Chapter 1.. _root-Pruning_

Root-pruning

This is often the first thing you do for a plant that is to be grown bonsai-style. It is a procedure that is repeated regularly if your plant is to have a long life. Dwarf trees and shrubs are root-pruned so they will fit their small containers, or to make room for fresh soil when they are repotted, or to keep the root system in balance with the growth above soil that is being restricted. Pruning also keeps the roots compact, near the surface of the soil, and vigorously young. Removing old, woody roots encourages the growth of fine new ones.

When seedlings, rooted cuttings, and small newly purchased or collected plants are made ready for their first bonsai containers, they are not immediately root-pruned in a severe sense. Any roots that are dead should be trimmed off and long taproots should be cut back at least one-third. Otherwise, it’s a matter of trimming off the root ball with as little disturbance as possible, just enough to fit the container.

After they have been established, plants are root-pruned when they are repotted. When roots are crowded and completely cover the soil in a close mesh, it’s time to repot and root-prune. For some plants this may come once in a year, for others once in five years.

Hold the base of the trunk in one hand--your left hand if you are a right-hander. Use a dull-pointed pencil (the Japanese use a chopstick) and loosen the soil around the outside. Pick away about one-third of it if the plant is established, somewhat more on younger plants. When you have finished, the soil ball should be, roughly speaking, one-fourth smaller than its container. Then, with sharp scissors, cut away all the loose root ends which you have removed from the soil. This is rather drastic surgery, although not like removing an arm and a leg of a gardener, because the plant or shrub has the happy faculty of growing new roots. However, it will need special care and protection until it is back on its feet again. Bonsai plants are root-pruned and returned to the same container year after year. None of this making each container one size larger each time the plant is moved into a new house. That’s for house plants per se.

Soil

Potting soil for dwarfed trees and shrubs is particularly important. There is so little of it in small containers. In general, it should provide good drainage and aeration while also holding a certain amount of moisture. On the specific side, soil contents and textures should vary to meet the individual plant’s needs.

If your plant happens to have been dug locally, take along a supply of local soil. If you happen to have purloined the plant from a neighbor’s woods, purloin a little soil. It’s no more of a sin to have stolen a sheep than half a sheep. In our neighborhood it is a standing joke about how many plants, flat paving stones, etc., we swipe from each other. If you have been honest enough to have bought your plant from a nursery, ask their advice on the soil. If they are not smart, although most of them are, get the reference book down off the shelf and find out whether the plant craves a mixture that is sandy, rich in humus, acid or alkaline, fine or coarse. You have a baby on your hands. Treat it right and it will award you with adulthood in bonsai. Neglect it and it will curl up and die. Mix your soil as you would a baby’s formula. Remember, babies cry when the formula is faulty; plants can’t. They silently pass away.

Potting and Repotting

I am frequently asked how often an established tree or shrub should be repotted. It depends, first, on how fast it grows. A willow may need this attention twice a year, a conifer once in five years. A general rule is to repot flowering and fruiting plants about once a year, most deciduous varieties every other year, evergreens every three to five years. But don’t follow that schedule too literally. If a tree begins to wither or look weak, if its color turns sickly and it shows no sign of growth, if its roots are so packed they hump up the soil, root-pruning and repotting are often the “shot in the arm” that can save it.

The most favorable repotting seasons vary with types of plants and the climate. Again, it’s a good idea to consult some authority or reference book. In general, and in most areas, it is safe to repot evergreens, deciduous foliage varieties, and summer-or fall-flowering types in early spring before new growth begins. As for spring-flowering plants, repot immediately after flowering; for fruiting types, in early autumn before cold weather sets in.

As a side light, it is possible to use watertight containers minus drainage holes. That is rather desirable when a plant is to be displayed on finely finished furniture in the house. The container should be a shade larger than usual so that, in potting, a corner area or space along the side can be left empty and the soil sloped down toward it. If there is any standing water it will show up in this section. Just up-end the container and drain off the excess water. In the process make sure that the plant is not also drained off or disturbed. But that you will know from plain common sense.

If a pot has drainage holes, I always make sure they are partially covered with crockery or aluminum window screen so the soil will not sift down and clog the holes. To insure even better drainage, I screen the first layer so that it is coarse and granular, put a little soil on top, and then set the plant in place. In oblong or oval containers, the trunk is usually one-third of the distance from the end and a little behind the center line. Of course, that depends on the shape of the containers. In round or square containers, the plant is usually centered.

When planting, fill in the soil gradually. Use a pencil, or if you have the true Oriental feeling, a chopstick, to tuck the soil in tightly around the roots. Whatever you use, be sure to eliminate any pockets of air. Roots don’t like it. As to how tightly you pack it, that depends on the type of plant and the texture of the soil. If your soil is built up around the edges and sloped toward the center, you will have a depression that will hold water until it can seep down to the roots below. Unless you have some particular plan or design, finish off the surface with a ground cover of moss, or perhaps a layer of gravel. Moss is not only an added attraction but functions as a mulch and delays the evaporation of moisture from the soil underneath.

After repotting, soak the soil thoroughly, and soak the container, which is probably dried out. Mist the foliage and remove any debris such as fallen leaves and petals. Then keep the plant sheltered for several weeks until it is re-established. Remember, it has had what a human being would regard as a major operation.

Some of the most appealing bonsai plants are grown with their roots around a rock of interesting and harmonious size, shape, color, and texture. Soft, porous tufa is especially good for this purpose because you can cut and shape it easily. You can hollow out cavities and crevices, just the place for roots to grow. Any rock should have a stable base. Please don’t let it tip or wobble.

For this sort of planting, select a healthy plant in vigorous growth with roots long enough to reach down the side of the stone. Prune away any roots that are too short or dead, and remove the soil from the others. Set the base of the trunk in place on top of the rock and arrange the roots so that the tips reach down and can be buried in the soil in the container. Both roots and plant may need to be anchored in place for a while; that is, until they can stand on their own.

Such plants naturally need special watering and protection for the first few months, perhaps even for a year or so. You can help them along by rubbing soil into the roots after they are fastened in place, or covering them temporarily with a thin layer of moist moss. Should you do any repotting, be careful not to loosen the roots on the rock.

Recently, in the home of one of my Redding neighbors, I saw a bonsai arrangement that pretty much follows what I have been describing above, except that it goes it one better. This gardener, in the search for the “right” rock, had walked miles along the stone fences that divide fields, woods, and properties in our area. Eventually she found a beautifully weathered specimen with a large pocket in the top. This she filled with a rich, moisture-holding soil mixture, encasing some of the roots of her bonsai in it. Then she set the rock in water in a shallow container to help keep it moist. Someday I am going to defy the snakes that are said to lurk in the cracks and crevices of our rock walls and see if I can’t find something to approximate what my neighbor discovered. I hope it will have a few lichens on it. That would be a crowning touch of age and antiquity.

Shaping and Pruning

These are the techniques, says one author, that “make bonsai culture an art.” That statement alone is sufficient reason to invalidate just about all of the specific rules. But there are others--the wide variations among plants and types of plants, plus the personal element, the variances in personal tastes and degrees of artistry.

Instead of trying to cover bonsai pruning and wiring in complete detail (there are many excellent books on the subject), I’d rather speak from personal experience and set down the basic principles as I see them and have used them. By following these principles--not word for word, or too literally, but with your own creative ingenuity and imagination--I feel you can shape a true bonsai plant, or adaptations in the bonsai manner.

First, let’s define the objective--a miniature tree or shrub with every part in perfect scale, the line and design of trunk and branches clearly outlined and not forced or distorted but naturally picturesque. If you start with a very small plant, a seedling, or a rooted cutting, the choice of shape and design is mostly up to you. But more mature plants almost always suggest their own form. A trunk may be slightly twisted, a branch slightly bent, the leaves or needles heavier in one area than another. You simply carry on the illusion in as natural a manner as possible.

In pruning, the first step is to remove all weak or dead wood, and any unwanted branches that cross unattractively or perhaps go off in the wrong direction. Then, you decide whether more branches should be pruned away--to reveal the basic form of the tree in general or the trunk in particular; to lighten the over-all effect; to help create the desired symmetrical or asymmetrical shape. If the plant has been root-pruned, the top should be pruned proportionally. Top growth and roots should always be kept in balance. Growing tips are pinched or cut back to encourage the development of side shoots, or merely to keep the plant in dwarf proportions.

From here on, pruning depends on the plant and the planned design. Slow-growing types may need trimming only once a year; others need constant attention. Any undesirable or excess growth is best removed while the plant is still young so the operation won’t leave an unsightly scar. Needles that are too long can be cut down to proper size from time to time. Leaves that are too large and heavy can be severely thinned. Because fruit that is too plentiful can weaken a dwarfed tree severely, some of it should be removed.

At repotting time you may find a few roots immediately under the soil surface that have enlarged to such a good size they can be exposed above the soil. If possible, spread them out slightly so they form a swelling base for the trunk. This is fun, but takes a bit of doing. You don’t want to end up with something that resembles an unanchored telegraph pole with leaves at the top.

Stems, branches, and trunks are trained by wiring them and then bending them along the lines you desire. Wiring is best done in the spring. New growth is just starting and the older woody parts are more supple and pliant. If the soil is left dry a few days before wiring, the wood will be even easier to work with. You can use ordinary galvanized wire. If you happen to have only copper wire, try annealing it. Hold it in a fire and then plunge it into cold water. The weight and strength of the wire will depend on the size of the trunk or branch with which you are working. Be careful not to get a wire that is so stiff you can’t bend it easily.

As to the actual process, first fasten one end of the wire. Perhaps you wrap it around the trunk, or better still, stick it deeply into the soil. Next coil it rather loosely around the branch that is being trained and fasten it again at the end. Now, using both hands, bend the wired branch in the direction you want it to go. Be firm, but be gentle and cautious. Ease up if the branch shows signs of breaking or being injured. Don’t hurry the job. If necessary, only bend it a little the first time. Bend it a little more the next week, and the weeks after that. If you are tempted to rush, stop and think of the bonsai creations you have seen on display at flowers shows. Usually you will have seen a card that says the creation is fifty or more years old. Be especially careful with old hardened growth or plants with tender bark that is easily bruised or broken. Most important, once you start to bend a branch, don’t change your mind and try to bend it back the original way. It will almost surely die. Plan before you act.

Depending on the type and age of the plant, wires may be left in place for six months, a year, or even more. However, watch carefully for signs that the plant is being choked or disfigured due to heavy growth.

There are also some easy ways to train parts of plants without wiring them. Branches can be pulled down to a horizontal line by looping soft cord around them and hitching it to the container. They can be made to hang down, or weep, by hanging weights at the tips. If you want to straighten a trunk, tie it with something strong, like raffia, to a straight bamboo stake. To narrow a wide fork between two branches, pull them together with raffia. To widen a fork, prop it apart with a light wooden wedge.

Location

Whether you have a collection of bonsai growing on tables or benches, or perhaps just a few plants, in summer give them outdoor growing quarters where there is a free circulation of air. Full sunlight is good except during the hottest weeks or months. Be careful to protect them against hot, drying winds and burning sun, which they cannot stand. Being in small containers, excessive heat or dryness is dangerous. We had some old bamboo shades that once enclosed our porch which were good protection. We also had some lath screens which came in handy. Lacking either, hang up old sheets or sections of burlap. You can help by keeping it moist with the garden hose.

Watering

Many factors determine how often your plants should be watered--age, type, size, how recently they were repotted, size of root system, and the usual climatic conditions such as temperature and humidity. About the only concrete thing I can say is that your plants will resent neglect, and will show it. Newly potted plants should be kept moist constantly until they begin to make new growth or show other signs that they have recovered from pruning and transplanting. For plants that are established, the ideal is limited moisture in the soil. Don’t keep it so wet that rank growth is encouraged. And please beware of rot. That is one of the most evil of evils when you are too generous with the watering can. At the other extreme, the soil shouldn’t be so dry that the plant wilts beyond recovery. You, as a grower, will have to determine this for yourself. I do it by feeling the soil in the container. If it feels moist to the fingers, no water is needed. Let it feel dry and it probably needs a drink. When you do water, be thorough. Make sure the soil is so completely moistened that the excess water runs out the drainage hole in the bottom of the container.

Fertilizing

There is a definite, delicate balance between too much and too little fertilizer for a bonsai plant. Too much food and it grows too large and is loaded with large foliage, flowers, and fruit. If you feed it too sparingly, it will suffer from malnutrition. I most certainly wish I could give you an exact rule to use. I fear no one can. Requirements differ for different plants. All I can offer is a few basic principles. The rest is up to you.

For the first few months after you have repotted a plant in fresh soil, withhold all fertilizer. Don’t fertilize a plant that is weak or sick or approaching dormancy, and don’t fertilize when the soil in the pot is dry. Be alert to fading leaf color, reluctant growth, and all similar signs that a plant is suffering for want of nutrients. These signs may be most apparent during the spring season of most active growth.

Organic fertilizers such as bone meal, liquid manure, or fish emulsion are usually recommended, and should be used sparingly in weak solutions. The purpose of this feeding is to keep the plant healthy but still small, and not to encourage larger growth.

Insects and Disease

My bonsai plants are much too precious to take chances with any sort of infection or insect infestation. As a preventative, I use an all-purpose aerosol bomb regularly, according to directions on the label. Constantly I keep a sharp eye for any signs of trouble. Thank goodness, up to now I have had no serious threats, but should they come along, there is a remedy I have used on other plants. I would dip them, container and all, in an appropriate solution, thus making sure it would penetrate every crevice and cover every surface. For outdoor bonsai and the problems most likely to beset plants while in their summer quarters, I have elsewhere discussed insects and diseases of trees and shrubs. Those general principles also apply to bonsai.

Winter Care

In areas where freezing temperatures are the rule or, as here in Connecticut, where temperatures are much lower, dwarfed potted trees and shrubs should spend the winter where the soil in the small containers will not freeze. We have a tight cold frame where we plunge the pots into the soil, then cover everything with straw and salt hay. Those who happen to have an unheated porch, one that is glassed in, but where the temperature does not go below freezing, have a good winter quarters. But, be careful, don’t let the soil in the containers dry out completely. Keep a watchful eye.

After that warning, may I offer another. Please don’t coddle plants by keeping them warm in the house or greenhouse. A cool period of complete rest is often very beneficial, or even a touch of frost.

CHAPTER 10

MINIATURE GARDENS IN THE LANDSCAPE

A picturesque surprise on a gently sloping, sunny bank could be a wind-blown mugho pine beside an outcropping rock that’s lightly draped by a sprawling cotoneaster, with colorful sempervivums clustered at the base. Or in the light shade at the base of a clump of white-barked birches, there could be a group of dwarf rhododendrons displayed against dark, humus-rich soil or a pine-needle mulch. On a patio or terrace, it could be a contemporary grouping of low, fluffy juniper, perennial lavender, and water-polished rocks.

These are miniature gardens--not complete landscaping plans for small properties, but appealing plantings that often pop up in unexpected places and bring beauty into otherwise unusable or undecorated areas. They’re gardens because, by definition, they are groups of plants that achieve an effect a single plant could not create alone. They’re miniature gardens because they occupy small space, and because most of their plants are of miniature proportions. Properly designed and executed, they’re equally effective in large grounds or small, with contemporary suburban homes, in informal settings, and even on estates with traditionally formal landscapes.

There’s a special enchantment in these miniature gardens. The eye is attracted by their modesty and restraint, and by the utterly natural way they seem to suit the scene. Each plant is seen intimately, in close-up; its character is revealed in each small detail. And in these gardens the creator can express his individuality so easily; seldom does a design even resemble the one next door.

Miniature white poppies featured in a tiny garden beside an outcropping of rock]

Part of the appeal, of course, lies in the charm of miniature plants--tiny annuals and perennials, small or slow-growing evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs, available in amazingly wide variety if you take the trouble to find them. There are also frequent opportunities to use inert objects with special effect. Small gardens can be designed as settings for works of art or products of the hand-craftsman--ceramic bowls and urns, authentic wrought-iron grilles, wood carvings, statuary, sundials, pools, even fountains and waterfalls. Or a garden may be designed with a background of well-placed rock, a tree stump, or a piece of driftwood. A bench, arch, gate, antique hitching post, or well-house may inspire a miniature planting. Inanimate ground covers such as gravel are often a definite part of the design.

In some ways miniature gardens are easier to design than, for example, standard items such as flower beds and foundation plantings. It’s easier to achieve originality. Mistakes are usually small and easily corrected. On the other hand, really good design is more critical than in large plantings where space can swallow errors and provide lucky effects. In miniature, even a minor defect shows up immediately, and may be a major calamity.

DESIGNING MINIATURE GARDENS

The first and basic requisite is an idea the garden is to express, a theme for the picture it is to create. The objective may be to embellish some neglected nook, disguise an unattractive corner, feature an unusual plant or art object, soften the lines of a small pool and blend it with its surroundings. Once the goal is set, it is pursued without deviation. For example, a featured plant is kept dominant--not necessarily in size, but always in visual importance--and everything else is subordinate. A pool planting does not become so elaborate that the beauty of mirrored reflections or rippling water is lost.

In both conception and execution the design for a miniature garden should be in harmony with its surroundings. Nearby buildings may call for certain harmonious lines and proportions. Land contours, and constructions such as walls and steps, may dictate size and shape. The architecture of a house and its landscape has a style that should not be violated.

Our Connecticut landscape demands informal or naturalistic design in no uncertain terms. Straight lines and formal geometric shapes would be not only out of place, but practically impossible to achieve. The land’s slopes and rises call for beds with flowering curves. Points of interest such as massive lichen-trimmed boulders, gnarled old trees, or a winding stream are sublimely situated by nature’s unerring instinct for what looks right. We’ve merely cleaned them up and made the most of them.

For not-too-modern houses built on regularly shaped, level lots, some sort of formal design is easier to achieve and much more suitable. In the traditional style, elements of equal size and weight balance each other. There is strict adherence to a predetermined pattern. Identical beds may make a formal dooryard garden, for example; matching groups of plants may ornament opposite sides of a gateway.

For houses of contemporary architectural style there are gardens of contemporary design, often featuring paved areas and patterns with distinct angles and curves. Plantings are based on the tone, texture, and form of the plants themselves. The object of interest is off-center, balanced by a larger area of subdued importance.

Miniature gardens should be not only in harmony with the style of the surroundings, but also in proper proportion. A birdbath with miniature roses planted underneath can look lost in the center of a spacious lawn, but could be in correct scale for a niche or arch in a brick wall.

Simplicity is extremely important. The smaller the space, the faster it will take on a spotty, cluttered look when crammed with too many different plants. The smaller the space and the plants, the more care and thought should be given to combining various types, forms, textures, and colors for best effect.

In addition to aesthetic principles, there are practical aspects to designing miniature gardens. Any site should be checked for cultural and environmental conditions that favor healthy plant growth. Is a wall so high it throws too much shade for sun-loving plants? Is an area too exposed in winter for questionably hardy plants? Is the spot so low that water collects and stands in the soil, making it suitable only for bog plants?

Think of the work of maintenance, too. Use ground covers instead of lawn in areas so small you can’t move a mower around. Avoid fast-growing plants that need constant trimming and pruning. Don’t use plants that require a lot of protective spraying or dusting unless you have time to keep up with the job. A healthy dwarf barberry is more attractive than a neglected, sickly rose.

MINIATURE BEDS, BORDERS, AND ISLANDS

There are a number of ways to use small-scale versions of the familiar mixed-flower border. Annuals and perennials can be selected for continuity or succession of bloom, and arranged so that colors harmonize, textures contrast, and carefully placed taller spikes or spires provide accent and relieve monotony. In the background there may be dwarf evergreens or flowering shrubs, a low fence or wall, the side of a tool house or other small building.

Use miniature flower borders to add interest to tiresome areas such as long, narrow strips between the house and boundary line of the lot, or along a service walk. Use them at the edge or in corners of small lawn areas--never scattered through it--or at the base of low foundation plantings. Use them as visual space dividers between driveway and front yard or entrance to the house.

