Perennial Gardening

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IN THE ROCK GARDEN
Perennials are the backbone of the rock-garden plantings, and in the beginning stages these are the very same perennials that are set out in the front part of the border, low growing, hardy, vigorous, and more or less permanent. As the interest and ability of the gardener develop, these easy plants will be replaced by more difficult and possibly rarer kinds which as garden pictures quite often will not be as satisfactory, although more fascinating and challenging the grower's skill.

From the standpoint of design perennials used in the average small rock garden should be low growing, not over twelve inches in height. Added to these there should be dwarf shrubs and dwarf evergreens, and possibly an occasional annual. Suitable dwarf perennials for the beginner's garden are:

Ajuga reptans Alyssurn saxatile Anchusa myosotidiflora Aquilegia nivea Arabis alpina Asperula odorata Campanula rotundifolia Cerastium tomentosum Cerastiurn larpentae Dianthus caesius Dianthus.deltoides GypsGphila repens Helianthemum mutabile Heuchera sanguinea Iberis sempervirens Iris cristata Iris pumila Myosotis palustris semperflorens Nepeta mussini Phlox subulata Primula polyantha Polemonium reptans Saponaria ocymoides Saxifraga cordifolia Sedum album Sedurn ellacombianum Sedum reflexum Sedum spurium coccineum Sempervivum soboliferum Sempervivum tectorum Teucrium chamaedrys Thymus serpyllum Tunica saxif raga Veronica incana Veronica teucrium rupestris Viola Jersey Gem

Bugle Goldentuft Bugloss Columbine Rockcress Woodruff Harebell Snow-in-summer Plumbago Cheddar pink Maiden pink Creeping babysbreath Sunrose Coralbell Candytuft Dwarf crested iris Dwarf iris Forget-me-not Catnip Moss pink Primrose Creeping polemonium Rock soapwort Heartleaf saxifrage White stonecrop Stonecrop Stonecrop Stonecrop Hen-and-chickens Roof houseleek Germander Thyme Coatflower Speedwell Speedwell Violet

Not quite so easy to grow, and yet responsive to very little extra care, are the following:

Aethionema pulchellum Anemone pulsatilla Aubrieta deltoidea Campanula garganica Dicentra eximia Hypericum repens Mazus reptans Myosotis alpestris Primula japonica Saxifraga McNabbiana Sedum dasyphyllum Sedum middendorfianum Sedum sieboldi Sempervivum arachnoideum Sempervivum rubicundum Silene alpina Silene maritima Talinum calycinum Thymus lanuginosus Veronica pectinata Viola pedata bicolor

Stonecress Windflower Purple rockcress Bellflower Dutchmans-breeches St. Johnswort Mazus Alpine forget-me-not Japanese primrose Saxif rage Stonecrop Stonecrop Stonecrop Spiderweb houseleek Red houseleek Catchfly Sea catchfly Talinurn Thyme Speedwell Birdsfoot violet

For the beginner's list of plants any good garden soil will suffice. For the less easy plants it is better to be sure that the sil is ordinary loam, one part sand, and one part peat or leaf mold.

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