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The Perennial Garden: Pentstemon

Pentstemon, Beard Tongue. Pentstemon is a useful perennial for the hardy garden as it blooms chiefly during July when the glory of the June-blooming perennials is over. The individual plants are not striking and to be effective they should be planted in [69] masses. They are quite hardy and while they like full sun are apt to die out in very hot exposures. They will stand partial shade and prefer a soil that is rich and well prepared. Propagate by division spring or fall, or by seed sown in June or July, which will usually give fair bloom the following summer.

Varieties. Digitalis, July, purple and white, Barbatus, Torreyi, July to August, scarlet. Heterophyllus, blue, July. Gloxinoides, very fine strain with flowers in shades of rose, crimson, and purple, but not so hardy as the other varieties.

Physostegia, False Dragonhead. Physostegia in common with Pentstemon is valued for its late bloom which comes during August, and is therefore excellent to include in the garden of continuous bloom in which the use of annuals is restricted. The flowers come in pink and white and are borne on thickly covered spikes which attain a height of from 3 to 4 feet in good soil. They are excellent for wild gardens as they spread rapidly. Plant in full sun, and propagate by frequent divisions, made in spring only, in order to keep the plants within bounds.

Varieties. Virginica, pink. Alba, white.

Pæonia, Peonies. The culture of peonies is very simple, they thrive in almost any land, but a deeply prepared soil that is thoroughly enriched with well- [70] rotted cow manure is the best. Finer blooms are produced in soils that are somewhat clayey in character, but the plants increase more rapidly when grown in lighter soils. They like both sun and partial shade, and the large, handsome, clumps of dark green foliage make them suitable for planting, not only in the hardy garden, but toward the front of shrubbery borders and along driveways. They are heavy feeders, and will amply repay in number and size of blooms for extra feeding.

In the autumn or early spring dig into the soil a generous top dressing of rotted cow manure; during the month of May applications of liquid cow manure may be given at intervals of every week or ten days. Shredded cow manure and pulverized sheep manure may be used if the liquid manure is not obtainable.

If the ground is very fertile, bone meal dug in around the plants in the autumn and sheep manure or wood ashes in the early spring is all that will be needed. Propagate by root divisions in the fall, any time after September 1st or in very early spring before the leaf growth is too advanced. Fall planting, however, is greatly to be preferred, as plants moved in spring will not flower the first season. Peonies should not be divided as frequently as other plants and will give good results if allowed to remain undivided for years. [71] After moving, normal bloom cannot be expected for one or two years. When propagation is done by means of division, divide the roots into pieces containing at least one eye or bud, and reset in soil that has been trenched and well enriched with rotted cow manure.

Set the plants 2 or 3 feet apart, with the bud 2 or 3 inches below the surface and never allow any manure to come into direct contact with the roots; deeper planting will cause the plants to bloom poorly. Cultivate often throughout the season and do not allow the plants to suffer from drought. Propagation by seed is a very slow method and is only practiced for the production of new varieties. It usually requires two years for the seed to germinate, and three years more before a good bloom can be expected.

Double Varieties. Therese, soft pink. Duchess of Teck, lovely pink, Le Cygne, white, Eugene Verdier, pale pink, Edulis Superba, rosy mauve, Festiva Maxima is the Decoration Day peony, white with crimson streaks, Jubilee, white, Sarah Bernhardt, beautiful light pink, Augustin D'Hour, red, Baroness Schroeder, flesh pink.

Single Varieties. Flamboyant, rose, Gypsy, red, Queen Alexandra, pink, LaFiancée, white.