Miniature beds are also effective at one side of a breezeway, at the edge of a terrace or patio, or beside the back door. If they are raised slightly, perhaps the height of just one brick, the small plants are nearer to eye-level and their full beauty is more clearly revealed. I’ve also seen a tiny cutting garden, by the back fence, that was as colorful and pretty as any border.

Whenever there are walks, there are spots for miniature beds--in the diamond-shaped points where two walks join; as little islands along the curves; in the angles where corners turn. Or use small formal beds for dooryard plantings.

The intimate dooryard garden, by the way, is enjoying a revival. Instead of advice to keep flowering plants away from the front of the house, we’re encouraged to plant little gardens that can be seen from the picture window and also will make the house more attractive to passers-by. These don’t replace foundation plantings and front-yard landscaping, but supplement them in a small way. And the small gardens help relieve the monotonous sameness of many modern house fronts.

All kinds of corners are obvious sites for ornamental treatment with tiny gardens--architectural corners between front entrance and house wall, between one wing of the house and another; the back corner of a lot where, perhaps, a small tree is a focal point or background or where, if you’re fortunate, a small stream winds its way across your property.

On almost any grounds there are natural nooks that seem to be made for miniature gardens up and down the sides of informal steps, at the top or base of low walls, in a patch of soil at the foot of a high-branched tree.

Landscape or architectural focal points can often be enhanced by little gardens--gates, bay windows, sundials, the mailbox, a birdbath, or a well. Little pocket-handkerchief gardens are built right into patios and terraces. Little creepers planted in crevices between paving stones make a miniature garden of their own.

CHAPTER 11

MINIATURE ROCK AND WALL GARDENS

Anyone who can live and garden in a place like our part of Connecticut without going overboard for rocks and rock-loving plants has more self-control than I. My bewitchment began one Sunday afternoon when, the weekend’s weeding done, I strolled up toward the small wild-flower plantings in “the point.” Just beyond the garage, before the trees began to cut off the sun, I stopped to glare at an ugly, erupting mound of soil and stones that had frustrated our every attempt to make this area more attractive.

I was pondering the monstrosity, when I noticed an intriguing detail. A partly submerged rock poking its head out of one side of the mound had the same color and patina as a snub-nosed piece sticking out the other side; and the lines of stratification were on the same slant. Could these be opposite ends of one continuous rock formation?

Five wheelbarrow-loads of rocky debris later, we had uncovered a beautiful boulder, perfectly placed so that its lines led gracefully into twin trunks of a wind-blown birch. It was a boulder with ancient age and character, artistically chiseled by the elements. And it said “rock garden” as plainly as any landscape plan.

This five-foot-long discovery may not be miniature; and the naturalistic kind of planting it inspired is neither practical nor suitable for many home grounds. But it was my introduction to rock plants, and to how effectively rocks and plants combine; and it led me to create and watch for rock gardens that are miniature, practical, and suitable for all kinds of grounds. Sometimes I think these are the most enchanting little gardens of all.

If they are to look like anything better than a pile of stones, miniature rock and wall gardens are not composed of miniature rocks. They simply contain fewer, perhaps somewhat smaller, rocks than average gardens; and they occupy far less space. These small plant-and-rock compositions brighten nooks and corners where other plantings would seem out of place.

By their nature, most rockery plants are miniature in height, foliage, and flower. Alone or combined with miniature bulbs, the smaller perennials and annuals, and the tiniest shrubs and trees, they invite close-up enjoyment of their daintiness in these small plantings. Rocks and rock-loving plants have a perfectly natural way of blending and contrasting, each bringing out the best qualities in the other.

Although they’re of different design and construction, rock gardens and dry walls are usually planted with the same or similar plants, and given similar care. Paths, pavements, and garden steps are close kin. But pools and water plants, even though they are often included in rock gardens, are a separate subject, and are covered in Chapter 12.

ROCK-AND WALL-GARDEN DESIGN

“Cemetery,” “penitentiary rock pile,” “collection of geological specimens”--these and other unflattering phrases have been used to describe what a rock garden should not be. This eliminates the artificial rock-studded circle in the center of a lawn, rocky slopes with nothing to back them up, isolated paths and steps that have nowhere to go, stone-stuffed piles of loam with no conceivable excuse for being where they are.

What a rock garden should be, is an integral part of the landscape, completely at home and in harmony with its surroundings, and having a sound reason for its existence. Except for a few functional affairs such as walls that retain terraces and steps that climb banks, their purpose is mainly ornamental. Neither rocks nor plants are featured at the expense of the other. Both work together to create the picture--the plants to add brightness, vitality, and life; the rocks to help provide favorable growing conditions and a naturally suitable background for their display.

Designs for these gardens can be, as for others in the landscape, formal or informal. The fixed geometry of walks, walls, and raised beds in formal pattern are seen less frequently. But this is a type of rock garden that might be placed advantageously in even the flattest, barest suburban lot where naturalistic plantings and rocks look out of place. If you long for a rock garden, try something like this in either classic or contemporary style.

Informal rock gardens must, above all else, look convincingly natural, as if the glaciers might have placed them. This is equally important to a cluster of bulbs at the base of a single, half-sunken boulder; the arrangement of rocks and plants on a small slope; or the series of rocks that line a winding path. Builders of ambitious rock gardens are often advised to study the nearby countryside and use it as a guide.

Designs for Naturally Uneven, Rocky Land

This type of terrain makes a natural setting for rock and wall gardens of all sizes, shapes, and contours. Generally, the design is informal and naturalistic. I don’t know whether it’s really easier to work out such designs in miniature, or whether I merely think it’s easier because that’s the kind of land I have to work with. So far, we’ve never disagreed with Nature about the placement of a rock outcropping, for example. The few we’ve uncovered and cleaned up have almost told us what and how to plant.

A small existing slope or bank is a perfect site for a composition of rocks and rockery plants, or, if you prefer, a retaining wall between the two levels with plants grouped at the bottom or top, or planted horizontally in the cracks. Or consider a series of ledges that create small, irregular terraces.

A slope or grade may be the perfect place for informal stone steps, with, of course, a path leading up to them and away. Colonies of small plants look well on either side, with, perhaps, very miniature evergreens at both sides at the top. Cracks in the steps and a walk can be planted with small carpeters.

If you possess a small stream, gulch, or ravine, by all means consider a little rock garden along either side. If you’re fond of a gnarled old stump, see what a few rocks and plants might do at its foot. Where your driveway curves, try a small rock garden. Before you fill in and flatten out a small depression, or level off a small knoll, find out how it would look as a small “island” rock garden.

Corners like those formed by an old-fashioned “stoop” of a country cottage sometimes make effective frames for miniature rock gardens. But in general, informal designs usually fit best out in the grounds, away from angular architectural lines.

Raised flower bed copied from an old English garden]

Designs for Level, Rockless Grounds

Here there are fewer existing, desirable locations for rock and wall gardens. But for the sake of enjoying the dainty plants, and of marking your garden with originality, you may want to create a site. It is possible to dig out a “natural” depression or build up a slope, if it’s skillfully designed--and if you can get rocks that don’t look foreign and far away from home. Or dig down a foot or two to make a formal or semiformal sunken garden, the beds raised and held in place by a dry wall with crevices to plant in, and flagstone walks.

Corners sometimes offer possibilities--a far corner, where there is a background of trees, fence, or wall; or a front corner where the lawn slopes slightly down to the sidewalk. Or there may be a place near the patio for a tiny pool in a rocky setting.

A birdbath, sundial, or shrine that’s a focal point in a small garden can sometimes be embellished with a small rock garden at the base. So can the edge or corner of a raised patio. Terrace pavements with cushions of thyme rooted in the crevices are enriched with color, fragrance, and texture. The lines of stark steps are softened and the appearance mellowed by crowded clumps of fat sempervivums. Wherever you can find reason for a rock wall, or even a row of rocks laid horizontally and only a few inches high, you can plant it with rockery plants at top, bottom, or in between. In the artificial settings of many suburban lots, semiformal walls separating two levels of lawn or supporting the edge of the family living area are very suitable substitutes for rock gardens.

MINIATURE ROCK AND WALL PLANTS

One of the main virtues of rock and wall gardens is their individuality--they don’t look like other gardens, or even like each other. But commonplace plants such as bedding petunias can cancel this distinctiveness in a minute. If you use annuals at all, get less ordinary varieties and use them sparingly, for temporary color in a bare spot or over the dying foliage of spring-flowering bulbs.

The plants that look best with rocks are those that grow naturally among them. Hundreds of rock-loving plants are available, and more hundreds of alpines from rugged mountain heights. Only the easier alpines are included here, the most adaptable to more luxuriant climates and soil, the least likely to pine for their rigorous, high-altitude homes. Tricky types from above the timber line are left to the dedicated collector.

Saxifraga seedlings--a natural rock-loving plant]

Nurseries and catalogues of rock-garden specialists are so full of distinctive and delightful miniature plants that my first reaction was blissful delirium. And after I acquired as many enticing items as I could, my second thought was: These gems are too little known and grown. So I began to sort out some that might flourish in our small perennial borders. With favorable conditions of drainage and air circulation, a number of rockery plants have already made themselves at home in other, rockless gardens.

Most miniature bulbs are effective in rock gardens, and some miniature perennials--not ubiquitous types, and not those that spread voraciously by runners. Miniature shrubs and trees are indispensable in rock gardens of all sizes--to give variety, contrast, and substance; to act as accents; to create boundaries or backgrounds. Use them with restraint. Place spreading, wind-swept types at the top, bushy shapes down lower, upright exclamation points at the very bottom. Make sure they are in scale with the rocks, the plants, and the garden as a whole.

Select all kinds of rock and wall plants for their effectiveness of form, texture, and color in the complete design. And this repetition is important and unavoidable. Select varieties that naturally like, or will adapt to, the cultural conditions like sun and soil type you have or can provide.

MINIATURE ROCK GARDENS

For setting a few rocks into the side of a handkerchief-sized section of slope, or building many more into a garden in a good-sized corner, there are a few guiding principles that will help make sure you are happy with the result. Most important, have your design as complete as possible before you start to build. A sketch drawn to scale is a valuable visualizing aid. Then, make your construction solid and substantial, and favorable to plant growth and health.

If you have a choice of exposure, face a sloping rock garden toward the north or northeast, so it will get enough summer sun but not so much that it dries and cooks. Shrubs and trees in the background should not create dense shade in the garden, nor drip moisture on the plants and steal nourishment from their roots. Drainage is extremely important in selecting a site. If the subsoil is packed and clay-like, you can either replace it, make it more porous, or select another spot.

What kind of rocks to use and where to get them depends on the part of the country you live in. Anything that’s indigenous to an area is first choice, always. Limestone, sandstone, fieldstone, porous tufa--native rocks “belong” as no artificial or imported rock ever can. If your land is not blessed (or cursed) by plenty of rocks, you can sometimes collect them near rivers, mountains, or abandoned quarries, or where a new road is being blasted through. Whether you have them, collect them, or buy them, all the rocks in one garden (or on the same property) should be of the same general type. Varicolored geological specimens are seldom attractive.

Consider each rock’s characteristic color, texture, size, and shape before you decide where to place it, or whether to place it at all. Even in the tiniest rock gardens, tiny rocks look ridiculously salt-and-peppery. Start with rocks of substantial size, in keeping with the size and contour of the garden; use smaller ones where they fill in effectively.

Naturally worn and weathered rocks look more natural than freshly chiseled surfaces; irregular, angular forms are better than uniformity. Rocks with stratified layers suggest ledges and cliffs. Glacial boulders or “hardheads” are not good in formal patterns. Use them naturalistically, in varying sizes, arranging them with studied carelessness as if they’d been scattered haphazardly and then left.

Avoid overcrowding with so many rocks that the plants are overshadowed by the debris. Place rocks as they might lie naturally, partly buried in the soil, the tops smoothed over by the elements, and so solid that they don’t wobble when you step on them.

Construction

Perfect drainage, so that water cannot stand around the roots and crowns, has been called “the most important need for all alpine plants.” The selected location (raised or sunken) and composition of subsoil and topsoil can either contribute to good drainage or deter it. In small gardens it’s not too formidable a job to install a system of drainage tiles, if necessary, or to add gravelly sand to subsoil to make it more porous. Easy insurance in any rock garden is to start with several inches of rather coarse gravel or rubble as a bottom drainage layer.

Any topsoil that is removed during construction should be saved carefully. If you can pile it in the center of a tarpaulin or piece of strong burlap, it can’t be scattered and lost; and you can also mix it with any additives with pleasurable ease. Simply pile on the peat, leaf mold, sand, or other ingredients; then, holding opposite corners (you may need a helper to hold one corner of a large piece), pull it back over the soil pile and fold it over the other end. Repeat this, from opposite ends, until the materials are thoroughly mixed.

The first rocks are usually set at the lowest part of the garden, partly sunk in soil or otherwise made extra-sturdy and secure. Build up from that point, arranging rocks with their broadest surfaces at the bottom, all lines of stratification horizontal or on the same slant. Each rock should slant slightly inward and downward, to catch moisture and encourage it to run into the soil in the garden.

Provide plenty of soil for spreading roots, and a minimum depth of eighteen inches or more. Plants in shallow pockets may be stunted and will certainly dry out too fast during droughts. Whether or not you plant as you go depends partly on your agility. Don’t crush the first plants under your feet or knees as you set rocks and plants above them. It’s often faster and easier to spread out roots and make soil firm around them before the next rock is set in place.

Planting

Set plants as deep as they were planted before; no deeper (danger of crown rot) and not too shallow (they may dry out). Tuck them firmly in cool, moist, rock-shaded soil. Keep the soil constantly moist until firm new growth shows that the roots are established and growing.

Rock-garden plants are seldom suitable for planting in neat rows or geometric patterns. Tiny, slow-growing types are arranged in groups of three or more; one or two spreaders per planting spot will do. Don’t crowd these plants. Give them room to develop and for air to circulate around them, and to display their charms at their best. Provide private quarters for the smallest gems, away from hearty growers that might overpower them. Keep color combinations and contrasting textures in mind. Set trailers where they can droop over stones. Place those that like moisture low in the garden; their roots keep cool in the shade of rocks.

As a finishing touch, after the rock garden is built, planted, and thoroughly watered, cover all soil surfaces with a mulch of fine gravel or stone chips. Work it up to each crown, under prostrate stems. Aesthetically, this gives a neat, well-groomed look and ties plants, rocks, and setting into one coherent picture. Functionally, the chips absorb heat and keep soil cool and moist, lift small, low leaves out of mud and water, discourage slugs, protect crowns against rot, and firmly discourage the intrusion of weeds.

MINIATURE WALL GARDENS

Any small section of low wall--brick, cement, stone, or concrete--can be the background for a miniature garden. But it is in a dry wall, built of stones without cement, that many small rockery plants best display their jewel-like perfection. Planted horizontally, with their roots in pockets between the rocks, they make a vertical rock garden of glowing colors and fascinating foliage textures.

For small, low walls, and those in somewhat formal settings, thin-layered rock such as slate or shale is usually preferred. Irregularly shaped fieldstone or other rocks of native origin are used in more natural, informal designs. Any lines of stratification are, of course, laid horizontal and parallel to each other. Another good rule to go by is: The smaller the wall, the smaller the rocks.

Construction

Low walls (two feet high or less) usually do not need a foundation layer sunk below the frost line. They can be started at, or just under, ground level. But they must be set solidly on a firm, wide base--two feet wide, for example, for a wall two and a half feet high. Set the largest stones and complete the lower layer first. Tilt each rock slightly backward and downward so soil won’t wash out of pockets, water will run back to plant roots, and the heaving pressure of frost won’t thrust the rocks out of place in winter. A guide line of string or wire moved up with each new layer will help you keep the construction level.

The wall should slant slightly in toward the bank behind it, and usually grows more narrow as it goes up. Each layer is made absolutely solid before the next is applied. Set each stone so that it is completely steady, and rests on parts of two stones beneath it. This distributes weight evenly, avoids crushing plant roots, and prevents unattractive and impractical long, vertical cracks created when joints coincide. Use small, flattish rocks to fill chinks under large stones and make them steady.

Behind the wall, as you build, firm in a goodly layer (one foot thick is usually recommended) of topsoil that has been enriched and aerated to promote drainage. Roots will reach back here for water and food. As you ram soil into pockets, make sure it reaches all the way back to this layer. Unless all the soil is made very firm, it may settle and the stones may slide out or into the bank.

At the top you can leave some pockets for plants, or plant them just behind the wall. Cover cracks at the top with flat stones, so water won’t wash out soil.

Planting

If you can remember not to damage plants at the bottom as you’re working above them, set the plants in each layer as you build. It’s easier then to make sure the roots are firmly embedded well back into the soil. Plant sparsely; leave plenty of room for growth and spread, and plenty of uncovered wall surface to contribute pattern and texture to the picture. Space the plants at irregular intervals, never in straight lines either horizontal or vertical. Water thoroughly, making sure the layer of soil behind the wall is completely moist; and keep it moist at least throughout the first growing season.

PATHS AND PAVING

Many little rock plants will make soft cushions and carpets, with their roots in crevices between pieces of paving, and also in stone steps. They’re very low-growing and very hardy, and usually spring back resiliently when stepped on. It’s important that acid-loving varieties not be planted near cement, which sometimes neutralizes or alkalinizes the soil. And, of course, the situation should provide the amount of sunshine and moisture the plants need.

The simplest kind of informal path or paving for an informal patio consists of flagstones or slates set in the ground, the top level flush with the surface of the soil. Plants are spaced irregularly in cracks between the stones. I’ve seen one path of old millstones laid this way, the plants rooted in the center hole.

Bricks create a more formal pattern, either laid on a bed of sand or set into a foundation of concrete over gravel. The popular “crazy pavings” can be odd pieces of either brick or stone arranged in any conceivable pattern and laid in mortar. In any such solid constructions, planting pockets should be scooped out before the concrete sets hard; or a chunk of wood can be inserted to hold the space open.

Give the carpeting plants as much good soil as you can, and keep them moist until they are growing well. Occasional trimming will stop them from growing straggly, and keep them neat, compact, and in a pretty pattern.

PLANTING AND CARE

Planting times vary according to climate and season of dormancy. In warm areas it’s almost always late fall. Where winters are rugged, it can be during brief semidormancy in early September, but it’s safest in early spring when severe frosts are no longer likely and favorable weather blesses plants at the height of their annual growing power. In temperate sections spring-flowering varieties can be planted from mid-August through October, others in spring.

Lemon thyme and ivy showing results of being trimmed and kept neat

Mr. and Mrs. Alex O’Hare]

Strong, healthy, pot-grown plants can be planted throughout the season in almost all areas. They transplant easily, with little disturbance and shock. In fact, whenever we acquire plants during the fall, we keep them in their pots or pot them up, and protect them in the cold frame during the winter. One of my favorite and most knowledgeable rock gardeners tells me that he always pots tender or difficult plants, and keeps them potted until their roots are fully developed, before he sets them out in the garden, no matter what the season.

Soil

Providing the proper soil is vitally important to rock-garden plants, and particularly to alpines. They’re naturally dwarfed by the rough conditions in their native mountain areas. But when they move down to our comparatively lush climates and longer growing seasons, they respond to a too-rich diet by growing too tall and rangy, with too few flowers, and they lose their charm. They do need some nourishment, of course. And they are extremely sensitive to soil textures and drainage conditions. Heavy, soggy soil causes them to rot quickly. Soil that lacks organic matter dries out too fast.

Because of climatic and other variations, I hesitate to set down any “ideal soil mix” for these plants. Instead, I suggest a basic formula that can and should be varied according to the aridity or rainfall in your area, the size and location of your rock or wall garden, the composition of your garden soil, the availability of some ingredients, and the personal preferences of the plant varieties you want to grow. Here it is:

Three parts fairly friable, fertile loam.

Two parts humus--peat, leaf mold, compost--for lightness and fertility.

Two parts stone chips or crushed rock--perhaps the most important ingredient, to keep soil open and cool.

One part sharp builders’ sand, or the gravelly sand used in mixing concrete, to lighten heavy soil and promote drainage.

