In your planting do not forget the Acre, or golden moss. This is a creeping variety and especially suitable for rock work. Its delicate growth makes it particularly appropriate for this use. The Vinca Minor can be mixed with this. This is evergreen, and excellent for covering or rockery, and can be combined with the Moss Pink, sometimes known as creeping phlox. This latter is in bloom in May or June. It shows broad sheets of rosy pink, white or lavender flowers, and an evergreen foliage. As it grows either in sun or shade, it is a very decorative plant to be used for step treatment.
For the border can be used as a setting low, old-fashioned, hardy perennials, which are particularly adapted for grouping. In their planting use good soil, let them be placed where there is a reasonable amount of sunshine, keep them free from weeds and give them an occasional surface cultivation.
It is better to set these out in the fall, so that some of them will blossom during April and May. The late blossomers, however, can be saved until early spring, like Asters, and Heleniums. In making the selection, consideration should be given to those that grow in certain settings, as while some will flourish luxuriantly in ordinary garden loam, others are not dependable unless very rich soil is given to them.
For the outer border why not use hardy Candytuft (Iberis Sempervirens), which sends forth a profusion of white flowers in April or May, showing a spreading foliage that is evergreen and very attractive. With this can be grown the Rock Cress or Arabis Albida, which from April to June sends out sheets of pure white, fragrant flowers. Back of this one can plant the Fleur-de-lis. They should be given a sunny position in any kind of soil. As they come in all sorts of colors, there is no trouble in getting them to carry out the scheme that you have in hand. The Silver King, which is a silvery white with lavender shading, can be placed with the Florantina, which is light lavender, and the Pallida Dalmatica, which is lavender bloom. If you wish to carry out this color scheme further, why not try the Purpurea, which with its rich, royal purple, will make during the season one of the handsomest displays possible for a setting to the low growth decoratively used in steps.