PERENNIAL BORDERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 454, 8 September 1928, Page 28

PERENNIAL BORDERS

PLANTS THAT PAY TO GROW Position: In no department o£ the garden has more distinct progress been made than that devoted to the cultivation of hardy perennial herbaceous plants. The number of plants, including Alpines, now available for this work gives a selection suitable for any position, either damp or dry, shaded or open aspect. Where room can be afforded a spacious border should be given up entirely to a collection of these hardy perennials. Whether the soil be heavy or light, chalky or clay, worthy plants in variety may be found that will grow and flourish if a little skill and knowledge are exercised in selecting and planting them. I ntermixed

Groups of brilliantly coloured annuals may be effectively intermixed with herbaceous plants In a large border. There are certain positions and uses for such plants as carpet bedding, scarlet geranium, lobelia, poppies, cinerarias, antirrhinums, and such like showy species. If the border be wide enough, such shrubs as daphnes, boronias, hibiscus, hydrangeas and roses can be introduced with brilliant results. The position most suitable is one exposed to full sunshine and sheltered from strong winds. The soil requires to be well drained, trenched to a depth of two feet and well manured. Staking

A word in this direction will not be out of place tor on the neatness and appropriateness with which this is done, in a very great measure depends the satisfactory appearance of a border of this sort. As rule, never stake unless support is actually required. Nothing looks more unnatural than to see a procumbent plant tied to a stake and nothing worse than to see a strong stake placed where a slender one will do. If staking be necessary, start early while the youngshoots are upright in growth, and so prevent the winds from blowing them about.

Arrangement The arrangement of plants in a mixed border requires a knowledge of the plants themselves and of their requirements as to position and space. For the main plots plants should be chosen of bold and striking beauty. For this purpose I submit a sketch numbered with a list of suitable subjects to fill the various plots, each kind of plant in the mixed border beinggraded according to its approximate height. r KEY TO BORDER CHART BACK ROW

I trust that the advice and subjects tendered will prove helpful to all our “Smallholder” readers, and I would be interested at any time to receive photos and offer advice to any gardeners wishing to improve established borders, or those busily engaged constructing new ones.

1— 3 plants of Lobelia eardinalis 2— 4 plants of Old-fashioned Foxft. 1 3—2 plants of Anehusa Italtca, blue 3 4—3 plants of Michaelmas Daisy, white 5—3 plants of Rudbeckia, Golden 6—3 plants of Helenium, bronze and brown 7—4 plants of Tall Hollyhock, scarS—3 plants of Michaelmas Daisy, blue G 9—2 plants of Golden Rod 0 10—4 plants of Delphinium, tall blue3 0

11—3 MIDDLE ROW plants Anemone, Japanese . 1 6 12—3 plants Gypsophila, dbl. white 0 13—4 plants of Gaillardia, bronze and red 2 6 3 4—6 plants of Lilium candidum (Christmas Lily) 2 0 15—6 plants of Doronicum, Yellow Daisy 1 6 16—4 plants of Calliopsis, golden yellow 2 0 plants of Calceolaria, golden 3 8 —3 plants of Canterbury Bells . 19—3 plants of Bouvardias, scarlet 20—4 plants of Pink Spireas . . . . 1 6

21 i FRONT ROW plants of Aquilegia, longspurred 0 IS plants of Perennial Carnations 0 23—4 plants of Funkis, variegated foliage 0 12 24—0 plants of Iieuchera, Coi*al Bells 25—4 plants of Phlox subulata . . 26—4 plants of Lychnis, scarlet . . 0 15 27—6 plants of Begonia, bronze foliage 0 12 28—3 plants of Gerbera. pink . . . . 29—2 plants of .Dwarf Bronze Calceolaria 0 15 30—3 plants of Chiffon or Frilled Daisy 0 IS