If your garden loam is sandy or gravelly, of course, you would increase the proportion of humus. If it’s rich in organic matter, you would decrease the quantity of humus. Very sticky, heavy clay soils are best replaced.

Rock and alpine plants are also particularly sensitive to the acidity or alkalinity of soil. This is measured by the pH scale, ranging from very acid pH 4.0, through 7.0 at neutral, to very alkaline 9.0. Rock-garden specialists usually indicate the preferred pH for the plants they sell.

By using a soil-test kit or, better still, sending a sample to your state agricultural service to be tested, you can easily find out whether the soil in your garden is acid or alkaline, and to what degree. Then, to make acid soil more alkaline for plants that need it, mix in small quantities of agricultural lime--the amount depends on the degree of acidity and on the plant itself. Don’t overdo it. Too much lime can do as much harm as good. Alkaline soils are not quite so readily converted to acid, but you can use oak-leaf compost (not completely rotted), acid peat, or pine “duff” (rotted pine needles). Or you can be satisfied with the tremendous number of rockery plants that really prefer alkaline soil. These preferences vary, not only between different plant families, but also between individual members of the same family.

For our small gardens, I’ve found it not too tiresome to provide soils of several types. For specially precious plants, I often mix special, small batches of soil. Then I clean out the planting pocket, make sure that it is tightly closed in with rocks so water won’t wash this soil out or other soil in, and refill it with the preferred mixture.

Watering

Except during rare droughts in spring, when the plants are in active growth, we seldom have to water our rock and wall garden. Our summer rains are usually sufficient for their needs. But whenever or wherever there are long weeks of extreme heat and dry winds in summer, water may be needed. Use a fine spray gently, so that the small plants won’t be washed loose. And let the water soak in long enough so the entire area is moist in depth.

Fertilizing

Some rock plants can take and use fertilizer, in spring; but most alpines are better off without it. For them, we mix a little leaf mold with the gravel mulch when we renew it. For the more ordinary types, we provide a very light feeding of whatever balanced fertilizer we have on hand.

Grooming

In rock gardens (and particularly in very small rock gardens) even slight untidiness or imperfection shows up all too clearly. But I consider it a pleasure to weed and care for the little plants a few minutes every weekend. Faded flowers are snipped off. Weeds are removed with determination, but with gentle protection for any small, weak plants. Spreading shoots that grow long and out of line are cut off, or sometimes uprooted, and removed. Louise Beebe Wilder says it’s an art to keep a rock garden in balance, with the proper proportion of plants against stones. And she is an artist with hers.

In spring, even before the last of the winter mulch is removed, we look for cracks in the soil and for plants that have been heaved out by frost, and press them firmly back into place so their roots can take hold again. We also fill any washed-out pockets with fresh soil mix, and top-dress any low areas. Any rotted leaves and stems and other debris are removed; and the entire garden gets a thin fresh layer of stone-chip mulch.

In fall there’s the general cleanup operation--weeding, pressing in loose roots and packing them with soil, trimming back rambunctious growers, replenishing the mulch of stone chips if needed.

Winter Protection

If you can count on a continuous cover of snow over your rock garden all winter, there’s little you need to do for these hardy little plants. But we can’t; we have the danger of alternate freezing and thawing that can do so much damage. So we provide special protection.

In winter, after the ground is frozen at least an inch deep, we cover the complete garden with salt-marsh hay. (Some types of Fiberglas, and wood excelsior from packing cases, are also suitable, reusable materials). This light, airy blanket keeps plants cold and dark, yet gives them air to breathe. If it threatens to blow away, we hold it in place with a few light evergreen branches.

PROPAGATING ROCK-GARDEN PLANTS

These are, of course, perennials and with slight variations can be propagated like other perennials. (See pages 255–59.)

Seeds

Some need a pre-germination cold and some don’t; some germinate best at cool temperatures, some at warm; some need light, others need dark. Check seed packet, catalogue, or reliable reference book for specific information for each type of seed.

We start seeds of delicate varieties in the greenhouse, where we can hover over them, in late winter; others may be sown in the cold frame in March or April, so the plants will be as mature as possible before their first winter.

Stem Cuttings

For the smaller plants, these can be as short as three inches or less. Try to take snappy new growth, neither weak and watery nor hard and tough. Sharp sand is a suitable rooting medium for many types.

CHAPTER 12

MINIATURE POOLS AND WATER PLANTS

If you can work out a way to use water in your landscape, by all means do. Whether it’s a dime-sized tub the birds dip into, or a full-scale formal pool in a tiled patio, any garden with water attracts immediate attention, gives quick pleasure, becomes an unquestionable center of interest. Actually, the excitement water adds to any landscape scene is the antithesis of its calm, cooling, serene effect. I don’t know of any other feature that, with a few plants and a minimum of care, makes a garden spot at once so dramatic, artistic, and restful. And if the water moves--ripples through a stream, drips over stones, falls from one level to another--soothing sound is added to the other assets.

Natural brooks, streams, and pools usually require little designing beyond bringing out the best of their inherent beauty. But there’s also not a suburban lot for which some kind of artificial water garden can’t be designed, and few grounds that are not thereby enhanced. The only requisite is that the design be in harmony and scale with its setting; that it be conceived, located, and constructed with imagination and skill.

The fact that pools are inevitably natural focal points makes their faults more obvious and more difficult to correct. The most you can do, once a pool is in the ground, is to soften or otherwise improve its outline with coping, rocks, or plants. If there’s too much cement, you can’t hide it with aquatic plants without covering, too, the desirable reflections on the water. If it’s too small, you can hardly make it larger. If the shape is uninteresting, you can’t change it very easily. If it’s in the wrong spot or faced the wrong way, you can’t move it.

On the other hand, the charm of water itself is so strong that it is comparatively easy to create a design that looks just right, particularly if simplicity is the keynote in both pool and planting. Simple shapes are safer and more effective than intricate ones; few plants, well placed, are better than many; water spraying from a concealed pipe is often more desirable than a formal fountain or statuary.

Depending on architecture and terrain, garden pools may be of formal design--a perfectly regular shape; semiformal--the shape balanced but not usually regular, often in severe contemporary style; or informal, completely asymmetrical, and integrated so naturally in the landscape the pool looks as if it has always been there. Each type of design can be executed in so many different ways that, even for tiny pools, there’s good reason to study photographs and articles in gardening and homemaking magazines. There’s also inspiration in the designs in books about water gardens, plus detailed information on various types of construction that I’ve had to omit. I’ve built miniature rock gardens but never a pool. Someone who fathoms the mysteries of water levels and understands the intricacies of cement work can give much more reliable advice than I.

Formal Design.

Small square, rectangular, circular, or oval pools can be extremely effective in almost any kind of landscape except one so rocky and untamed as ours. They’re usually best in level ground, and most harmonious with borders and other plantings of fairly formal pattern. And, of course, they’re constructed of materials that give a formal effect, such as concrete, tile, or brick.

A raised pool in the center of a small terrace, with a foot-high wall of tile or brick, can be scaled down from classic designs of other eras. A wide coping on the wall provides a place to set potted plants, or to seat yourself to feed the goldfish and dabble your fingers in the cool water.

A quadrant-shaped pool in the corner where garden walls meet can be either raised or level with the ground. Its water might reflect the image of a saint in a shrine above it, or might catch the constant stream from a lovely fountain.

At one end of a narrow garden a rectangular or oval pool becomes a striking focal point. A path may lead to a bench on a far side, between the pool and a background of shrubs.

At the end of a garden path a fountain may spout from a mortared wall into a projecting pool set at convenient dipping height from the ground, for filling watering cans. The planting underneath can be permanent, or an arrangement of potted plants.

And why not a tiny, formal pool in the center of a miniature rose garden? Or under a piece of traditional garden statuary? Or simply in the center of a garden path that splits to make room for it? If it’s of proper proportion, a formal pool can even be set in the center of a garden, sometimes even in the center of a small lawn area.

Semiformal Design

Here’s where the popular kidney-shaped pools are most useful. They’re neither formal nor informal, but especially attractive with contemporary architecture. Planting is usually sparse but dramatic, making extreme use of contrasting colors and textures, and of unusual lines. Construction materials are simple to keep them subordinate in interest to the over-all design.

A refreshing sight outside a picture window is a small pool recessed in the patio floor. A recirculating pump sends up a spray of water from a pipe that ends just below the surface of the pool. These pumps make it possible for fish and plants to coexist with fountains because they reuse water in the pool. Fresh water from a spring, a stream, or the pipes that supply the house is too cold; and it may lack the small organisms on which fish feed.

Pools of contemporary design can also be placed in a corner of the property, with a tasteful grouping of shrubbery behind; on the bottom level of a series of terraces; in a depressed spot in the lawn; in the curve of a path; or at one side of a breezeway. They can be illuminated dramatically with the new underwater lights available in many sizes and styles.

Informal, Naturalistic Design

These are either adaptations of existing streams or pools, or designs of uneven form deliberately created to look as if they had been there all the time. They’re best suited, of course, to naturalistic landscapes where slopes, rocks, and hidden springs give them a reason for existence. The water-holding basin may be of any material, as long as it is not noticeable. Any edgings, copings, or nearby trimmings should be just as natural as the pools.

A rock garden on a slope is a perfect setting for a pool with rocks that jut out over the water and, if possible, a rock or two coming up through the water from below. Or two small pools, one above the other, can be joined by a miniature waterfall. If there’s no water supply on the spot, use a recirculating pump. But be careful that the waterfall doesn’t resemble man-made steps. It should be as craftily haphazard as if the elements had worn it into the rocks.

A dripstone is another delightfully musical device--an overhanging rock from which water drips down onto the surface of the pool. The sound has more resonance when there is an empty chamber behind the dripping water.

A meandering brook can be widened to make a pool. Or a completely artificial brook can be constructed of cement, like a pool, with drainage and overflow pipes and similar appurtenances. This isn’t easy to execute effectively, but it can be completely intriguing. It might be wise to try to re-create part of a real stream in the nearby countryside.

One small boulder half-sunk in the ground can inspire an irregular, shallow pool that makes a natural birdbath. A miniature shrub may back up the boulder; rock-garden plants may grow at its base.

Many nooks and corners in the naturalistic landscape spontaneously suggest the creation of a tiny pool, and become exciting little garden surprises. These can often be so simply made that there’s not even a drainage hole in the bottom. Scooping out the water, as needed, is no chore at all.

CONSTRUCTING MINIATURE POOLS

There are as many materials and methods for building pools as there are sizes and shapes. The depth depends on the requirements of the aquatic plants to be grown, and so does the location in sun or shade. Pygmy water lilies, for example, need all available sun, and at least ten inches of water--four inches for the container that holds soil and roots, eight inches above the crowns or growing points. Other miniature water plants are satisfied with much less.

One vitally important construction detail is that the sides of even the smallest tub garden be perfectly level, parallel with the water surface. Otherwise, there will be an unattractive expanse of bare wall at one side--one of those awkward errors that quickly catches the eye and spoils the whole effect.

Some pools are simply sunk flush with the surrounding lawn or other surface, without edging or coping of any kind. This can be messy and sometimes disastrous to plants when surface water collects and floods the pool during heavy rains. Extending the rim an inch or so above the surrounding area usually avoids this problem, but then the rim should be concealed with a coping of some sort--bricks and tiles in formal pools, well-arranged rocks, gravel, or flagstone paving in informal design.

Tubs and Other Containers

Attractive but relatively impermanent miniature pools can be improvised or specially planned with many kinds of containers--metal or wooden tubs made and sold for the purpose; half-barrels or half-kegs; discarded tanks, kettles, dishpans; even discarded sinks and laundry tubs. These last can be eyesores, we found out, if their ignominious origins are not kept carefully secret. Rubber-base paint is the only way we found to conceal the pristine white porcelain, and it was tricky to use so that it wouldn’t peel off. The rim at the top of the sink is an unpleasant giveaway that must be covered with something such as overhanging rocks. Finding a plug or stopper that fit the drainage hole wasn’t the least of our problems.

For the welfare of both aquatic plants and wildlife such as fish and scavengers, some containers need special treatment before they can be used, and some should not be used at all. Wooden kegs and barrels that have held oily substances such as gasoline, roofing compound, and wood preservatives can’t be cleaned sufficiently to be safe. Copper poisons fish; so do paints with oil or lead bases. Steel, lead, iron, and other metals should be protected against rust and corrosion with sound coats of rubber-base paint.

Containers freshly made of new wood (except white cedar) can be unhealthy for fish. Let them stand out in the weather for the winter, or season the wood by filling the container with water, slaking a chunk of lime in it for a few days, and rinsing well before using.

Prefabricated Pools

These are now available in metal or plastics of a sturdiness that varies with the cost, in a wide range of sizes and shapes. Many of them make lovely miniature pools which, because they’re small, are not necessarily calamities if they don’t last forever. Most have been designed after consultation with experts on fish and water lilies. And most are simply installed by digging a proper hole and setting them in place.

Permanent Pools

Permanency increases, of course, with sound construction. Concrete laid on a gravel or cinder base and strengthened with wire-mesh reinforcement is usually considered best. But the new concrete must be cured and the alkalinity of its lime neutralized before the pool can be safely used for plants or fish. Leaving the pool open to the weather for the winter will usually accomplish this purpose. Or the pool can be drained and refilled several times, then thoroughly cleansed with household vinegar, as in the “quick cure” recommended by G. L. Thomas, Jr., of Three Springs Fisheries.

Steps in constructing a no-cost pool out of materials on hand:

a. An old kitchen sink b. Placing rocks that were a nuisance anyhow c. Finished pool with goldfish, and an interested cat]

Bricks, cement blocks, tile, puddled concrete--for each type of material there are detailed procedures to be found in readily available and up-to-date reference books. Prefabricated pools can be found in the catalogues of most water-lily specialists.

CARE OF POOLS

Miniature pools are easy to scrub in the spring and to keep clean through the summer season. Floating dead leaves or other organic debris that can give off poisonous gas are skimmed off with your hands. Discolored or dying leaves of lilies and other plants can be cut away cleanly. Plants can be thinned out by removing superfluous leaves or pulling out portions of weedy varieties. The pool is kept nearly filled with fresh water--but without adding so much at one time that the water is dangerously chilled.

Permanganate of potash will control slimy, green algae. To one gallon of water add about two teaspoons of permanganate; let it stand until there is little residue at the bottom. For every gallon of water in the pool, add one teaspoon of this saturated solution whenever algae become unsightly. Don’t make the solution too strong. It might kill the fish.

Insects such as the black aphids common on water lilies can be sprayed off with the garden hose to make a juicy meal for the fish. Spraying pool plants with insecticides or fungicides is dangerous unless you use a preparation made specifically for pools, and use it strictly according to package directions.

In winter, most tubs and other containers should probably be lifted and stored indoors. I should think this would lengthen the useful life of small prefabricated pools, too. Small permanent pools should be drained, so ice will not form and crack the construction. This means that the pool must remain empty; either the drain must be kept open or a roof of canvas or boards should be fitted over the top.

FISH AND SCAVENGERS

Goldfish earn their upkeep--a pinch or two of food a week--by gobbling up mosquito larvae the minute they start wriggling. In pools where the mud at the bottom does not freeze, they’ll winter safely out of doors.

Several kinds of snails, tadpoles, and other scavengers offered by specialists consume impurities in the water, including algae. Frogs are just for fun. They’ll often make themselves at home in a pool without any invitation. A grandpappy bullfrog lived in our tiny sinkpool all last summer, retreating to a dark cave between the rocks when the dogs came down for a drink.

It seemed to me the epitome of modern efficiency when I first learned, as a city-dweller, that full-grown frogs could be bought by mail. That purchase made us the most popular family on the block. But we couldn’t offer them comfortable winter quarters in the city; and the last I saw of the frogs, in early fall, they were hopping down the gutter of Fortieth Avenue toward the sewer drain.

MINIATURE AQUATIC AND POOLSIDE PLANTS

Obviously, the location of a pool (in sun or shade, warm climate or cool), its size (some plants would smother a miniature pool in a few weeks), and its design should be considered in selecting plants to grow in or with it. In fact, very tiny pools carefully placed to catch an artistic reflection may be better without any plant embellishment.

A frequent error is overplanting, with the water surface covered by a confusion of foliage and flowers, the perimeter a jungle. In small pools one pygmy lily is plenty; it needs clear, open water to set it off.

For pools of all designs--formal, contemporary, informal--plants are seldom arranged in neat rows, groups that repeat themselves regularly, or matching masses in perfect symmetry. The closest to formal balance might be adding accent and height by placing the tallest plant in the center of a formal pool. More often, it’s effective in one corner or at one side.

Few plants offer such striking variation in the forms available to create interesting patterns and dramatic contrast. There are flat, leathery leaf pads and slim, spiky swords; glorious china-like cup flowers and fluffy plumes; modest creepers and bold elephant leaves. Seldom does a flower-arrangement artist have such a wealth of exciting material with which to make her prize-winning compositions.

Miniature Water Lilies

Of the two general types of water lilies--tropical and hardy--the tropicals are least likely to be in scale with miniature pools. The leaves and flowers are larger, the leaves spreading out wider and the flowers standing out higher. The tropicals need lots of sun and warmth, can be shocked into dormancy if the water chills, and are usually treated like annuals and planted fresh, each summer. Some can be propagated from viviparous plantlets that grow on the leaves.

Among hardy water lilies there is a selection of pygmies with four-inch leaves and two-inch flowers in many colors--white, yellow, pink, red, and bicolors, some with attractively marbled foliage. Given generous sunshine, warm quiet water, and good nourishment, they will flower from July to frost, and can be held over the winter either outdoors or in.

In our area we set out hardy water lilies in late April or early May. If a late cold snap occurs when the plants arrive by mail, we keep them moist until it’s over. Since the roots are hardy only if they do not freeze, and since it’s difficult to keep small pools from freezing, each lily is planted in its own box, which is set on small stones or blocks so it is raised off the floor of the pool. Or plant in soil at the bottom of a tub-pool that will be taken up in fall. Lay the rhizome horizontal, with its growing tip out of the soil. Cover the surface with a web of clean sand, to keep the soil from muddying the water. If the plant is leafed out and the leaves don’t reach the surface of the pool, they’ll lengthen their stems in a few days.

For best growth and flowering, a pygmy lily needs at least a third of a bushel of soil and about eight inches of water over its crown. Soil can be heavy and clay-like, or average garden loam. If possible, add one-fourth the quantity of well-rotted cow manure--no other kind. Experts recommend strongly against the use of other-than-cow manures, swamp muck, leaf mold, peat moss, sand, or lime.

Lacking cow manure, you can get fertilizers prepared specially for water lilies, or you can use commercial garden fertilizers like those with 5-10-5 analysis. Supply nourishment at planting time, and once again a month or so later. Wrap balls of rotted cow manure, or handfuls of commercial fertilizer, in thin paper (a paper napkin will do) and thrust them down into the soil around the roots. Water lilies have voracious appetites, and even the pygmies eat heartily. On a starvation diet, they’ll stop growing and flowering.

In winter, store the rhizomes in an unheated cellar or garage where they will keep cool but not freeze. Don’t let them dry out completely. Keep the soil in the container barely moist; or if the rhizome is not in soil, wrap it in burlap that can be kept moist.

Hardy water lilies are propagated by planting divisions of the roots, with each section having at least one growing point.

In the wide selection of available varieties, the following pygmies are suitable for most miniature pools.

=Nymphaea= Nymphaeaceae Pygmy Water Lily

adorata minor--Pint-sized variety of the native pond lily with fragrant, dainty, white three-inch flowers in generous profusion; leaves lined with red beneath. ‘Helen Fowler’ is a fragrant pink-flowered variety.

aurora--An old hybrid, more dwarf than miniature, but suitable for small pools. Changeable flowers open soft yellow, darken to rusty orange in the second stage, then to deep red in the third stage. The small leaves are mottled with wine-red lines.

‘Jo Ann Pring’--True pygmy with three-inch leaves, dusty-pink flowers lighter in the center.

