A CORNER OF THE AUTHOR'S GARDEN AT KIRKSTALL.
HARDY PERENNIALS
AND
Old-Fashioned Garden Flowers:
DESCRIBING
THE MOST DESIRABLE PLANTS FOR BORDERS,
ROCKERIES, AND SHRUBBERIES,
INCLUDING
FOLIAGE AS WELL AS FLOWERING PLANTS.
By JOHN WOOD.
ILLUSTRATED.
LONDON: L. UPCOTT GILL, 170, STRAND, W. C.
1884.
LONDON: PRINTED BY A. BRADLEY, 170, STRAND, W. C.
PREFACE.
At the present time there is a growing desire to patronise perennialplants, more especially the many and beautiful varieties known as"old-fashioned flowers." Not only do they deserve to be cultivated ontheir individual merits, but for other very important reasons; theyafford great variety of form, foliage, and flower, and compared withannual and tender plants, they are found to give much less trouble. If aright selection is made and properly planted, the plants may be reliedupon to appear with perennial vigour and produce flowers more or lessthroughout the year. I would not say bouquets may be gathered in thedepth of winter, but what will be equally cheering may be had in blow,such as the Bluet, Violet, Primrose, Christmas Rose, Crocus, Hepatica,Squills, Snowdrops, and other less known winter bloomers. It does notseem to be generally understood that warm nooks and corners, under treesor walls, serve to produce in winter flowers which usually appear inspring when otherwise placed.
There are many subjects which, from fine habit and foliage, even whenflowerless, claim notice, and they, too, are described.
Many gardens are very small, but these, if properly managed, have theiradvantages. The smaller the garden the more choice should be thecollection, and the more highly should it be cultivated. I shall be gladif anything I say tends in this direction. From my notes of plantsuseful memoranda may be made, with the object of adding a few of thefreest bloomers in each month, thus avoiding the error often committedof growing such subjects as mostly flower at one time, after which thegarden has a forlorn appearance. The plants should not be blamed forthis; the selection is at fault. No amount of time and care can make agarden what it should be if untidy and weedy plants prevail. On theother hand, the most beautiful species, both as regards foliage andflowers, can be just as easily cultivated.
The object of this small work is to furnish the names and descriptionsof really useful and reliable Hardy and Perennial Plants, suitable forall kinds of flower gardens, together with definite cultural hints oneach plant.
Perhaps flowers were never cultivated of more diversified kinds than atthe present time; and it is a legitimate and not uncommon question toask, "What do you grow?" Not only have we now the lovers of the distinctand showy, but numerous admirers of such species as need to be closelyexamined, that their beautiful and interesting features may gladden andstir the mind. The latter class of plants, without doubt, is capable ofgiving most pleasure; and to meet the growing taste for these, books onflowers must necessarily treat upon the species or varieties in a moredetailed manner, in order to get at their peculiarities andrequirements. The more we learn about our flowers the more we enjoythem; to simply see bright colours and pretty