Hardy Border Plants with White Flowers
Lupins.—Extremely valuable plants for the back of the border, free flowering, and with handsome foliage.
Chrysanthemum Maximum.—A daisy-like flower, useful for cutting. When established it forms bold, handsome clumps.
Asters, Michælmas Daisies or Starworts.—One of the best of these is A. Harpur Crewe; multiflorus with small flowers is also desirable.
Delphiniums, Larkspurs.—Well-known hardy perennials. They are of easy culture, bloom profusely over an extended period, and the hybrid varieties are especially lovely.
Eremurus.—These stately flowers are comparatively little known, and the belief that they are difficult to grow is much exaggerated. Provided that a warm sheltered situation can be given, and that adequate protection against severe frost is supplied, their culture is quite simple. E. himalaicus is one of the hardiest of the group, the flowers are produced in a dense raceme often 2 feet long, and individually are of considerable size. A delightful border plant.
The height of the above may be taken roughly at six feet.
Anemone Japonica Alba.—The well-known autumn blooming anemone, which yields quantities of flowers for cutting. Honorine Jobert is a particularly handsome variety.
Pæonies.—These are undoubtedly the flowers of the moment, and out of the great number of varieties catalogued, the only difficulty lies in the selection of a few for our needs.
Campanulas.—The Peach-leaved Bellflower (C. persicaefolia alba grandiflora) is a handsome border plant with cup-shaped flowers. Its blooming period is July.
Achillea Ptarmica.—Sneezewort. A free growing plant, producing numerous small flowers, useful for cutting.
Acanthus Mollis.—A stately perennial, which is worth growing if only for its handsomely serrated foliage. It requires a warm, well-drained soil.
Phloxes.—Both classes of perennial phloxes, the summer and autumn flowering varieties, should be included wherever space can be found for them. Among the former, which come into bloom during June and July, Mrs Forbes is to be recommended; in the latter class, flowering from July to October, few are more desirable than Avalanche.
The above range in height from 2 to 4 ft., and are suitable for the middle line of the border.
Iberis.—Candytuft. A suitable plant for use on the margin of the mixed border. The variety correaefolia is the best, flowering later than the ordinary kinds. Sempervirens is also useful.
Saxifraga.—Rockfoils. Though these plants are generally considered more as alpines than border subjects, they are well adapted for the latter purpose. The beautiful fresh coloured tufts of foliage, and the myriad blossoms gracefully produced, render them especially noteworthy. The variety camposii is pretty.
Pinks.—These are too well-known to need comment. In the section of the border devoted to white flowers, a variety, like Her Majesty, can ill be spared.
Dwarf Phlox.—The clustering blossoms of these charming plants show to advantage in the front of the border. The alba variety of the well-known P. Subulata, and P. Nelsonii are both good whites.
These are all under a foot in height, and make a pleasant foreground for the nobler plants behind them.
White flowers require to be used sparingly, as constant repetition wearies the eye. Though generally regarded as a positive colour, there are various shades, and it is best to include cream tinted flowers in the same section, using the hardest whites to give the effect of a high light.