‘Patricia’--One of the few small tropicals with crimson flowers, brown-metal buds. Young plants are borne on the leaves.

tetragona (pygmaea)--Smallest of all, with long-lasting two-inch white flowers with a fragrance like China tea, four-inch soft green leaves. Easy to grow, even in shallow water. The variety alba, or white pygmy, seems the same to me as the variety helvola, an old hybrid usually listed as yellow pygmy, and is even smaller than the species, with brown-blotched leaves and glowing yellow, star-shaped flowers.

‘Royal Purple’--A new red-purple, tropical lily.

Floating Plants

Another advantage of miniature pools is that any of the attractive surface plants that multiply too fast can be easily scooped out as often as you wish. And they are unusually attractive in forms, colors, and textures. Feeding from nutrients in solution in the water, they make shade for fish, and their dangling roots provide a safe place for fish to spawn. Simply drop the plants in the water and let them grow. Or, if you want them to raise a family, put some soil in a shallow spot where the roots can anchor. Most are annuals, to be bought each year.

Oxygenating Plants

These are aquatics that grow down in the water and help keep it sweet and clean. Bunches of some can be simply dropped in the pool. But all will grow better and save you the trouble of replacing them if their roots are in soil, in pots set on the pool floor. Although they’re mostly perennials, we prefer to start each season with a fresh supply. They’re available in variety at pet stores or by mail from lily specialists. Since they’re neither true miniature plants nor as decorative as they are functional, separate descriptions are not included here.

Other Aquatic Plants

With the water lilies and other aquatics, these are the only plants that can grow with their roots standing in water--some in deeper water than others. With few exceptions, this does not mean sour, stagnant water. Even in bogs there is some circulation. Adding chunks of charcoal that absorbs impurities will often help keep the water fresh and healthful.

Some of these plants are hardy, some are not; some need their roots in soil; some can do without it; some are better growing in the water of the pool; some in the boggy soil beside it.

Earlier in this chapter I said I had never built a pool. I meant that I had never done it personally and worried about water levels and the general engineering. But we have had several pools, little more than puddles, which my husband constructed. Small though they were, they gave us the chance to enjoy water lilies and bog plants. It was then that I began to realize the delights and magnitude of this sort of gardening. Someday I hope to have a pond of some size--a spot for lilies, frogs, and goldfish and all of those things G. L. Thomas, Jr., writes about so charmingly in his book, Garden Pools, Water-Lilies and Goldfish. I also get great pleasure out of the catalogues several suppliers send out. They are most delightful reading. Read that book, and the catalogues, and I know you will be converted to water-gardening.

CHAPTER 13

MINIATURE WOODLAND GARDENS AND PLANTS

For ten years we lived within the boundaries of New York City in a big, old house that occupied more than a third of the squared, bare eighty-by-hundred-foot lot. Now we have a smaller house, and the gardenable land is completely surrounded by woodlands where native plants grow as they please. In both places we’ve had small woodland gardens; and no matter how pleasurable our other plantings, we’ve loved these best.

If your idea of a pretty garden centers around statuesque delphiniums, precise rows of roses, bold splashes of boisterous color, you may call insipid what we find enchanting. But if your senses respond to the fresh, sharp aroma of moist woods soil, the whispering of trees, the patterns of cool shadows, the shy delicacy of the spring beauty, or the gnome-like pomposity of a Jack-in-the-pulpit, be sure to have at least a tiny woodland garden, whether you have to create a spot for it or have it naturally. Once established, it gives more refreshment for less care than any other garden I know.

NATURALISTIC DESIGN

Here, of course, there is no place for classic or contemporary formal design. The single purpose is to create, or re-create, a small section of the woods with the shade, humus, and other environmental conditions woodsy plants can’t live without. The essence of the tiniest planting--even a colony of trillium at the foot of a spreading evergreen--is its naturalness. It doesn’t look planted, it belongs; it’s been there all the time. And it looks natural, of course, because it’s been planned that way.

Planning a woodland garden for the informal landscape is simplified by the fact that you begin with what you have--a shaded spot (preferably shaded by trees that drop needles or leaves, to enrich the soils) where hot, dry summer winds can’t parch the plants. There may be a natural stream, rocks, a slope, a hollow; or a place to put a rustic bench, rotting log, small pool--a focal point harmonious with the naturalistic theme. Or the size, shape, or contour of the garden may make it the object of interest without additional accent.

I know of one design that began with pruning a stunted sapling to reveal its bonsai-like lines, another that featured the trunk of a rheumatic, old, lightning-shattered evergreen. A soggy, low spot can be planted as a bog and backed up by rocks and shrubs. A brook can be coaxed to make space for a small, hummocky island. The narrow, meandering, stepping-stone path through the sharp point of our land invites you to take a walk in the woods.

Originality has challenging freedom in creating a woodland garden for level, regularly shaped grounds. You may replace the ubiquitous pachysandra in the needle-carpeted shade of a tall pine tree with native plants. Or use one of those difficult areas such as the angle of a hedge, wall, foundation or shaded patio; an unused corner of the property; the space underneath an overhanging bay window.

We used a useless area, about six feet wide and less than thirty feet long, between our city house and the property line, shaded not only by a few straggling pines but also by the house next door. There was a path, a pool, and a little bench. This was the last place I visited before I left for work in the morning, and the first when I came home at night. Somehow, the flower face of a bloodroot with a shawl of unrolling leaf around its shoulders had added piquancy in the city, where building banished the wild flowers a hundred years ago. The bloom of the first lady-slipper was a noteworthy triumph; the green of the ferns seemed specially fresh and mossy; the blue of the bottle gentians was almost unbelievable.

CLEARING THE SITE

Even when we planned that metropolitan oasis, there were a few existing features we carefully kept--a valiant, five-leaved woodbine to train over the rail fence that kept out the trampling feet of the neighborhood small fry; a scrubby shrub I never managed to identify, which had voluntarily masked an ugly cellar window; a few precious patches of moss.

A wild garden in New York City]

In Connecticut, of course, the area was almost completely overgrown, mostly by poison ivy. After that was cleared away, undesirable undergrowth was removed, leaving a rock here, a dogwood or azalea there. Baring the ground let us see more clearly what we had to work with.

A wild flower grows in New York City: bloodroot]

When the ground is cleared, the designer makes a final decision about permanent features such as steps, path, pool, bog, bench. You might make a mental note of the place where an old tree stump might be artfully installed, when you find one, or where a dead branch might fall and make a background for some small plants. Of course, these are all kept carefully in scale and harmony. A path should be narrow and not sharply defined, perhaps just a series of barely matched flat stones. Steps are not conspicuous, but made to look as natural as possible.

SOIL

The next is the most laborious but most vitally important part of the procedure--supplying suitable soil. Woods plants grow naturally in soil so rich in humus that it will hold many times its weight in water. Season after season the trees drop leaves, needles, twigs, and branches that decay and maintain the high level of humus, which contains micro-organisms that help sustain the plants. In our area and in most other woodsy sections, forest soil is very acid. But the loam in a cleared area adjoining the forest may contain little or no humus, and may not be nearly acid enough for the native plants growing a hundred feet away.

When a miniature woodland garden is planted in a wild, woodsy spot, the soil is probably suitable, and the trees will probably keep it that way. Then, you simply use plants that thrive naturally where the amount of available light, and the composition of the soil, are the same or similar. Otherwise, you need to prepare the soil thoroughly and deeply--a minimum of eight inches, and up to eighteen inches for small native shrubs.

You’ll need incredible quantities of leaf mold, very old manure, or composted leaves and grass. Over humus-poor soil, spread a layer of at least six inches, and mix it in by digging the soil and turning it over several times. At the same time, remove matted roots, stones, and other unwanted obstructions to planting. For a very small garden, you may find it simpler to remove all the soil to a depth of twelve to eighteen inches, and replace it completely with humus and leaf mold brought in from the woods or purchased for the purpose. Leaf mold, by the way, is the layer of partially decayed leaves immediately under the top layer of whole leaves; humus, in the next layer down, is more completely decayed. Don’t buy humus from door-to-door salesmen offering “big bargains.” This is a racket the police and Better Business Bureau are trying to extinguish. Buy only from a nurseryman you can trust.

While you’re conditioning soil, make sure there is good drainage. Only bog plants will grow with their roots in muck or standing water. You may need an initial layer of fine gravel or course sand. Raising the surface of the garden will also help.

If you think that the importance of suitable humus-rich soil is either exaggerated or overrated, think also of this: With the type of light and humus (usually acid) in which they grow naturally, woodland plants will settle down contentedly in your garden and establish families and colonies that increase every year. If you don’t provide it, they’ll get homesick and pine away. Not only that, but once they’ve made themselves at home, they’ll require practically no care. They don’t want to be cultivated, fertilized, weeded, watered, mulched, or given special protection in winter, as long as there are trees that drop leaves. The most you might have to do will be making sure the leaves aren’t blown away, or, if there are no trees, lugging in leaves from somewhere else.

PLANTING

Although plants are chosen for any garden according to light, soil, moisture, and other cultural requirements, woodland plants permit less leeway than most others. This is a matter of ecology, defined as “the total impact of the environment and the plant’s accommodation to it.” Some delicate plants are, of course, less adaptable than other more rugged species. Check catalogues, reference books, and other sources to learn all you can about each plant before you plant it.

A quick word about shade. There is full shade, or deep shade, created all year by evergreens, walls, or buildings. And there is woodland shade created only in summer by deciduous trees. The hill near our house where rattlesnake plantain, pipsissewa, and pink lady-slippers grow is dark and cool in summer, but bright in spring, fall, and winter when the trees are bare of leaves. This is an important distinction.

In the interest of conservation--American wild flowers are threatened not only by bulldozers but also by thoughtless, criminally careless humans--private woodland gardens often become the home for plants dug from the wild. Last fall, one of my dearest friends methodically moved dozens of maidenhair ferns into a tiny bit of woods on her property to save them from extinction when their fronds were being picked in bunches to fill out bouquets. But this is conservation only when the plants are transplantable (a number of the most precious species are not) and are moved to quarters with growing conditions to their liking. Otherwise, they might as well die where they are.

In digging woodland plants, always dig deep and take as much of the surrounding soil as possible, and disturb the roots as little as you can. Protect the transplants against drying sun and wind until they are set in their new homes. If you can dig them with the roots intact, you can take most plants at any time during the growing season. The safest times are immediately after flowering or during fall dormancy.

Unless it is a matter of conservation, I never dig woodland plants. I buy them (they’re surprisingly inexpensive) from a local nursery or from several mail-order specialists. The nursery plants are pot-grown, and even fussy types transplant without loss. By mail they arrive bare-rooted--in early fall for all but the summer and fall varieties--but crisp and lively in their packing of moist sphagnum moss. Sometimes they even start to send out new roots and sprouts en route. If I can, I get mail-order plants into the ground before dusk on the day they arrive. Soil around transplants is kept moist and mulched with leaves until they take hold.

Years ago some suppliers collected the plants they sold, and some sources of slow-spreading types were completely devastated. Today, I believe, specialists grow their stocks of woodland plants, either under glass or in woodsy nurseries. They’re doing more to preserve these native treasures than to annihilate them.

The best of all sources is by propagation--seeds, cuttings, division of wild plants--because you’re not only increasing the population, but you’re also starting with plants that from babyhood are accustomed to your growing conditions and don’t have to make difficult adjustments. Even though it may be slow, this is the only method for a number of nontransplantable species.

If the garden contains shrubs that will serve as background for small, shy woodland plants, that’s fine. If it doesn’t, you may want to plant some (these, too, are available by mail), because few native woods plants are spectacular enough to make a big display of their own. And because woods plants are modest, they’re best planted in colonies a half dozen or more of one species, not in mixed colors or varieties. Set the groups in the foreground, where they’re easy to see. Allow plenty of space between groups for natural increase without crowding. Arrange more striking, tall, spiky plants here and there to add the interest of accent, just as you would in a conventional flower bed.

Care after planting includes the expected careful watering, and keeping the plants moist and shielded from heat and wind until they are growing on their own. For their first winter, you may want to supplement the natural mulch of leaves with salt hay or something similarly light and airy, held in place by chicken wire or branches. This mulch must be removed extra early for early-flowering species. By their second season the plants should be ready to be watered by rain, and fed and protected by trees, without your help. Don’t fiddle with them, pull off leaves or seed pods, or move them about unless you must.

PROPAGATING WOODLAND PLANTS

These are, of course, hardy perennials. Except for seeds, propagating methods are much the same as for cultivated types. It is important only that, if possible, you find out what is the most effective (often, the only) way each plant can be reproduced. If you can’t track down this information, try several ways at once. In general, those with masses of fibrous roots can be divided immediately after flowering. For upright and branching types, you can usually root stem cuttings in a frame or propagating box. If everything else fails, try layering. You can’t lose anything by it.

Seeds are planted the minute they are ripe, in a cold frame--or in flats that can be set in the cold frame--in a finely sifted mixture of equal parts of loam, woods leaf mold, and coarse sand. For varieties adapted to extremely acid soil, use half as much coarse sand as Michigan peat, without soil. For added insurance, acidify the planting mix with leaf mold or peat, or neutralize it with lime, until the pH is somewhere near that of the soil the plant grows naturally in.

Set the flats in shade and keep the soil moist, and leave the seeds to their own devices, summer and winter, until they germinate. Some species take two months, some take two years. After germination they are handled exactly like other perennial seedlings, except that the only safe fertilizer is very weak liquid manure at very infrequent intervals. Tender types should be grown in pots until they are fully mature, before they’re set out in the garden.

PLANTS FOR WOODLAND GARDENS

=Aquilegia canadensis= Ranunculaceae Columbine

Although the native Eastern columbine can grow two feet tall, it seems to stay closer to six inches in my woodland garden and on the banks that line our Pine Tree Road. The clover-like leaves, and characteristic columbine flowers with yellow sepals and knobbed red spurs, are scaled down proportionately.

CARE. Poor, dry soil, acid (strong to neutral). Fertilizer promotes growth that is too rank. Full sun to three-quarter shade.

PROPAGATION. Seed.

SPECIAL USES. Woodland planting, bank planting.

=Arisaema triphyllum= Araceae Jack-in-the-Pulpit

The pulpit stands eight inches tall or more, curving up and over the stiff preacher-like spadix in late spring. The divided leaves also exceed true miniature size. But prim Jack spreads himself slowly enough to allow him entry to all but the very tiniest woodland garden; and his comical dignity is not to be dispensed with.

CARE. Humus-rich soil, moist. Shade or light shade.

PROPAGATION. Tuberous roots.

SPECIAL USES. Wild gardens.

=Asarum= Aristolochiaceae Wild Ginger

In the Northern part of the country this is a deciduous plant, while in much of the South it retains its kidney-shaped leaves. Its purplish flowers are somewhat hidden under the foliage. There are three general types.

canadense--Eastern wild ginger.

caudatum--Western wild ginger.

shuttleworthi--Mottled wild ginger (native of Virginia and South).

CARE. Rich soil, moist. Shade or partial shade.

PROPAGATION. Division.

SPECIAL USES. Wild gardens, ground cover.

=Asplenium= Polypodiaceae Spleenwort (Fern)

Lilliputian, native evergreen fern with deeply cut fronds.

platyneuron--ebony sweetheart--Eight-inch feathery fronds with brownish-purple stems in tidy circles. (Needs acid soil.)

trichomanes--maidenhair spleenwort--Thick, closely clustered three-to five-inch fronds with crowds of little one-inch leaflets on black ribs. Plant it sideways, its roots in a rock crevice, with leaf mold and a touch of lime.

CARE. Soil acid or neutral according to variety. Leaf mold. Shade.

PROPAGATION. Division.

SPECIAL USES. Terrariums, rock gardens, wild gardens.

=Camptosorus rhizophyllus= Polypodiaceae Walking Fern

Small native evergreen fern, hardy from Canada to Georgia. Its name comes from the fact that the fronds are pointed on the ends and root on contact with the soil. It prefers to creep around limy rocks.

CARE. Lime-bearing soil, shade, dry. Hardy.

PROPAGATION. Root division.

SPECIAL USES. Terrariums, rock gardens, wild gardens.

=Claytonia virginica= Portulacaceae Spring Beauty

When the leaves of the forest trees are barely ready to break out in early spring, this lovely little plant is already in full bloom down on the ground. It makes colonies and even mats of precious white flowers which are tinged and streaked with pink and scarcely a half-inch across. But before the trees are in full leaf the spring beauty has gone back to sleep and disappeared, flowers, five-inch grass-like leaves, and all.

CARE. Woodsy soil, moist, shady or semishady.

PROPAGATION. Tubers.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, bog gardens, swamp planting.

=Clintonia= Liliaceae

Woodsy plants spreading out into colonies by underground rhizomes. The leaves are rather broad, and thin and glassy. The little lily-like flowers are held atop stems above. The berries that follow are blue, blue-black, or black.

borealis--broadlily--Nodding, greenish-yellow flowers on seven-inch stems in May. Berries are blue, a half-inch long.

umbellata--Leaves lightly fuzzy; purple-spotted white flowers in clusters; shiny black berries.

uniflora--Western native with one precious flower per stem (one and a half inches across), berries bright blue.

CARE. Rich, humusy, acid soil. Shade or partial shade. Moist.

PROPAGATION. Division of roots in spring.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, bog planting.

=Convallaria majalis= Liliaceae Lily of the Valley

This fragrant ground cover is a favorite for under trees and other shady spots. Perhaps it spreads too fast for very small gardens. The oval, lily-like leaves are lasting, but not evergreen. The dangling flowers, all on the same side of the stem, are like scalloped petticoats. Unless you need a ground cover, try one of the fancier and less robust varieties, such as rosea, with light-pink flowers that fade to near-white in the sun. Or try flore plens with double white hoop-skirts.

CARE. Garden soil, shade, moist, hardy. Persists for years and doesn’t have to be touched. If you want to increase your planting, dig and thin every three years.

PROPAGATION. Division of small bulbs.

SPECIAL USES. Ground cover, forcing in February and March.

=Coptis trifolia= Ranunculaceae Goldthread

This tiny bog plant, only four inches high, has three-way clover-like leaves and tiny white waxy flowers. It creeps and spreads by means of thready yellow roots.

CARE. Humusy, peaty, sandy, and decidedly acid soil. Plant needs a cool, moist location and will not survive warmth and dryness.

SPECIAL USES. Bog planting.

=Cornus canadensis= Cornaceae Bunchberry, Creeping Dogwood

This is a real dogwood, but a very miniature one. The stems standing about six inches high are encircled by a whorl of rich green leaves. Above are the up-facing flowers (in May), like elves wearing white ruffs. The clusters of red berries are as gay as Christmas, in August. After taking a year or so to get settled, the plants spread out into colonies or clumps.

CARE. Rich woods soil, highly acid, damp, but with drainage. Shade, cool location. Takes several years to get established. Needn’t be disturbed once settled. Can be transplanted if large chunks of sod are lifted with it.

PROPAGATION. Separate clumps when dormant. Seeds from ripe berries will germinate the following spring.

SPECIAL USES. Bog planting, ground cover.

=Cryptogramma crispa= Polypodiaceae Parsley Fern

This is a small alpine fern with clusters of six-inch evergreen fronds so finely cut and frilled they could garnish a standing rib roast in place of parsley. Don’t overlook this one when next planning a terrarium.

CARE. Peaty, dry soil. Hardy.

PROPAGATION. Division.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, terrariums.

=Cypripedium= Orchidaceae Lady-slipper, Moccasin Flower

This is the fabulous earth-growing orchid that is native to many parts of the country, with culture varying accordingly. The broad, long fresh leaves fold around the stem at the base. The flowers have a lip inflated into a pouch and are in various colors.

acaule--Northeastern native with dusty-pink flowers. Requires dry, sandy, woodsy, intensely acid soil, full shade. Difficult to transplant unless taken with a large amount of soil. Attempt it only after flowering, or in October. Don’t cover crown more than a half-inch. No good method of propagation is known.

calceolus pubescens--Fuzzy yellow lady-slipper from moist, wooded hillsides of the North and mid-South. Not difficult to transplant and easy to grow. Likes dappled shade and slightly acid, humusy soil.

candidum--Small white flowers marked and veined with brown and purple. From limy, marly bogs. Needs moisture and shade.

