Chapter LXII: , page 373

For Directions for Garden Cut-Outs, see Chapter LXII]

_Thirty-seven Hardy Perennials_

Aster (Wild)
Alkanet (Anchusa)
Baby’s Breath
Bellflower
Bergamot
Blanket Flower
Bleeding Heart
Campanula
Candytuft
Centaurea
Chrysanthemum
Columbine
Coreopsis
English Daisy
Forget-me-not
Foxglove
Hollyhock
Larkspur
Lupine
Marguerite
Monkshood
Pæony
Pinks {Moss
{Hardy
Poppy {Iceland
{Oriental
Phlox (Hardy)
Pyrethrum
Poker Plant
Rock Cress
Roses
Sneezewort
Speedwell
Sweet Alyssum (yellow)
Sweet-William
Thoroughwort
Violet and Viola
Wall Flower
Windflower

_Twenty Annuals_

Ageratum
Cockscomb
Cornflower
Cosmos
Cigar Plant
Everlasting
Four-o’Clock
Garden Geranium
Lemon Verbena
Nasturtium
Petunia
Princess Feather
Periwinkle
Phlox
Scarlet Sage
Snapdragon
Sweet Alyssum (white)
Verbena
Wild Cucumber Vine
Zinnia

_Eight Bulbous Plants_

Daffodil
Hyacinth
Iris
Lily of the Valley
Madonna Lily
Snowdrop
Tulip
Yellow Day Lily

A LETTER ABOUT THE GARDEN CUT-OUTS

_Dear Boy or Girl:_

_No doubt you will wish, just as Mary Frances did, to
be able to cut flowers every few days from your garden,
for your mother to use as a “center piece” on the
dining table, or for your father’s desk, or for your
grandmother’s dresser, or as a gift for a friend._

_Now, anyone can have a few plants which will bloom at
some time or other, but the garden you and Mary Frances
have in mind is one which will have flowers in bloom
from March, through April, May, June, July, August,
September, October, and into November until ruined by
frost._

_Flowers over eight months of the year! Yes, that is
possible in nearly every part of our country—if you
study carefully the outlines following this page._

_The first outline gives a list of plants which bloom
in the Early Spring._

_The second names the plants which bloom in Early
Summer._

_The third, the plants which bloom in Mid-Summer._

_The fourth, those blooming in Autumn._

_These lists are nearly like the ones given Billy by
his teacher, which he and Mary Frances used in planting
a garden in front of the Play House. As you read these
lists, turn to the pictures of the Mary Frances Garden
Cut-Outs, and try to recognize the flower named._

_All that Mary Frances wished, she and Billy made “come
true,” and every day through the flowering season she
gathered flowers from, her garden—but that is part of
the story, so now begin to read_

A FEW HINTS ON GROWING THE FLOWERS SHOWN IN THE GARDEN CUT-OUTS

In using the following lists, if the garden space is
small, select only the names marked with a star.

The height of each plant is given because it is
always desirable to plant low-growing flowers in the
foreground; and tall ones in the background.

The following-named Perennials (the roots of which live
from year to year) may be grown from seeds, but _cannot
be depended upon to bloom the first year_.

Instead of beginners starting _seeds_ of _Perennials_,
it is well to buy the young _plants_ from a reliable
dealer to start the permanent garden, and to experiment
with seeds after acquaintance with those plants already
established.

Do not buy many plants of any kind, as a few, well
cared for, will increase in number the next year.

Annuals (the roots of which die in the Fall) will bloom
the same season as planted. Start seeds early, either
in a box in a sunny window, or in a warm sunny corner
out of doors early in May.

The first step in garden-making is the planning of the
garden.

(See Chapter LXII on “The Mary Frances Garden
Cut-Outs.”)

The second step is selection of the seed, and the
ordering of the same from one of the _best_ seed firms.

Never try inferior or untested seeds. It is no economy.

In regard to “color scheme,” see Chapter LX.

For artistic effect, it is usually best to plant the
same kind of flowers close together to obtain “masses”
of bloom.