CHAPTER IV.

PERENNIALS AND BIENNIALS.

“Well they reward the toil. The sight is pleased, the scent regaled; Each opening blossom freely breathes around Its gratitude, and thanks us with its sweets.”

Perennial plants are those which live and blossom through many successive seasons. If planted very early in the border, or brought forward in the hotbed or in window gardens, they bloom the first season, and many of them are hardy enough to withstand the coldest winters of northern New England, while others require protection, and the tender ones must be housed in the cellar to await the return of spring.

Perennials die down every year, but the faithful old roots live, and when the sun awakes them from their wintry sleep, they spring up anew, and delight our senses.

These plants are very deserving of the attention of the amateur florist. They ask but little at one’s hands, and will grow and bloom for many years under great neglect. Yet if their roots are not divided, and their food renewed--after a few years they will dwindle away, and finally perish.

Many kinds are raised from seeds. Others by cuttings or increase of the roots; and once in three or four years they require to be taken up, divided, and reset. They flourish best in a light, rich soil.

_Dicentra spectabilis_, an importation from China, stands at the head of the list for its beauty, grace and hardy qualities. Linnæus knew of its loveliness, and named it _Corydalis formosa_. Mr. Fortune introduced it into England less than twenty years ago, and it has been called _Dilytra_, _Diclytra_, and _Dicentra_, which are its proper names.

It seeds sparingly, but a white variety has been introduced, whether from seed or from China, I know not. It multiplies rapidly by the roots; the foliage resembles that of a Pæony, and its flowers are rose colored, tipped with white, and hang from long racemes. As a lawn plant, for early spring and summer blooming, it is unsurpassed.

Perennial Flax (_Linum perenne_), is a native from beyond the Mississippi, and is beautiful in color and shape. Its flowers are celestial blue, and they are very abundant. The plant continues in bloom all summer, and is an addition to every garden.

Missouri Evening Primrose (_Œnothera macrocarpa_), also blooms all summer; its flowers are a golden yellow, and the plant is dwarf in habit, but the flowers do not open until the sun’s rays are declining.

Petunias are half hardy Perennials, which usually rank with Annuals in the northern part of the United States. They are desirable for the smallest plat of ground--as they grow luxuriantly and flower profusely. They take front rank now, and their curious blotchings and veinings render them very beautiful. The double varieties possess a spicy fragrance, and many of them are as beautifully striped and mottled as a carnation.

Columbines, Lychnis, French Honeysuckles, Phlox, Pinks, Achillea and Campanula are all very beautiful, and if raised from seeds will increase rapidly from the roots.

The Perennial Larkspurs have received great additions to their numbers of late years, and are greatly improved in coloring and the size of the flowers. The blue species possess the most perfect tints--vie with the hues of a cloudless sky!

There are no directions needful for preparing the soil, or planting the seeds, as they are given so fully in the previous chapter.

October is the best month for dividing and transplanting the roots. All perennial plants admit of dividing and transplanting, and it greatly increases the size and beauty of the flowers, and enhances their colors.

The roots of those kinds not found in the seed catalogues, can be purchased at the florist’s at slight expense, excepting the rarer kinds and the novelties.

Trees and Shrubs, and nearly all the so-called bedding-out plants, are strictly speaking perennials; yet the term is more particularly applied to those flowers whose stems and leaves annually decay, the roots retaining their vitality. I shall treat more fully of them under the chapter on Pæonies and Herbaceous plants.

I append a list of the most desirable grown from seed:--

Antirrhinum (or Snap-dragon), all colors, hardy.

Aconitum napellus (Monkshood), blue and white, hardy.

Agrostemma hybride flore pleno, hardy.

Alyssum saxatile, golden yellow, hardy.

Aquilegia (Columbine), hardy.

Aralis alpine, hardy.

Armeria splendens (Thrift), half hardy.

Astragalus galegiformis, yellow, hardy.

Aubletia deltoides, hardy, and beautiful for rock work.

Bellis (Double Daisy), half hardy.

Bryonia alba--a trailer, white flowers, hardy.

Calceolarias, half hardy, very beautiful.

Campanula, white, blue, lilac and purple.

Iberis sempervirens, Perennial Candytuft.

Carnations, half hardy, very desirable.

Catananche bicolor, hardy, white, with violet center.

Chelone barbata, hardy perennial.

Chrysanthemum japonicum, very rare.

Commelyne (Spiderwort), half hardy.

Cowslip, hardy.

Datura, half hardy.

Delphinium (Perennial Larkspur).

Dianthus of all kinds, hardy and half hardy.

Digitalis, hardy perennial.

Dodecatheon Meadia, hardy.

Forget-me-not, hardy.

Fraxinella, hardy.

Galega, lilac, white.

Gentiana macrophylla, deep blue.

Guem coccineum (Scarlet Avens), hardy.

Perennial Lupins, hardy.

Everlasting Pea, hardy.

Lavender spica, hardy.

Liatris squarrosa (Blazing Star), a prairie flower.

Lobelia hybridus.

Lychnis haageane, white, red, scarlet.

Mimulus, half hardy.

Pansies.

Papaver (Perennial Poppy).

Penstemnon, white, scarlet, rose, blue, purple.

Petunia.

Phlox decussata.

Phygelius capensis.

Picotee Pink.

Paisley Pink.

Potentilla, golden, crimson, yellow and white.

Sedum (Stonecrop).

Sweet William, Hunt’s perfection.

Tritoma uvaria, half hardy.

Verbascum, hardy, white, lilac.

Verbena, half hardy.

Wall flower, very double, half hardy.

_Biennials._

These are plants which, like Annuals, generally die after producing their flowers and seeds, but are two years in perfecting these, and in some instances may be induced to flower for two or three successive seasons by preventing them from going to seed; their general culture is the same as for Annuals.

One of the most beautiful is the German Brompton Stock. The greatest improvements have been made in these flowers, and they are now very desirable plants for border or lawn. They are half hardy, will require protection during the winter in northern climates--but will fully repay the care they demand. Any particularly fine plant can be propagated by cuttings, yet they do not always flower as well as those raised from seeds.

Among the Biennials most deserving of culture are:--

Canterbury Bells, double and single varieties, hardy.

Carduus, hardy.

Humea, elegant, half hardy.

Hollyhocks, half hardy.

Hyoscyamus, hardy.

Ipomopsis, half hardy, orange, scarlet, rose.

Silene ornata, hardy biennial.

Silylum elurnium (Ivory Thistle), hardy.

German Stocks, new dwarf bouquet.

Stocks, French winter, or Cocardean.

Scarlet Giant Cape.

Trachelium cœruleum, hardy.