CARE. Soil, moisture, and shade as described above.

PROPAGATION. Division when dormant.

SPECIAL USES. Rock and wild gardens. Can force.

=Dalibarda repens= Rosaceae Dewdrop, False Violet

Precious little creeper, pretending to be a violet, with two-inch heart-shaped leaves on long stems and five-petaled, half-inch white flowers in July. A native of the Northeastern section.

CARE. A sheltered spot. Rich woodsy soil.

PROPAGATION. Seeds and division.

SPECIAL USES. Woodland and rock gardens.

=Epigaea repens= Ericaceae Trailing Arbutus

Flat evergreen creeper with overlapping hairy stems and bright-green oval leaves. In early spring it has white or pink phlox-like flowers, not very large but interestingly fragrant. Although it is usually cultivated in shady, protected spots, it can thrive in hot dry areas.

CARE. Humusy and very acid soil, sandy, with leaf mold. Good drainage. Moist. Don’t dig wild plants which are difficult to transplant. Use pot-grown plants.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings. Seed if strictly fresh.

SPECIAL USES. Wild gardens, rock planting.

=Erythronium= Liliaceae Adder’s-Tongue, Trout Lily, Dogtooth Violet

A very large clan of bulbous wild flowers native to many parts of the country. All species have the marks of family resemblance--two leathery basal leaves, often beautifully marbled, and miniature lily flowers nodding from the tops of central stems in spring. Height, usually six inches.

albidum--Leaves may be matted or not. In the East flowers are white, in April.

americanum--Best-known Yankee with marbled leaves and bright-yellow flowers in April.

californicum--fawn lily--Mottled leaves, creamy or pale-yellow flowers. (From California, of course.)

dens-canis--dogtooth violet--European emigrant with green leaves splotched with brick red; flowers are rosy purple. Also available in white and other colors.

grandiflorum--Giant of the family, plain leaves, golden flowers in clusters. The variety parviflorum has the most midget flowers. Western.

hendersoni--Mottled leaves, dark-centered purple flowers. Western.

revolutum--Western with brown-blotched leaves, purple-tinged white or lavender flowers. The variety johnsoni has rosy-lilac flowers, white in the center.

tuolumnense--California with unmarked chartreuse leaves, large deep-yellow flowers.

CARE. Woodsy soil, not especially acid, with leaf mold. Drainage. Moist, never hot and dry. Winter mulch.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, offsets (from underground stolons).

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, woodland gardens, forcing.

=Goodyera pubescens= Orchidaceae Rattlesnake Plantain

This terrestrial herb is a close relative of the most glamorous of orchids and bears no resemblance to a reptile or the weed that is part of its common name. On the woodland floor you will come upon it as a flat cluster of durable, oval, deep-green leaves with gleaming-white veins that cross and recross in a delicate pattern. Perhaps you will find it in bloom with tiny whitish flowers on tall spikes.

CARE. Woodsy acid soil, with humus. Slightly damp. Cool. Shade. North side of a glacial ridge is ideal.

PROPAGATION. If possible, buy section of root from dealer who specializes in woodland plants and seeds. Pick sparingly in the woods, by breaking off section of rhizome with rootlets and plant. New plant will appear in about one month.

SPECIAL USES. Terrariums, woodland gardens.

=Hepatica= Ranunculaceae Liverleaf

Six-inch evergreen plants that shed their old leathery leaves for new after the blue-lavender (or pinkish-white) flowers fade and fall in May.

acutiloba--Sharp-lobed hepatica, distinguished by the points on the lobes of its leaves. (Needs alkaline soil.)

americana (triloba)--Round-leaved hepatica with dainty flowers on stems upholstered with silky hairs. Leaves maroon in winter

CARE. Not too acid soil. Full shade. Drainage. Not difficult to transplant but needs time to get established. Plants in the woods best dug in the fall.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, division of roots.

SPECIAL USES. Woodland gardens, colonies.

=Houstonia= Rubiaceae Bluets, Quaker Lady

This is an enchanting wildling with grass-like leaves and flowers less than a half-inch across in the shape of four-pointed stars. It is a very profuse bloomer throughout the spring and early summer.

caerulea--Northeastern favorite with leaves in tufts about an inch high. Flowers are blue or lilac, often fading to white in the sun. Seeds itself willingly.

purpurea--Larger than miniature, and native from Maryland to Georgia. It makes a soft evergreen foliage mat, and in July has purple flowers, several per stem.

serpyllifolia--creeping bluets--The stems stretch out to ten inches or more with little half-inch teardrop leaves. Sky-blue flowers.

CARE. Loamy, acid soil with peat. Moist. Part shade.

PROPAGATION. Division. Some varieties are self-seeding.

SPECIAL USES. Rock and woodland gardens.

=Lemna minor= Lemnaceae Duckweed

This tiny one is often called the “smallest known flowering plant.” A floating plant that has quarter-inch leaves (actually the body or “thallus”), it has hair-like rootlets and flowers so small one needs a magnifying glass to see them. In the fall the plants sink to the bottom of the pond, to rise again in the spring.

CARE. No attention is needed.

PROPAGATION. None necessary. Increases naturally.

SPECIAL USES. Dish-garden pools, rock-garden pools, fish food.

=Lycopodium= Lycopodiaceae Club Moss

In prehistoric times this was a towering tree; now it is a moss-like poor relation of the ferns, bearing needle-like leaves and spores instead of flowers.

clavatum--running pine--Slowly but steadily the stems creep over the woodland floor, sending up four-inch stems at lax intervals, each with several spikes packed tightly with needle-like leaves.

complanatum--ground cedar--The stems trail faster and more sturdily, the erect branches dividing and spreading out to a lacy green fan.

lucidulum--shining club moss--Trailing stems turn upright at the tips and are covered completely with glassy, dark-green “needles.”

obscurum--ground pine--Christmas trees in miniature about six inches tall and popping up from stems that creep about underground.

CARE. Rich, woodsy soil, not especially acid. Shade, moist.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings. Division of roots at joints.

SPECIAL USES. Terrariums, ground cover.

=Mitchella repens= Rubiaceae Partridgeberry

This native creeper bears the popular partridgeberries widely used to fill “Partridge Bowls” at Christmastime. It has glassy green leaves which are close to the ground with the berries beneath them. In the springtime it has fragrant, fuzzy white flowers. (Note to those who hunt the berries in the woods: pick from the tallest plants and do not tear up the roots.)

CARE. Rich woodsy soil, not especially acid. Drainage. Shade. Cut back to encourage branching. Transplants easily.

PROPAGATION. Divide rooting stems.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, terrariums, woodland gardens.

=Mitella= Saxifragaceae Bishop’s Cap

For shady rock and wild gardens here is a saxifrage-like plant with mounds of heart-shaped leaves and spires of finely fringed flowers on tall stems.

breweri--Pacific Coast native with deep-green leaves and whiskery yellow-green flowers (in May and June).

caulescens--Also from the Pacific Coast. More dainty, and more difficult.

diphylla--East Coast native with eight-inch flower spikes on taller stems. White flowers (in April and May).

CARE. Rich woodsy soil. Drainage, shade.

PROPAGATION. Seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Rock and wild gardens.

Garden in the landscape in the finest tradition--it features Azalea macrantha basaminæflora, Juniperus radicans, and Calluna County Wicklow. (Atlantic Avenue Nursery, Inc.)]

=Podophyllum peltatum= Berberidaceae May Apple

The May apple, a native of much of the country, is actually too large for most small wild gardens, but find a place for it if possible. In spring it is fascinating to watch the stumpy stems push up through the ground and the foliage slowly unfold to wide flat leaves. Then come gold-centered white flowers and finally the “apple” in chartreuse and nearly two inches long. (It is edible only when fully ripe.)

CARE. Rich woodsy soil. Shade, or partial shade.

PROPAGATION. Root division.

SPECIAL USES. Wild-garden planting.

* * * * *

(Additional plant listings suitable for woodland gardens can be found in Chapter 15.)

CHAPTER 14

MINIATURE TREES AND SHRUBS

There’s a chamaecyparis that forms a fluffy, green two-inch ball by the time it’s seven years old; a cone-shaped Norway spruce that rarely grows more than twelve inches tall; a one-foot rhododendron with deep-crimson trumpet flowers; a nonfruiting viburnum that makes a two-foot globe tightly packed with ivy-like leaves. There are junipers that form plush carpets; ericaceous evergreens with neat mounds of twinkling flowers over shiny teardrop leaves; deciduous shrubs with golden blooms, seeds in silky pea pods, and green stems that look leafy the year round.

That is just a tantalizing hint of the fantastic variety of little trees and shrubs, and how they can steal the show in the garden. We have three magnificent pines on Pine Tree Road (it may have been named for them) but our guests are more likely to comment about the starry cushions of Leiophyllum buxifolium beside the front walk. We dug and lugged tons of rock to make beds for our favorite roses, but the small edging plants draw more attention. When the rock garden is a mass of flamboyant spring color, we’ll be asked the name of a heather that’s not even in flower, or the juniper (Juniperus procumbens nana) two inches high that spreads like velvet over a rock.

There are miniatures among all types of trees and shrubs--deciduous and evergreen, broad-leaved and needle-leaved. Those described in this chapter are almost all three feet tall or less at maturity, or are so extremely slow-growing they seldom top that height in twenty years. In just a few cases, slightly taller varieties are included, which can be kept to three feet or less with a little pruning. Some low types are omitted because they spread too rambunctiously to be called miniatures or to be suitable for small gardens.

These limitations automatically exclude the small, flowering trees and shrubs, and dwarf fruit trees, that are part of the over-all landscape plan for small grounds. They’re not really miniature garden items, but background features around which miniature gardens are planned.

We’ve thought of a dozen different ways to use the really midget trees and shrubs, and I imagine there must be dozens more. We have a colony of tiny rhododendrons blooming at the base of a boulder, and another near an old stump at the edge of the woods. Several sprawly evergreens and some precious ericaceous gems adorn the rock garden and spots near the front terrace.

There are plenty of miniature shrubs of varying heights, foliage, colors and textures, and flowering times to compose a small shrubbery border, with tiny bulbs to plant along the edge. Small trees and shrubs can be used as background for mixed borders of small annuals and perennials; evergreens can make a setting for miniature rose gardens. Almost any small pool, wall, raised bed, or set of steps provides a place to plant the right tree or shrub. And, of course, these are perfect plants for sink and trough gardens, bonsai work, or even for indoor forcing in the greenhouse.

If you can’t find the varieties you want at your local nursery, you can order them by mail from reliable suppliers. Either way, plants that have been transplanted regularly by the grower develop a compact system of fibrous roots rather than a few long straggly tap-like roots, will take hold faster and transplant easier, will fit into your garden quicker. All that will make you a happier gardener.

Don’t be surprised if miniature trees and shrubs cost more than the regular varieties of the same name. The little fellows take much longer to reach that size, and require more costly care. Many of them are difficult to propagate, some even have to be grown from seed.

Your first thought in selecting a miniature tree or shrub, of course, is the decorative effect it is planned to achieve--whether it should be formally upright and symmetrical, or irregularly shaped and naturalistic; whether it is to act as an accent or specimen, or as a background or blender. Consider the texture of the foliage, the time and manner of flowering, whether the colors will fight with others in the garden. Plant deciduous types where they won’t be an eyesore in winter, or select one with an attractive winter habit and appearance. Make sure the plant and all its parts are in scale with the setting and with other plants.

Once you decide that a variety will look right in your garden, make sure it will also grow right. A plant that needs full sun will not flower in a shady spot. Acid-loving plants will not flourish in alkaline soil. Those that like their roots kept cool and moist will wither where it is hot and dry. Watch for unfavorable factors such as high walls, drip from overhanging eaves, low, muggy spots where there is little circulation of fresh air. If the plant requires a lot of pruning, training, and spraying, make sure you have the time to take care of its well-being. A healthy, easy-to-care-for barberry is infinitely more ornamental than a glamorous shrub struggling to stay alive.

HARDINESS

The main factor that determines whether a plant will live through the winter in your garden (and it is a factor you can’t control) is minimum winter temperature. This is the basis for the newest (1960) Plant Hardiness Zone Map issued by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Other uncontrollable factors include: How long the low temperature will last; how early and suddenly a freak freeze occurs; whether or not winter provides a beneficial blanket of continuous snow; whether there are punishing gales with driving sleet and encrusting ice.

But even in severe areas, or with plants of questionable hardiness, there are some ways we can increase the odds against winter-kill. Selection of suitable varieties, careful planting in favorable locations (never in low “pockets” where frost settles, or where water collects around roots under eaves or around walls), careful fertilizing, winter protection, prevention of attacks by insects and disease--all of the cultural principles that promote healthy, thriving growth, will help to increase winter hardiness. In other words, “The combined effects of all (climatic and cultural) factors determine the true plant adaptability.”

Actually, true hardiness means more than mere winter survival. A tree or shrub is hardy when it can live through many years to maturity, and when it not only survives but develops normally and completes its annual growth cycle. For example, in some sections, very late or very early frosts will kill flower buds on some varieties. Trees and shrubs that require a period of winter dormancy are not hardy in Florida, where there is no protracted cold period. In arid areas where summers are extremely hot, dry, and windy, hardiness may depend on how much time you have to spare for special care.

If you would avoid disappointment, especially with rather expensive miniature trees and shrubs, buy the strongest, healthiest plants of the varieties most suitable to your climate, and do all you can to satisfy each individual’s cultural needs. Thus, unfavorable weather has two strikes against it from the start.

PLANTING AND CARE

No matter how careful we are, fall planting is seldom successful for us in Connecticut. But in spring planting it seems as if we can’t miss. Once we were given a dozen ornamental shrubs--named varieties of virburnum, lilac, and two of the supposedly tricky caryopteris--whose bare roots had been out of the ground for several weeks. The caryopteris and one invincible lilac even flowered that year!

In early spring, just before they awaken from dormancy (or a little later when new growth and buds are starting to show), woody plants have more vitality than at any other time of the year. Vigorous new roots grow faster. And the plants have a full growing season to get established before winter sets in. We start planting the minute the soil dries enough to be workable, sometimes as early as March. Of course, spring-flowering varieties are safest if they are container-grown or balled and burlapped.

Early fall planting is fine for milder climates--from the time the season’s growth has matured on evergreens, or when deciduous varieties begin to drop their leaves, until the ground freezes. Except for container-grown plants, winter planting is usually recommended for the South, when the plants are as nearly dormant as possible.

Bare-root plants (risky for evergreens) should be kept moist until they are put into the ground. Thoroughly soak the roots, and even the stems, in a bucket of water. The roots and soil of balled and burlapped plants should also be kept moist. Either way, protect the transplants against wind and sun until they’re set out.

Dig a planting hole wide enough for the roots to spread out in without bending or crowding, with an extra six inches of loosened soil in the bottom for them to penetrate. This is the time to check on drainage, one of the most important factors in plant survival. Run some water in the hole--enough to fill it. If the water seeps away fairly fast, the drainage is probably good. If it remains for any length of time, you’d better dig much deeper and remove the subsoil. Fill in with sharp sand or fine gravel for about six inches.

Enrich or condition the topsoil that you dug out, before you replace it around the roots. Set trees and shrubs at the same level they were growing in the nursery, never more than an inch or so deeper. The burlap around a soil ball doesn’t need to be loosened. It will rot away rather quickly. Fill in around the roots until the hole is three-fourths full; flood with water to settle soil in any air pockets; let it drain; and finish filling the hole until it is just level with the surface, but don’t mound it up. A raised ridge around the edge of the hole will form a saucer to hold water until it runs down to the roots. Water again, slowly and thoroughly, so that the soil in the hole and some of the surrounding area is thoroughly saturated.

A newly planted tree or shrub is likely to wilt in sun or dry wind unless you provide some temporary shelter or shading. This is rather simple to do. An upturned basket over a small shrub, or a screen of light cheesecloth, or an old window curtain, or a piece of burlap suspended on stakes will suffice.

Soil

What you do to enrich or condition topsoil depends on the existing soil, and on each plant’s individual preferences. Add sharp sand to heavy, clay-like soil to improve the drainage. If you have extra-sandy soil, add moisture-holding peat or leaf mold. Almost any soil is improved by mixing in liberal amounts of organic matter such as leaf mold or well-rotted manure. We seldom add fertilizer for miniature trees and shrubs.

If your soil is alkaline, and you are planting acid-loving varieties, use liberal quantities of well-rotted cow manure, acid peat, or woodsy soil from under pine, beech, or oak trees. To neutralize, or alkalinize, acid soil, use horticultural lime.

Watering and Mulching

Transplanted trees and shrubs should be watered with extra care during their first growing season. Soil should be kept moist constantly, but not muddy, to the full depth of the roots. Don’t rely on light rains that moisten only the surface. During hot, dry periods, spray the foliage with the garden hose as often as possible. A light, airy mulch--buckwheat hulls, crushed sugar cane, or something similar--will help keep the soil from drying out and keep it cooler, too.

Established trees and shrubs are kept moist during the spring and summer growing seasons. But in August and September, when the year’s new growth is maturing and hardening for the winter, less watering is needed. Resume watering in October, and keep it up until the ground freezes. It is particularly vital that evergreens--both needle-leaved and broad-leaved--should never go into winter with dry soil about the roots.

Fertilizing

Feeding miniature plants too heavily sometimes can cause them to outgrow miniature size. Actually, they don’t need a rich diet. An annual top-dressing of well-rotted, or dried, cow manure, or a light sprinkling of balanced commercial fertilizer, in early spring is usually sufficient. Fertilizing in late summer or early fall dangerously promotes soft new growth that is susceptible to winter damage.

Pruning

Most miniature trees and shrubs are best when allowed to keep their natural habits and shapes, and pruned as little as possible. Of course, damaged or broken branches should be cut away at planting time, or at the end of the winter. Unwanted suckers, and any growth that is out of line, ungainly, or unattractive can be removed at any time. Any other pruning should be done in earliest spring before new leaves appear. There is one exception. Spring-flowering varieties that bloom on last year’s wood are pruned immediately after flowering. Fall pruning of any type can stimulate new growth that may winter-kill.

Some evergreens, for example the mugho pine, are encouraged to branch and keep more compact by breaking off half of the partially matured “candles” at the ends of the branches. Evergreen or deciduous shrubs sometimes are grown in formal shapes and, like hedges, trimmed regularly in spring and summer.

Some summer-and fall-flowering shrubs, referred to as “cut-back” or “die-back” types, are perfectly root-hardy although the tops are likely to be partly, or completely, killed by winter. But they make new growth each spring on which normal flowers and fruit are produced. Some of these may grow too tall and awkward when the branches are killed back only part way. To keep them small and shapely, cut all stems back to mere stubs in earliest spring.

Insects and Diseases

We’ve never had to hover over our garden constantly with duster and spray gun, and I hope we never will. It’s a dull, tiresome, unrewarding occupation--confusing and frustrating, too. There are so many different kinds of pests, with so many different habits, appetites, and life cycles, infesting so many different types of plants in so many different ways, that only an expert such as the county agricultural agent, or “plant-doctor” Cynthia Westcott, can keep them straight. And even Miss Westcott asks, “Is this spray necessary?”

Don’t misunderstand. We do have pests and diseases on our garden plants; and we do fight them; and we’ve been known to mutter about the injustice of it all. But we try not to let them take all of the joy out of summer gardening.

Two or three times during the growing season we fill the tank of the small pressure sprayer with a solution of “all-purpose” garden spray. Everything in the garden gets the treatment, including shrubs and trees we can reach without a tall ladder.

We also wage annual war against a few familiar enemies as soon as they appear. In February we cut off twigs encircled by the brownish egg bands of tent caterpillars. When the nests appear in spring we wipe them out with rags or crumpled paper and spray the surrounding area with DDT. When cankerworms are all over the place (as they were in the spring of 1961), DDT protects the foliage of small plants, particularly our precious miniature trees and shrubs. We discovered we couldn’t possibly cope with the gigantic shade trees of the woods.

