, lilies of the valley. Towering al
monds, tulips; May and June. many Of the
above mentioned, roses Of all sorts. irises
of various sorts and colors. June lilies q.
Candidum), Columbines, foxgloves. pinks,
spireas dentzias peonies, oriental peoples
in short, June is the most prodigal Of all
the months. The list could be Indefinitely
extended. July and August are the on
months for many Towering plants. The
hybrid roses are resting; the early bloom
ing bulbs have vanished from sight entirely.
But see what we now have: Hollyhocks,
magnificent in their right place; Japanese
irises, the golden-banded lilies a. duratum),
all other varieties of lilies belonging to the
speciosum or Lancefolium family. and
many others: the delphinum, or giant lark
spur; the phloxes. pure white (rose) and
scarlet, the achillea. pure white flower
resembling the fever-few: the August lily,