We have very few Japanese beetles since we started grub-proofing all cultivated land. Any time after the ground thaws in spring, and through October, we spray or dust with chlordane. Five pounds of 5 per cent chlordane dust will treat a thousand square feet, can be bought for about two dollars, and can be applied in an hour with a good-sized duster. This treatment is effective for three years. The few beetles that start working over the roses in midsummer quickly succumb to DDT.

The infrequent appearances of aphids are met with a dousing of nicotine sulfate solution, and the same treatment is used for some kinds of scale, although others require dormant oil spray. During one very hot summer, mites yellowed some of our evergreens. Aramite, used faithfully according to label directions, routed them. We do keep either sulfur or Karathane on hand to combat mildew on plants such as roses where it really matters. For any more complicated or unidentifiable problems, we rely on the advice of our friendly county agent and his staff.

Winter Protection

Newly transplanted or very young trees and shrubs--or any of questionable hardiness--need special protection against winter severities. Our favorite method for small specimens is to pack salt hay or leaves around them loosely and put an upturned basket on top. Somewhat taller shrubs may be encircled with evergreen branches, the ends being stuck in the ground and tied together over the tops. For groupings of shrubs, we put a burlap barrier on the windward side, especially for tender types, and sometimes make a tent of sorts. Evergreens planted where the late winter sun might burn them need shade of some sort--a lathed frame, snow fence, or the like.

PROPAGATING MINIATURE TREES AND SHRUBS

This is one of my favorite addictions. I can’t resist planting any seeds that come my way, can’t bear to discard an evergreen or a broken branch of cotoneaster, can’t resist the impulse to root cuttings. As a result, our rather small nursery bed is closely populated with small, young shrubs and trees of all kinds. I doubt that we’ll ever find space to plant them once they’re grown; and I imagine I could be rather popular could I ever bring myself to give them away.

Propagating trees and shrubs is predominantly a trial-and-error proposition because each variety has its own preferred method of reproducing itself. Some are difficult to raise from seeds, some won’t propagate any other way; some root readily from cuttings, some take three years; some are amenable to layering, others are not. For me this guesswork is a good thing. If all my seeds and cuttings took root and grew into bushes and trees, there’d be no challenge, no fun, and no place to put them.

We always keep a propagating box handy--a shallow box or flat with sides and top of glass or polyethylene. In summer it rests under a tree; in winter it may be on an unheated porch, in the cold frame, or in the greenhouse. The propagating medium may be Pelonex or perlite; a three-way mixture of peat, vermiculite, and perlite; half-and-half sterilized leaf mold and sharp sand (peat packs too hard for me); or clean sharp sand alone. The medium is kept constantly moist but not soggy and is never allowed to dry out. Cuttings are inserted in rows, and removed for potting as soon as the roots are an inch or so long. Sometimes seed is sown in part of the box, or we may rig up a second box when we have a goodly number to plant. The glass, or plastic, sides and top preserve moisture and keep the air humid.

Seeds

Most types of shrubs and trees are rather slow to grow to maturity from seed. And seeds of miniatures produce all-miniature seedlings only when the seed-bearing parents are natural species with natural miniature characteristics. Small varieties of larger species, “sports” or mutations, can’t always be counted on to produce small offspring.

Seeds vary in the time they take to germinate (three weeks to three years, depending on the plant) and in germination requirements. Some need warmth, some cool temperatures, some darkness, some light. And some need a period of dormancy or “after-ripening” before they are planted. In a process of “stratification” seeds are stored in moist sand for several months, usually at about 40 degrees or slightly less. However, some types (cedar, mugho pine) need to be frozen; a few others are stratified in warmth. Some seeds that you buy have already been stratified. The package will tell you so.

Fleshy seeds, such as chestnuts, are usually planted as soon as they ripen and fall. When seeds are covered with a fruity coat, like holly berries, for example, the berry should be soaked in water for a few days until the seeds can be squeezed free of the pulp. Hard-coated seeds need to be gently cracked, or nicked, to hasten germination, and can be sown outdoors in the fall to germinate the following spring, or even the spring after that. Most winged seeds of conifers need to be stratified (remove the wings) in moist sand all winter at 35 to 40 degrees and are planted in the spring. Fine seeds, as for rhododendrons, can be harvested from the split pods in fall and stored cool and dry until spring.

These are, of course, generalizations. When I am in doubt about how to handle seeds, and if my reference books don’t give me the information I need, I plant them several different ways. It is surprising how often they’ll germinate, regardless of method.

There is, of course, one inviolable rule about planting seeds of any sort--the planting medium should never dry out from the moment of planting, through germination and up to transplanting time.

Softwood Cuttings

Take the ends of this year’s growth when it is half ripe, in summer, or longer sections that can be cut into pieces with at least two buds or “eyes.” Make the cut just a little below the node. Or on slow-rooting plants, pull off the cutting with a sliver of the main stem (a “heel”) attached to the rooting end. Remove the leaves at the base, and dip the cut end in one of the hormone rooting powders if you wish. Check the formula on the label to make sure you have the correct one for that type of cutting, and follow the directions precisely. Insert cuttings in rows in the propagating box and firm the medium around the stem ends.

Almost all deciduous trees and shrubs can be propagated from summer softwood cuttings, and so can evergreens--both the needle-leaved and the broad-leaved varieties. Needle-leaved evergreens can also be produced from similar cuttings taken in late fall, but they seem to take longer to make roots. With mild bottom heat in the greenhouse, however, the process is fast enough so the cuttings are rooted before time to set them out in the nursery in the spring.

Hardwood Cuttings

When deciduous trees and shrubs have dropped their leaves, and this year’s growth has had additional ripening from a few sharp frosts, take cuttings of the ends of branches that seem fairly thick and sturdy. Cut off any immature tips, and trim the cuttings (of miniatures) to four to six inches long. Tie a dozen or so into a bundle with covered wire, or some similar tie that will neither rot nor injure the bark. Bury the bundles (some growers bury them standing, some in a horizontal position) so they are completely covered with soil in a cold frame, or use a box that can be kept where the temperature will be cold but not freezing. In spring, unbundle the cuttings and root them like any others in a propagating box, greenhouse, frame, or nursery bed.

Grafting

There are several different methods of attaching a stem or branch of one tree or shrub to the roots of another until the two parts grow together as one plant. So far, I’ve willingly left this field to the professionals, or to amateurs who are seriously interested and make a thorough study of it. I haven’t found the patience or free time for it.

Layering

Here is a foolproof method that guarantees a healthy new plant almost every time. Although some root faster than others, there’s hardly a tree or shrub with long or low-hanging branches that can’t be layered. Of course, the safety lies in the fact that the new plant is part of, and supported by, the parent plant until it is well rooted and strongly established.

In spring, when the plant is growing vigorously, select a low-hanging branch that can be pulled down to the ground. At that spot nick the bark, or slit the branch, to encourage rooting. Pin it down with a forked twig, a hairpin, or a clothespin and cover the tip with a little soil. When roots have formed and the tip is growing lustily, cut the branch between the new plant and the parent, then pot or transplant as you wish.

Air Layering

Plants that do not have a low branch are air-layered by nicking a stem or branch three or four inches from the tip, covering the nick with a ball of moist sphagnum moss, and wrapping the ball tightly in polyethylene, which is tied tightly at both ends. Hormone rooting powder can be applied to the nick with a small brush if you wish. Make sure the moss doesn’t dry out. When you see several good-sized roots, cut the stem below the ball, remove the plastic, and transplant or pot as you wish. Rooting speed varies with different plants. Some take only six weeks; some, several years.

Air layering can be done in spring, using ripened wood of last year’s growth, or in summer with new growth that is not yet woody and hard.

MINIATURE TREES AND SHRUBS

=Abelia= Caprifoliaceae

Ornamental shrub, persistent or deciduous, often half evergreen, spreading. Leaves simple, opposite, nearly stalkless. Flowers white or pink tubular, persistent purplish sepals. Native of Asia Minor and Mexico.

CARE. Semisun, or some protection. Well-drained soil with leaf mold. Amenable to pruning. Cool greenhouse. Hardy in zones 4 and 5.

PROPAGATION. Greenwood cuttings in summer, ripe wood cuttings in autumn, layering in spring, rarely from seed.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, ground cover, slopes, and as specimens; use as an evergreen in mild climates.

=Abeliophyllum distichum= Oleaceae White Forsythia, Korean Abelia

Deciduous ornamental shrub two to three inches high. White flowers in dense clusters in May and June or in February in mild climates. Leaves like the abelia, branches arching. Close relative to the forsythia; flowers smaller but more of them. Deep-purple flower buds form in the fall.

CARE. Sun, drainage, moist soil, hardy in zones 4 and 5. Too severe winter weather may kill the buds for spring. Needs some cover.

PROPAGATION. Same as for abelia.

SPECIAL USES. Same as for abelia.

Foliage details of popular miniature trees and shrubs

Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera aurea]

=Abies= Pinaceae Fir

Pyramidal evergreen trees with whorls and graceful branches. Cones are erect; leaves flat, narrow, whitish on the underside with two lines, and shiny green above. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish from spruce, picea. (Spruce sheds leaves when dry, and its cones hang.) Bark is smooth and thin when young, thick and furrowed when old. Dwarf varieties are A. balsamea nana, A. grandis nana, A. procera (nobilis) glauca prostrata, two feet high.

CARE. Cool, humid. Hardy in the North.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings, grafting, seed.

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai.

=Andromeda= Ericaceae Bog Rosemary

Low, dwarf evergreen shrubs with narrow leaves, urn or bell-shaped pink flowers in May. Dwarf varieties are A. glaucophylla, less than a foot tall with leathery green leaves lightly frosted beneath, stems erect; and A. polifolia, a root-creeping species, the leaf margins often rolled.

CARE. Cool, very acid soil, peaty, deep acid leaf mold. Prefers bog garden; if among rocks, prepare soil to conform to above. Sun or part shade. Very hardy.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings (mature wood under glass), layers, division.

SPECIAL USES. Rock and bog gardens.

=Azalea (Rhododendron)= Ericaceae

The azalea differs from the rhododendron only in technical points. The size varies from tree-like to almost prostrate. It flowers from April to June and is the most vivid of all shrubs. Colors pink, yellow, salmon, purple, white, red, and orchid. Some are fragrant.

CARE. Acid soil, sun. Moist, unsuited for areas where there is less than twenty-five inches of rainfall per year. Water after flowering when plant is making new shoots. Reduce watering in summer. Prune to check irregular growth after blooming season. Remove old blooms. Fertilize after flowering. Dust soil with sulfur.

PROPAGATION. Seeds; layering, in air and in the soil; cuttings. Balled and burlapped plants can be set out almost any time.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, bonsai.

=Betula nana= Betulaceae Birch

Deciduous shrub, spreading and branching to two feet, leaves to one-half inch long. When young the leaves are sticky and fuzzy on the underside. A native of Alaska. Flowers, catkins.

CARE. Moist sandy soil.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratify at once), layering, green-wood cuttings under glass.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, trough gardens.

=Bruckenthalia spiculifolia= Ericaceae Balkan Heath

Evergreen, heath-like shrub ten inches high. Small pink bell flowers in summer. Gives the effect of billowy daintiness.

CARE. Drainage and not soggy wet. Hardy, but mulch in zone 4 with salt hay in winter. Sun; soil gritty and acid.

PROPAGATION. Seeds and cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Rock and trough gardens.

=Buxus= Buxaceae Box, Boxwood

Evergreen shrub, very small with clusters of small flowers. Slow-growing; in fact, boxwood I set out two years ago seems hardly to have changed in size. But we await the possibilities with anticipation and patience. It is a versatile shrub.

CARE. Little or no care seems necessary. It grows in just about any soil not sandy or rocky. It has shallow roots. We protect it in winter with a light mulch. Plant in spring or late summer; use little or no fertilizer. It accepts being pruned or sheared.

PROPAGATION. Hardwood cuttings, suckers, division, layering.

SPECIAL USES. Edging, foundation planting, bonsai, hedges, pots, and dish gardens.

=Calluna vulgaris= Ericaceae Heather, Ling

Low evergreen shrub, clusters of pinkish bell flowers in August and September, leaves very small.

CARE. Soil light, peaty, sandy, with acid leaf mold. Full sun best but light shade is acceptable. Drainage is necessary in winter but prevent dehydration by dry winds. Hardy.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings, layering, division.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, edging, containers.

=Caryopteris incana= Verbenaceae Blue Spirea

Deciduous shrub, gray-green toothed leaves. Shrub grows to two or three feet and forms a ball the same width; firmly packed with fuzzy, fringed flowers in late summer, of blue or purplish tints.

CARE. Full sun, light soil, the sandier the better. Tolerates drought. Not entirely hardy and may be killed-back but will bloom anyhow. Prune severely in spring, making a more compact plant.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings of mature wood in August (root under glass), layering, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Borders.

=Cassiope lycopodioides= Ericaceae

Low evergreen from two to three inches high and formed in a fat dome of the same width. Needle-like leaves are tiny and overlap like shingles. Has white bell flowers in spring.

CARE. Moist and cool, part shade, soil peaty or sandy and acid. Suffers in long hot summers or drought. Native of Siberia and Alaska.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings from mature wood in August (root under glass), layering, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Rock and trough gardens.

=Chaenomeles (Cydonia)= Rosaceae Japanese Quince, Flowering Quince

Deciduous or semideciduous shrub with alternate toothed leaves of shiny green tone. Blooms in spring before leaves appear, in shades of white or pink. Later forms hard, quince-like fruit that is fragrant.

CARE. Almost any soil, but if fertile more flowers; drainage; partial shade produces more flowers. Top-dress in spring with garden fertilizer. Can be pruned for hedges (not too much).

PROPAGATION. Seeds (plant in spring and stratify), root cuttings, cuttings from ripe wood (root under glass), layering, grafting.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, specimens, hedges (do not prune as much as privet), bonsai.

=Chamaecyparis (Retinospora)= Cupressaceae False Cypress, White Cedar

Actually this is an evergreen that grows to a hundred feet, but it also comes in a wide variety of two-foot dwarfs. Basically the tree is pyramidal and has leaves more like scales than needles. They are very dense and tight, on drooping branches. Some of the dwarf species are C. obtusa coespitosa (tennis ball), C. lawsoniana, C. compacta, C. compacta glauca, C. nana compressa.

CARE. Acid soil; needs moisture, due to shallow roots. Fertilize, prune some to keep shapely, root-prune for rock gardens.

PROPAGATION. Seeds from the small cones.

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock gardens, specimens.

=Chamaedaphne calyculata= Ericaceae Leatherleaf

Evergreen shrub that is a native bog dweller and therefore good for locations unsuitable for many plants. The evergreen two-inch leaves look rusty underneath and are dull brown in winter; branches are sparse. In spring it has dangling clusters of little white flowers. One-foot variety nana effective in moist part of rock gardens.

CARE. Moist location, acid soil with peat.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings from ripe wood (rooted under glass), layering.

SPECIAL USES. Bog gardens; dwarf variety for rock gardens.

=Cotoneaster= Rosaceae

This is a small shrub; some varieties are deciduous, some persistent. Has small pink or white flowers in the spring. In fall has bright-red berries. Deciduous leaves are colored before they drop.

CARE. Sun, but will accept some shade. Cool and moist but never waterlogged. (Subject to red spider if hot and dry.) Use lime to produce a slightly alkaline soil; use loamy soil. Needs circulation of air and drainage. Prune only to remove dead wood or broken branches. Doesn’t transplant readily. Plant in permanent location.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, sown when ripe or stratified by layers in autumn; cuttings of young wood in late summer (root under glass).

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock walls, hedges, foundation planting.

=Cryptomeria japonica= Taxodiaceae

This is a Japanese evergreen tree that grows to towering heights but has several dwarf varieties: lobbi, pygmaea, and nana. It has shreddy red-brown bark and distinctive root formations above ground, making it very appealing for bonsai work. Blue-green leaves.

CARE. Protect during hot and dry summer, and from low temperatures. It is best in warmer climates. Enriched soil is not necessary but produces a more pleasing tree.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings, grafting. Seeds are stratified, and do not always come true. Cuttings are more satisfactory.

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai.

=Daboecia cantabrica= Ericaceae Irish Bell Heather

An evergreen shrub, upright and dwarf (ten to eighteen inches). The leaves are dark green but fuzzy white underneath. Purple, drooping-urn flowers, in clusters, last all summer.

CARE. Soil gritty, sandy, and peaty. Protect in winter and be careful about drainage. Mulch with salt hay or evergreen leaves.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings from ripe wood under glass.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens.

=Daphne= Thymelaeaceae

Some of these little shrubs are evergreen, some are not. Some of them grow very low. All of the several varieties bloom in early spring, often on bare wood. Colors vary from white to pink. Most varieties are fragrant.

CARE. Plant in a cool, moist location in light soil, drained and slightly sandy. Protect in winter with straw or salt hay.

PROPAGATION. Seeds are sown at once or are stratified; softwood cuttings after flowering; layering; hardwood cuttings in fall.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, border planting, rock gardens, greenhouse forcing, ground cover, bonsai.

=Deutzia= Saxifragaceae

This is a heavy flowering shrub with a compact, plump shape. The flowers, resembling small hoop skirts or bells, cover the plant almost completely. Colors vary with varieties, white, pink, and pink with red touches.

CARE. Will grow and flower in some shade. Accepts most any soil. Needs drainage. Most varieties are hardy.

PROPAGATION. Both green-wood and hardwood cuttings, layers, seeds in spring.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, greenhouse forcing.

=Euonymus= Celastraceae Burning Bush

Sizes can vary from dwarf shrubs to medium-size trees. Sometimes it is evergreen, but is more likely to be deciduous. Simple, opposite leaves; clusters of small flowers in spring. Has showy fruit which turns red in fall and opens to drop the seeds. Has brilliant red coloring in autumn.

CARE. Grows in ordinary soil and does well in shade (bright sun makes for better colors in fall). Most varieties are hardy.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (sown in spring), layering, hardwood cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, pots, dish gardens, rock gardens, hedges.

=Fothergilla= Hamamelidaceae Bottle Brush

Native American shrub, deciduous with alternate coarse-toothed leaves, hazel-like in appearance and brilliant in fall colors. During the flowering season blooms of a lustrous white resemble shaggy dust mops. It is slow-growing and adapts itself to bonsai treatment.

CARE. Seemingly, it requires little pampering. It likes moist situations. It is hardy and can be pruned to size and shape.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, layers (may take two years to root), and root cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, bonsai.

=Ilex crenata helleri= Aquifoliaceae Holly

Holly may be a tree or a shrub and is sometimes an evergreen. The waxy green leaves are known to anyone who has ever seen a Christmas wreath. The red berries are almost as striking. Most varieties grow slowly.

CARE. Most like rich well-drained spots. They need acid soil or the leaves turn yellow. They are hard to transplant and it should only be tried in the spring before growth starts. The deciduous varieties are easier to move, but are not so hardy. If you are buying a tree, get nursery stock that has been freshly dug. Mulch, but not near the trunks in winter because of mice. If you desire the red berries, spray with hormones. Prune yearly for shape, in winter.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratify, slow to germinate), cuttings of young ripe wood (root under glass).

SPECIAL USES. Hedges, rock gardens, containers, foundation planting, bonsai.

=Juniperus= Cypressaceae Juniper

Evergreen trees and shrubs with needles or scale leaves. Can be tall trees or prostrate shrubs that hug the ground. Foliage is a beautiful blue-green.

A beautiful specimen of Juniperus procumbens nana with pansies in a corner planting]

CARE. Moderately moist loamy soil. Some (J. communis) thrive in dry spots amid rocks. Most are hardy. Many varieties are exceptionally hardy and accept sun or shade, city dust, fumes, and smoke. All like drainage and wide spacing.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings, seeds, layering.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, containers, bonsai.

=Picea abies= Pinaceae Spruce

Pyramidal, evergreen, coniferous trees native to the cooler parts of the country. They have four-sided leaves that fall easily, leaving cones that usually droop. Although many varieties are tall and majestic, there are some of the most shapely dwarfs in the family. They grow so slowly they are desirable for small landscapes. Among the dwarfs are: clanbrasiliana, gregoryana, maxwelli, nana, nidformis. The latter, with its dark-green needles and flat open top, is also known as the bird’s nest spruce. It is less expensive because it grows very easily from cuttings.

CARE. Hardy, tolerates more wet than firs or pines, and is at home in most soils.

PROPAGATION. Seeds and cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, bonsai.

=Pinus= Pinaceae Pine

Among the many familiar pines of ornamental interest there are several dwarf forms for limited landscapes. All bear needle-leaves in typical bundles of two, three, or five according to type. Here are some possibilities: P. cembra chlorocarpa, P. mugo (montana) mughus, and a variety of the white pine, P. strobus nana.

CARE. Light, dry, sandy soil. Plant where sheltered; for example, a northern slope. Dry summer winds and unseasonable, warm winter sun will turn the leaves brown. In transplanting trees, remember that the roots do not stand exposure to air. Take the biggest possible chunk of dirt with them. In buying, get stock that is balled in burlap.

PROPAGATION. Seeds and grafting.

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, containers, rock gardens, foundation planting.

=Rhododendron= Ericaceae

Some of the most charming of our truly miniature shrubs, far too infrequently known and grown. Rhododendron species and hybrids may be under a foot tall at maturity and have leaves as small as a little fingernail. The only thing out of proportion is the size of their flowers. Here are some of them: cantabile, chryseum, cinnabarinum, cuneatum, didymum, fastigiatum, ferrugineum, flavidum (primulinum), glaucum (glaucophyllum), hypolepidotum, impeditum, kotschyi, radinum, riparium, russatum, williamsianum.

CARE. Humus-rich soil, sandy and of open texture. Mulch for winter season and water before freezing weather. Withered leaves in the dead of winter mean lack of moisture as well as cold weather.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, softwood tip cuttings (in June).

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock gardens, edging, foundation planting.

Rhododendron keiskei

in spring]

=Sciadopitys verticillata= Taxodiaceae Umbrella Pine

The five-inch needles of this slow-growing Japanese evergreen spread out from new tip growth like the ribs of a half-open umbrella, giving it an airy distinction. The tree, a squat pyramid, with short branches and a stubby main trunk, is ideal for bonsai cultivation.

CARE. Grows well in most any soil but does better in one that has been enriched. As it is slow-growing, there is slight danger that it will outgrow its dwarf proportions. Transplant only when young and do not expose the roots. Protect from severe winter conditions.

PROPAGATION. Seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock gardens, specimens.

=Spiraea= Rosaceae Spirea

This popular deciduous shrub varies as to size, with most varieties far out of the miniature classification. However, there are some short ones, with S. bullata (crispifolia) an out-and-out midget of twelve to fifteen inches. It has rose-colored flowers in midsummer. S. arguta (compacta) is slightly taller. In May it has garlands of fragrant white flowers. S. bumalda, with deep-pink flowers in early summer, grows to about two and a half feet. Most others are considerably taller.

CARE. Almost any soil is acceptable providing it is not too heavy and has drainage. However, plenty of moisture is essential. Plenty of sun is necessary for good flowering. Pruning also promotes flowers, but do it after the blooms have fallen. Transplanting is easy, even with bare roots. Fertilize occasionally.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (ripe or stratified), cuttings of green or hard wood, layers.

SPECIAL USES. Borders, rock gardens, hedges, foundations.

=Taxus= Taxaceae Yew

This evergreen shrub is very valuable to those who garden in smaller-scale plots and grounds. There are a number of extremely low and slow-growing varieties available at most nurseries and in several different forms. All have the typical yew masses of glassy, evergreen needle-leaves and satiny red, berry-like fruit. All accept shearing, even need it to preserve their symmetry and small size. It is often difficult to differentiate between the many varieties when they are young, so be sure to check them when buying.

baccata--English yew--A tall tree but available in these small forms: adpressa, a broad, dense bush with half-inch needles in thick masses; repandens, a flattish, low, and spreading form with drooping branches, two to four feet tall.

canadensis--American or Canadian yew--Three to four feet tall and for planting in the shade. Suffers from unusually warm winter sun. Its variety stricta is neat and upright and stays under two feet in height. The green needles are yellow-tinged when it is young.

cuspidata--Japanese yew--This variety is recommended for Northeastern planting. The slow-growing variety densa is plump and rounded and twice as wide as its four-foot mature height. Another variety, nana (brevifolia), is considerably larger, horizontal, and spreading in habit.

cuspidata nana--This species slightly different, has a deeply fissured trunk with red berry fruit and very dark evergreen leaves. It is highly regarded as a miniature and excellent for bonsai work.

stricta (fastigata, hibernica)--An upright column that tops dwarf proportions sooner than most others.

CARE. Slightly acid soil. Fertilize frequently in early spring and early summer. Good drainage. Don’t plant under rain gutters. Top-dress with old manure. Easily transplanted. Shear just before spring growth starts, to control size and shape. Winter sun may burn needles. Comparatively free of disease.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratified), cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, specimens, hedges, rock and wild gardens, tub planting, bonsai.

=Teucrium chamaedrys= Labiatae Germander

This is an aromatic Old World shrublet that is adaptable to many uses in the garden, whether formal or informal. Most varieties are less than a foot in height. It flowers in late summer. Many gardeners raise it for its decorative value and snip off the blooms. It is hardier than boxwood and less costly.

CARE. It grows in almost any soil but requires good drainage and full sun. Prune the top and sides twice a year for formal effect. Give winter protection with evergreen boughs.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (good but slow), division, cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Beds, edging, rock gardens, miniature hedges, foundations.

=Thuja= Pinaceae Arborvitae

Certain species of the “tree of life” are majestic monsters. But there are a number of shrubby varieties of delicate value in small plantings. All have characteristic scale-like leaves arranged along fan-shaped branches, making fluffy sprays. But shapes vary from balls to pyramids. Foliage may be light, or blue-green, or even golden. Smaller forms are:

occidentalis--This species has two small varieties, compacta (slow-growing, dense pyramid) and ellwangeriana (a low round mound-shape).

minima--A very small and a slow-growing ball.

pumila--‘Little Gem’--Dense-leaved and globe-shaped.

pygmaea--A two-foot globe or ball.

CARE. Cool, moist location. Rich soil and leaf mold. Either full sun or half shade. City soot harmful.

PROPAGATION. Same as for conifers.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, rock gardens, tubs and other containers, specimens.

=Tsuga canadensis= Pinaceae Hemlock

This graceful evergreen conifer has slender horizontal branches with small leaves and small cones. Not all nurseries have it in its few dwarf forms. Best known of these small varieties are the conical compacta, and the completely prostrate, creeping prostrata.

CARE. Slightly acid soil, organic fertilizer, shade-tolerant, hardy (but protect from cold winds), can be pruned.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratified), cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, specimens, rock gardens, bonsai.

=Viburnum= Caprifoliaceae Snowball, European Cranberry Bush

An ornamental shrub. Most varieties are deciduous, and are valued for their heavy flower clusters, fragrance, autumnal color, and attractive fruit. Sizes and colors of flowers vary.

carlesi--Korean snowball--Fragrant pink buds that open as white flowers about the same time the foliage appears.

davidi--About three feet tall with handsome crinkled leaves sharply creased at the veins. Small clusters of white flowers in June; blue fruit in the fall.

nanum--A real dwarf popular for low hedges and rock gardens. It is strictly ornamental, with no flowers or fruit.

CARE. Any soil is acceptable. Moisture required. Hardy.

PROPAGATION. Stratified seeds, cuttings (hardwood or green wood under glass), layers, grafting.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, hedges, specimens.

CHAPTER 15

MINIATURE PERENNIALS AND ROCK PLANTS

Our odd piece of Connecticut countryside is shaped rather like the blade of a paring knife. We cleared the point to make a wild-flower garden. At the blunt end, on one side, a tree-lined bank dips down to the road. On the other, there is an old, low rock wall that’s not particularly beautiful, nor is it suitable for dry-wall planting. When we finally whipped the central lawn into shape, we realized that a flowering border would be nice against the wall--a low, narrow border with colorful bloom all summer long.

To be in proportion and harmony with the setting, the border had to be completely in miniature--following accepted principles for selecting and arranging plants, but executed in small scale. Finding the proper plants has been a challenge; arranging them has been a trial-and-error proposition, because many varieties are entirely new to us. But last summer, the little border began to look the way we had visualized it--taller specimens in the background, ground-hugging cushions facing them down in front, small groups of straight spires for accent at strategic intervals. It will probably take another season or two to perfect the blending and contrast of flowers and foliage, and to get the most colorful and constant succession of bloom.

This is not, of course, our first acquaintance with miniature perennials; and it couldn’t possibly be our last. They combine beautifully with small shrubs, show off to advantage in small rock gardens, add an artistic finishing touch to garden pools, birdbaths, and other ornaments. They’re at their very best in outdoor planters and raised beds on patios and terraces, and in ribbon edgings along walks and walls.

Although they’re precious in flower, many varieties--candytuft, lavender, sempervivum, thyme, plumbago, to name a few--are equally decorative without bloom. This is a valued advantage when planting space is limited. Gardeners with limited time use perennials lavishly because, once established, they’re mostly permanent, and they require a minimum of care. Somehow, I sympathize with a writer who found more pleasure in spring’s tufts of fresh new growth than in the full bloom of summer. Nostalgically, one welcomes the return of an old friend; practically, one knows it will tend to its business of growing and flowering with very little personal attention.

This leads us to the question, “How perennial is a perennial?” and to the obvious answer, “It depends....” To begin with, it should live at least three years in your garden. After that, some varieties need to be lifted and divided into smaller plants with fresh new vigor; some may need to be replaced completely; some few may grow on indefinitely without renewal, or may replace themselves with seedlings that are often of doubtful value.

In the language of the catalogues, a “hardy” perennial is one that can withstand fairly severe winter cold, and may not be hardy in Southern gardens where it is not frozen into dormancy. Most hardy perennials are “herbaceous”--the stems usually die back to the ground each winter; some few have stems that may or may not be somewhat woody and persistent. A “tender” perennial is likely to be killed by cold weather, and is grown as an annual in the North, if it is grown at all.

The life cycle of a biennial extends over two years. It is grown from seed, may or may not need special protection to carry it over a cold winter, produces flowers and seeds the second year, then dies. Some biennials sow themselves with such faithfulness they’re regarded as perennial. The comparatively few biennials among flowering plants are grown much like perennials; miniature varieties are covered in this chapter.

Originally, I was firmly resolved to admit as miniatures only those perennials that grow less than eight inches high. But I couldn’t resist stretching the limits an inch or so to allow for a ten-inch flower stem above a small, flat rosette of leaves; and I found that the height limitation allowed free entry to some rambunctious spreaders that could quickly ruin a miniature garden. So I finally settled on biennials and perennials that are miniature in general appearance and habit, without strict measurements, and with flowers and foliage in suitable proportion for miniature gardens.

For the first year or so, locating some of the small perennials we wanted was rather like a treasure hunt; we never knew where we’d find a clue. Occasionally, we’d spy a prize on a visit to a local nursery. Frequently an advertisement or a tip from another gardener would give us the name of a promising mail-order supplier. Those who specialized in rock-garden plants proved to be particularly fruitful prospects. Often, we started our plants from seeds and discovered later that mature plants were available, had we known it. Now, we have quite a list of sources for miniature perennials which we happily share with you, beginning on page 259.

In selecting suitable varieties, decorative effect is naturally the first consideration--size, habit, and blooming season; color and texture of flowers and foliage; how the plants fit into your design and planting plan. Equally important is hardiness; not only ability to survive a cold winter, but also adaptability to other climatic conditions. Some perennials simply will not grow where summers are hot and dry; others will live but can’t mature enough to flower where nights are cool or growing seasons are short.

Like other types of plants, perennials should be selected according to their cultural needs, and should be planted only where they can get the amount of sunlight and moisture they need, and where the soil is suitable or can be made so. An acid-loving plant in neutral or alkaline soil is a poor, short-lived thing; a moisture-lover withers pitiably where it’s dry as a desert most of the time; a “hardy” perennial won’t be hardy unless its environment is to its liking.

PLANTING AND CARE

Unless it’s utterly impossible, we do all our planting in the spring, so there is plenty of time for plants to develop vigorous root systems before a mean Connecticut winter comes along. This is particularly important to shallow-rooted perennials, and to any that are planted in windy, exposed sites. But for us, it also includes spring-flowering varieties. In spring we’ve planted dormant roots with or without mere nubbins of new growth, and plants that were fully leaved out and bursting with buds, with very little loss. But fall planting has proved to be a gamble; and if we’re forced into it, we’re more likely to find room in the cold frame for the new arrivals until spring.

Of course, this is not usually necessary in more temperate sections where plants set out in late summer and early fall have plenty of time to become acclimated before heavy frost. And it can be all wrong for Southern gardens, where planting during deepest dormancy is often recommended.

Even if you’re planting only three little pinks in a nook the size of a lady’s handkerchief, soil should be dug deeply and be suitably conditioned or enriched, drainage should be made perfect, roots should be spread out carefully, and watering should be as thorough as if you were planting a priceless miniature tree or shrub. To prevent a serious setback from wilting, put up some sort of temporary protection against sun and wind--an encircling screen of leafy branches, even a tent of newspaper or old sheeting.

Soil

There are few soils that can’t be improved by the addition of organic matter such as leaf mold, manure, or compost; and few plants that won’t grow better for it. It helps hold moisture in sandy soil, improves texture and increases drainage in clay-like soil, enriches ordinary garden loam. Mix it thoroughly with the soil before you place the plants. Also before planting, add lime to acid soil for plants that need it, acid peat for acid-loving varieties if your soil is neutral or alkaline. Above all, don’t plant anything (except for a few bog inhabitants) where water stands in puddles. Poor drainage has killed more perennials than Old Man Winter himself.

Watering and Mulching

Most miniature perennials naturally have rather shallow root systems, so they suffer quickly from drought. Don’t let them dry out seriously (particularly after transplanting); water often and deeply enough that the soil below the roots is wet. Thorough watering in late fall, just before the ground freezes, often makes the difference between winter-survival and winter-kill.

Mulching with any available, airy material--buckwheat hulls or crushed sugar cane, for example--will help keep soil moist and will also discourage germination of weed seeds, thereby saving you a bit of work.

Fertilizing

Most miniature plants don’t like or need a heavy diet. A light top-dressing of balanced fertilizer, in early spring, is usually enough to nourish them without forcing soft and straggly growth. Reluctant bloomers may need a small ration of superphosphate or a booster drink of liquid-manure “tea” as flowering time approaches.

Pruning and Grooming

To keep them compact and attractive, some varieties should have growing tips pinched out once or twice in spring and early summer; others may have a few long, straggly stems to be removed; some carpeting types should be sheared off after flowering. Always pick off faded flowers unless you have reason to want the seeds.

In fall, when foliage is frostbitten, cut back the old stems and take them away, along with any fallen leaves or other debris, to be burned. Many diseases and insects winter over in decaying vegetable matter.

Insects and Disease

Our trusty duster or sprayer, filled with an all-purpose insecticide-fungicide formula, gives all our garden plants a preventive treatment several times a season. So far, this has been enough to keep problems and pests away. For some special infestations or epidemics, we keep a few specific remedies on hand--sulfur for powdery mildew, and Aramite for mites, for example.

Winter Protection

In our area we never know whether winter will bless us with a constant covering of snow, or the ground will be bare and exposed to alternate freezing and thawing that “heaves” tender roots up out of their beds. After the ground is frozen two or three inches deep, we cover sleeping perennials with a light blanket of salt hay or, sometimes, evergreen boughs. Crowns that stay evergreen are surrounded by a collar of sharp sand. Questionably hardy varieties are lifted and moved to the cold frame.

In spring, as the weather begins to warm up, we remove the protective mulch a bit at a time. There’s a fine line between taking it off prematurely, thus exposing new growth to a late freeze, and leaving it so long that the soil underneath gets soggy and the roots rot. But, rot can be fatal, and frozen tips of new growth are not, so we remove the winter covering as fast as we dare.

PROPAGATING MINIATURE PERENNIALS

One item in our Connecticut landscape that’s completely out of scale with its surroundings is the monstrous cold frame near the back boundary line. The cement-block wall goes down below the frost line, and up high enough to make room for winter storage of fairly good-sized plants. The discarded storm windows are hinged across the back and completely removable in summer, when they are replaced by light wooden frames of the same size with laths nailed a lath-width apart. The construction slants toward the south, to make the most of all winter sunshine; light shading is necessary in summer to protect tender seedlings and rooting cuttings.

The cold frame serves dozens of purposes and has more than paid for itself with plants it has protected or produced. When we plant perennial seeds in the cold frame, we throw a piece of burlap across the top and keep it moist until they germinate. Tender seedlings spend their first winter within its walls, and so do newly rooted cuttings. Questionably hardy perennials or any that we acquire in fall are held over until spring. Every year, it seems as if we take more out of the cold frame than we put into it!

Other, smaller, portable devices are equally useful for all kinds of summer propagating. Low square or rectangular wooden frames can be set over an area of prepared soil and the top covered with glass or polyethylene to keep the soil from drying out. An empty fruit crate from the grocer can be equipped with a glass or plastic top. A few cuttings can be rooted in soil in some shady spot with a clear glass jar inverted over them. There are many devices that keep soil moist and air humid while seeds germinate or cuttings root. How large or elaborate yours should be depends on how much propagating you want to do.

Seeds

Many hard-to-find miniature perennials can be easily grown from a twenty-cent packet of seed. You can also harvest seeds from your own plants; but only natural species will “come true.” Complicated hybrids will have unpredictable offspring, most of them not particularly desirable.

We plant seeds of most biennials and perennials in June, when the soil is comfortably warm and the seedlings will have the whole summer to grow large and lusty. Some of our own seeds that ripen in midsummer are planted as soon as we can harvest them; those that mature later are usually stored on a cool shelf in the cellar in plastic boxes or little pill bottles that keep them dry.

Soil for the seed bed is sifted to remove pebbles and debris, and mixed with equal quantities of sharp sand and peat or sieved leaf mold. To prevent “damp-off,” a fungus that chokes off stems at the soil line, soil should be sterilized if at all possible. Small quantities may be baked in the oven. Special easy-to-use fungicides are also available; follow label directions.

Rocks, water, and planting--an effective combination of all the elements of a rock garden. (Mr. and Mrs. Norman Cherry)]

Most seeds are covered to the depth of their diameter; very fine seeds are merely firmed down into the soil. Seeds with hard coats may be gently nicked with a knife or soaked in water for a day or so. Some seeds, like primroses, need to be treated as if they had wintered outdoors before they will germinate. You can put them in moist sand in a small, tight container and alternate freezing in the ice compartment and thawing in the warmer part of the refrigerator for several days. Or you can plant these seeds in a small box or flat of their own and leave them outdoors, in a protected spot, where winter will supply its own natural conditions.

Some seeds germinate faster in the dark, some with light; some like cooler temperatures than others; some come up in seven days, some take months or even a year. Seed packets usually supply pertinent information.

Seeds will not germinate in dry soil, or if allowed to dry out even temporarily during the critical period. To avoid washing out fine seeds, water gently with a fine mist, or set the flat or other container in water up to the level of the soil inside. When the soil surface looks shiny and moist, remove the container and set it aside to drain.

When the first “true” leaves are of fair size, transplant the seedlings to peat pots, or flats, or rows in a prepared bed or cold frame. Shade against sun and wind until they resume growth.

Stem Cuttings

Many perennials can be propagated easily and in quantity by rooting softwood cuttings like those of trees and shrubs. Tip cuttings three or four inches long are usually best, with all the flower buds and the lower leaves removed. Some types, such as dianthus and lavender, root faster and more surely if the cutting is taken with a heel.

For spring-flowering varieties, take stem cuttings after flowering has finished and up until midsummer; for those that bloom later, take cuttings in May or June.

Division

This is a wonderful way not only to increase perennials, but also to keep them young and vigorous. How often you divide them depends on each plant’s individual performance. When growth is so thick it seems to be choking itself, when there’s little healthy new growth and a poor show of bloom, when a clump or crown becomes tough and hard in the center, it’s usually time to refresh the plant by division. Some plants need it almost every other year, some not for many years.

How you divide a plant depends upon how it grows. If there is a central crown of leaves, it can be cut cleanly into two or three sections, each with its own share of roots. Or there may be new, young crowns clustered around its edge that can be pulled or cut off. If the plant simply has a crowded colony of stems and fibrous roots, you can often pull it apart gently into several pieces. Or if it’s the type that sends out rooting runners, you can sever these and replant them. Generally, the old, tired center of the plant is discarded.

In cold climates, even spring-flowering perennials are most safely divided very early in the season, when new growth is beginning. Cool, moist spring weather favors rapid recovery from the operation, and there is plenty of time for the new plants to mature before fall. Summer-flowering and fall-flowering types are also divided in earliest spring. In humid climates the spring-bloomers can be divided in August or early September.

Layering

Almost any perennial with low or low-hanging branches can be propagated by pinning a stem to the soil, several inches from the growing tip. When new growth appears, cut off the rooted stem and transplant it. This propagating method may not produce great numbers of new plants at one time; but it is surely one of the easiest and least troublesome practices--and particularly safe because the new plant is supported by the parent until it is well rooted.

I’ve been intrigued with one good gardener’s method of creating a low hedge from one plant of dwarf lavender. She layered one stem at each side of the original plant. When these two new plants were fairly mature (but not cut away from the old plant), she layered one stem of each. By repeating the process, and locating each new layer in a straight line with the last one, she can extend her hedge as far as she wishes and plant it as she goes, along any lines.

ROCK GARDEN PERENNIALS

=Achillea= Compositae Yarrow, Hilfoil

Resembling the field yarrow, but dainty, mottled, and tufted. The leaves, some finely cut and ferny, wear thick wool coats. The saucy flowers are in heads, some flat-topped and not unlike daisies.

ageratifolia aizoon (Anthemis aizoon)--Six-inch mat of silver-haired, uncut leaves topped with bright white flowers in May and June.

clavennae--Tufts of hoary, fine-cut leaves less than a foot high, tight round white flower heads three-fourths of an inch across in May and June.

tomentosa--Best-known little species, quickly makes a thick mat of semi-evergreen gray-green leaves six inches tall. It has sunny yellow flowers from June to midsummer. The variety aurea has more golden flowers and blooms earlier; nana is a true midget and makes a thick carpet studded with many white flowers. Five-inch ‘Moonlight’ has flowers of sulfur yellow, and greener foliage.

umbellata--Four-inch mounds of fuzzy, silvery, ferny leaves. It has cream-white flowers in June and is evergreen in temperate areas.

CARE. Any soil, even sandy or poor. Dryish to moist. Sun or very light shade. Easy to grow.

PROPAGATION. Division in spring or fall, seeds (flowers the second year).

SPECIAL USES. Rock plantings, dry-wall planting, edging, ground cover, pavements.

=Aethionema= Cruciferae Stone-Cress, Persian Candytuft

This is a heathery little shrub-like perennial with slim leaves and steely-blue needles, cheerful clusters of flowers at the stem tips in May and June. It is often compared to a minuscule daphne.

armenum--Neat tufts of short, sharp leaves and petite pink flowers in June. It is never over four inches high.

iberideum--Low, crowded, and cushiony-minute with gray-green leaves and large white flowers in short clusters. This one is earlier than other varieties, blooming even in April if the weather is favorable. (Needs gritty soil with some lime.)

schistosum--By comparison this one is a giant growing to eight or ten inches, with two-inch leaves and fragrant pink flowers.

CARE. Soil light, sandy, well-drained, and gravelly; dry; sun. Hardy in southern New England. Give protection in severe winters.

PROPAGATION. Cuttings in summer, division and seeds in spring.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, dry-wall planting, edging, borders.

=Ajuga= Labiatae Bugle

This is a low, creeping or spreading perennial with pinwheels of rather coarse leaves and small blue flowers which come in May and June. It is of miniature height and should only be planted where you can control it, or want it to spread. Some of the better-known varieties are:

genevensis--Oval toothed leaves, light green. Flowers deep blue.

pyramidalis--Less likely to spread and stays neat and small. Flowers blue and slightly larger than those of other varieties.

reptans--Also known as carpet bugle, it is nearly supine, with stems that root as they creep. Flowers blue or purplish. Variety alba has white flowers; variegata, foliage marked with cream and pink. Rubra pink flowers.

‘Silver Beauty’--Compact and ground-hugging. White markings on leaves give a silvery appearance. Blue flowers.

CARE. Ordinary soil, even poor; sun or part shade; dry. Plant in fall or spring six inches apart. Easy to grow.

PROPAGATION. Seeds in spring, division.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, dry-wall planting, ground cover, edging.

=Alyssum= Cruciferae Madwort

Plushy, mat-forming, like a silver-gray rug with flecks of white or golden flowers in spring and summer. The grayish leaves are small, the flowers in thick clusters. Popular forms are:

alpestre (serpyllifolium)--Three-inch gray carpet with bright-yellow flowers through June.

montanum--Fragrant gold flowers in June; about eight inches high.

mulfenianum--Smaller (four-inch) version with balls of yellow flowers from May to June.

saxatile--basket of gold--Blooms in May; nine inches high; spreads thickly. Variety compactum is more compact and shorter; about eight inches. Variety citrinum has lemon-yellow flowers.

spinosum--Dense growth, shrubby and spiny, about eight inches high. White flowers sometimes tinged with pink, in June and July.

CARE. Any ordinary soil with drainage. Sunny, open location. Plant in spring or fall six to eight inches apart.

PROPAGATION. Seeds in fall, division of roots in spring.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, borders, dry walls, pavements, edging, carpet for bulbs, ground cover.

=Anemone= Ranunculaceae Windflower

One of the earliest to bloom in the spring, it has lacy leaves and colorful flowering saucers not made up of petals but of sepals (leaves that encircle the flowers at the base).

apennina--Tuberous species six or seven inches high with deeply cut leaves; arrives in March with bright, sky-blue flowers. Variety alba has white flowers; purpurea, rich lavender-rose.

blanda--Resembles apennina but is slightly larger and has darker flowers.

nemorosa--European wood anemone--Similiar to American forms. Variety alleni has lavender flowers. Variety rosea, pink.

palmata--Six-inch dwarf with whorls of leathery leaves, golden-white flowers in May or June. The flowers of the variety albida are heavenly white with gold centers.

pulsatilla--pasque flower--A more robust alpine growing to eight inches tall. Hardy even in Maine rock gardens. Flowers are purple-blue bells that come early and last as long as the weather is cool. Its finely cut leaves are softened with silky hairs. Other varieties are alba, white; rubra, plum red; and camla, silvery lilac surrounded by white.

CARE. Rich sandy loam with leaf mold. Part shade for some varieties.

PROPAGATION. Seed in late fall, root division in early spring.

SPECIAL USES. Wild gardens, rock gardens, forcing, flower beds.

=Antennaria= Compositae Pussy-Toes

This is a furry little creeper with flat, silvery, spoon-shaped leaves and bristly flowers sometimes dried as everlastings.

dioica--Fast-creeping carpet with pink-tipped flowers in spring.

microphylla (parvifolia)--Western native, slower growing, with white flowers.

neodioica--Eastern native that makes a low mat of silver-hairy leaves and sends up pink-tipped white flowers in early summer.

CARE. Sandy, even poor, soil; full sun; dry. Cut off leaves after flowering to make neater plants.

PROPAGATION. Seeds and division.

SPECIAL USES. Rock walls and pavement.

=Aquilegia= Ranunculaceae Columbine

Hardy little perennials with two-or three-part leaves like clover but often cut or indented on the edge, and drooping or noddling flowers with flaring sepals and spurs of different sizes and shapes.

akitensis--Six-inch Japanese doll with stemless blue-green leaves and large lavender-blue flowers with yellow at the center. June flowers.

discolor--Alpine with glowing blue flowers, white inside and frosty-green leaves. Five inches tall.

flabellata nana-alba--fan columbine--Three divided leaves like blue-green fans, lustrous white flowers in May.

jonesi--Diminutive, two to three inches tall. Small leaves in small mounds, flowers upturned and deep blue in June.

saximontana--Alpine with two-inch tufts of crisp leaves; aquamarine flowers with yellowish sepals on four-inch stems in April.

CARE. Soil light and sandy, with leaf mold; drainage; shade or semishade. Hardy. Plant in fall.

PROPAGATION. Seeds in the spring (flowers the following year), division in the spring.

SPECIAL USES. Rock and wall planting, wild-flower gardens, beds.

=Arabis= Cruciferae Rock Cress

Mat-forming perennials with blankets of hairy leaves under spreads of flowers rather like stocks or candytuft. They flower in spring or summer and are often fragrant.

albida--Unless the form is marked “compact” the species may top ten inches. Leaves green and woolly, flowers white (in April and May). Variety flora plena is about six inches tall with double white flowers; rosea, orchid pink and single; variegata, white-marked leaves. ‘Pink Charm’ is single with bright-pink flowers.

blepharophylla--Clusters of deep-green leaves with eyelashes on the edge; pink-purple flowers in April. Height, four inches.

procurrens--Matting plant with creeping stolons, white flowers in May. Dwarf variety, stari, spreads slowly and stays under four inches.

CARE. Medium, even poor, soil; warm and sandy. Not too moist. Sun or light shade. After flowering cut back straggly stems.

PROPAGATION. Division (in spring or fall), seeds, cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, wall planting, ground cover, edging.

=Aster alpinus= Compositae Rock Aster

Small leaves mat closely to make a mound four inches high. The flat lilac daisy-like flowers come in June and July on eight-inch stems. The variety superbus is slightly larger; albus has white flowers. ‘Goliath’ is a variety with flowers ranging from yellow-centered lavender to near-purple. ‘Spring Charm’ is a midget with lavender-pinkish flowers.

CARE. Any good soil, full sun.

PROPAGATION. Seeds in the spring (flowers the next year).

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, borders, edging.

=Bellis= Compositae Daisy

Miniature daisies of cheerful charm, some varieties barely six inches tall.

perennis--English daisy--Nests of green leaves sprinkled in spring and summer with flowers of white, rose, or red. Several new strains are now being offered in singles, doubles (some have quilted petals), and varied colors.

rotundiafolia caerulescens--alpine daisy--Soft-blue flowers all summer long.

CARE. Fertile soil; moist, but good drainage; sun or semisun. A cool summer produces larger flowers. Not suitable for hot climates.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (flowers following year), division in cool weather.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, edging, ground cover.

=Campanula= Campanulaceae Harebell, Bell Flower

These are the beloved bell flowers which should be included in all gardens. Included on page 264 are varieties that are easy to get and grow.

CARE. Light loamy soil, slightly on limy side; drainage. Sun, except dwarfs, which take light shade. Remove dead flowers. Shelter with evergreen boughs in severe winter.

PROPAGATION. Division in early spring or fall, seeds (plant as soon as ripe), cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, walls, borders, edging, pots, and baskets.

=Cerastium= Caryophyllaceae

Perennial creepers and carpeters with slim silk-hairy leaves and showers of white flowers with an over-all effect of soft fuzzy wool. Maximum height six inches, but most plants less.

alpinum lanatum--Smallest downy leaves, white flowers in clusters in June and July.

bierbersteini--Longer leaves, flowers one month earlier.

tomentosum--snow in summer--This, the most popular species; quickly forms a large mat like a silver carpet under starry white flowers in May and June. It is said it will grow in pure sand.

CARE. Ordinary soil, sun, dry. Easy to grow.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (plant in fall or spring), division, cuttings after flowering.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, edging, flower beds, ground cover.

VARIETIES OF HAREBELL, BELL FLOWERS

Leaves Flowers Blooming season carpatica mats 4″ tall blue saucers June to Oct. carpatica alba mats 4″ tall white June to Oct. carpatica ‘Wedgwood’ cushions violet-blue cups June to Oct. carpatica ‘White Wedgwood’ cushions white June to Oct. carpatica turbinata low mass large, flat, violet June to Aug. cochlearifolia shell-shaped mass blue bells May and June cochlearifolia alba shell-shaped mass white May and June cochlearifolia ‘Mironda’ shell-shaped mass silver-blue June to Aug. collina fuzzy clumps purple bells June elatines dense 3″ mass stars, white center June and July elatines alba plena double white ‘Star for baskets of Bethlehem’ and pots garganica may be woolly blue June and July portenschlagiana roundish, toothed (muralis) crinkled tufts violet bells June and July saxifraga broadened upturned violet bells spring

=Ceratostigma plumbaginoides= Plumbaginaceae Leadwort

Shrubby little perennial “bushes” about eight inches high and spreading into clumps twice as wide, with hairy-edged leaves which are green with bronze overtones. It turns to a brickish color in autumn. In August the plants cover themselves with blue phlox-like flowers and continue to bloom until heavy frost.

CARE. Most any soil with drainage. Will grow in sand. Full sun best but semishade is acceptable. Don’t plant in moist location. In winter give protection.

PROPAGATION. Seeds in the spring, division at time of new growth in spring, cuttings.

SPECIAL USES. Borders, edging, rock gardens, ground cover.

=Coreopsis auriculata nana= Compositae

Neat little plant with tufts of divided, or lobed, leaves; golden-orange daisy-like flowers on three-to six-inch stems, from June through August.

CARE. Light sandy soil. Shade in extremely hot climate. Cut faded flowers.

PROPAGATION. Sow seeds in fall for flowering next year; division of clumps.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, edging.

=Corydalis= Fumariaceae Fumitory

Ferny-leaved herbaceous perennials with spurred flowers like bleeding heart but more colorful and blooming in the spring. Some types are tuberous-rooted, or partly so, but are grown more like other perennials.

cava (bulbosa)--Tuberous type, about eight inches tall, with gaudy clusters of purple flowers in April.

cheilanthifolia--Perennial with thickened roots, finely dissected eight-inch leaves, sprays of yellow flowers from May to frost. Requires shade from hot sun. Striking for its foliage alone.

halleri (densifolia)--March bloomer, tuberous. Not many leaves but plenty of clusters of rosy, or purple, flowers; six to eight inches.

lutea--Eight-inch clump-makers with lacy blue-green leaves. Yellow flowers appear in June and repeat later. Likes to keep cool in the shade, or have its roots under a rock. Won’t grow in extreme heat.

nobilis--Tuberous type, upright to eight inches, with leaflets both wedge-shaped and deep-toothed. It may have as many as twenty spurred white flowers per cluster, tipped with yellow and spotted with purple.

rupestris--Ferny-leaved eight-inch perennial with short-spurred yellow flowers. Nontuberous.

CARE. Any garden soil with drainage. Partial or light shade, or sun. Plant tuberous types in fall.

PROPAGATION. Division, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Borders, rock gardens, wall plantings, edging.

=Dianthus= Caryophyllaceae Pink

There are some very special treasures for every garden in this big family of spicy-scented plants with flowers that seem to have been fringed with pinking shears. There are impermanent perennials that flower the first year like annuals, biennials like sweet William that often self-sow, longer lived types that tuft or spread out to make low flowering mounds or mats, elusive alpines for the rock-garden connoisseur, pixies with tiny half-inch flowers, and great garden carnations. Every year new hybrids make the list longer.

Make your selection, of course, according to size, scent, growing habits, and the color scheme of your little garden. For the miniature rock garden, the rose-colored species D. alpinus stays under three inches; D. neglectus combines pink and buff, and there are many more. The Allwoodi hybrid varieties are sturdy, lasting, and flower freely for most of the summer. The cheddar pinks (D. casius varieties) are clumpy; the maiden pinks make mats; the cottage or grass pinks are tufted; sweet William (D. barbatas) is one of the clusterheads; the “annuals” (usually forms of D. chinensis) will flower early when seed is started indoors, repeat the performance if cut back after the first flowering, and may even live to bloom once more the second year.

For the most miniature, look for these newcomers: double pink, three-inch ‘Pixie’; rose-red ‘Tiny Rubies’; four-inch ‘Wee Willie’ (sweet William’s son), not reliably perennial but behaves beautifully as an annual; deep-red ‘Little Joe.’ One seed house offers a perennial ‘Midget Double’ sweet William under four inches high and like a button-size carnation.

CARE. Warm sandy soil, not too rich. Lime, dryish, drainage. Full sun, cool temperature. Cut off faded flowers.

PROPAGATION. Division, layers, cuttings, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Flower beds, rock gardens, edging.

=Geranium= Geraniaceae Cranesbill

This is not the popular potted plant (pelargonium) or the wild geranium of the Eastern woods (G. maculatum). These are lacy-leaved perennials with a delicate look but a tough constitution. Here are some of the smallest available types, flowering mostly in the spring but often repeating in spurts throughout the summer.

farreri--A little three-inch doll from China, the many-fingered leaves making a low nest under the astonishingly large, black-anthered, blush-pink-on-white flowers.

macrorrhizum--The species is largish and makes a buxom six-inch bush with light sprays of pink flowers. The foliage is aromatic and turns beautifully bronzy in fall.

pylzowianum--Eager spreader, two to three inches high, with finely divided leaves and rosy flowers in May and June.

CARE. Gravelly soil with drainage, dryish. Sun or light shade. Mostly hardy.

PROPAGATION. Seeds; root division in spring or fall.

SPECIAL USES. Border and dry-wall planting.

=Gypsophila= Caryophyllaceae Baby’s Breath

Here is something for every rock garden, the beginner’s or the connoisseur’s. Over a soft cushion of tiny leaves the foamy flowers are heart-tuggingly romantic and delicate. The plants are hardy, eagerly branching and spreading, and veiled in bloom for most of the summer.

cerastioides--Four-inch creeper with gray-velvet mouse-ear leaves, sprays of white flowers with pink veins. Soil should be alkaline, sandy or gritty, and perfectly drained.

muralis--An unusual “annual” about six inches high, with narrow leaves and warm rosy flowers. Looks and grows best when crowded.

repens--Midget trailer with slim, silvery blue-green leaves and white or pinkish flowers only a few inches above them. Available varieties include, white-flowering alba, compact double pink bodgeri, and single rose-pink rosea.

CARE. Not too rich soil, dryish, with drainage. Full sun or light shade. Usually hardy. Don’t thin too much.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (sow where you want the plant), division.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, wall plantings, pavements, ground cover.

=Iberis= Cruciferae Perennial Candytuft

Extremely decorative and useful evergreen with durable, fresh-looking foliage and clusters of sparkling white or pale-tinted flowers in spring. The plants spread, but not enough to be troublesome in small gardens.

saxatalis--Miniature even among miniatures, with two-inch clumps of hairy-edged leaves and flat clusters of white flowers in May. Needs gravelly, limy soil.

sempervirens--The better-known named varieties are offspring of this stalwart, nearly shrub-like perennial with blunt-tipped narrow leaves and flowers forming an umbrella-shaped cluster on six-to eight-inch stems. One plant can spread out to several feet across. Among the dwarfs are ‘Autumn Snow,’ seven inches high and often blooming again in September; ‘Little Gem,’ compact mounds four to six inches high; ‘Purity,’ the purest of white; and ‘Snowflake,’ a little later (June) and a little larger (eight inches).

=Iris= Iridaceae

Basically, iris are of two types--bulbous and rhizomatous--each with miniature species, varieties, and hybrids. Leaves may be broad and flat, or slim and grass-like. Stems may bear one or several flowers, the earliest in March and the latest in June. Natural colors include white, yellow, and all shades of lavender and purple; hybrids widen the range to many other tints.

There are many miniature species, some with several varieties, and also hybrids, of their own. By far the largest group is the ‘Dwarf Bearded Iris,’ so classified by the American Iris Society according to the height of the flower stalk, and further divided into two series: miniature dwarfs (four to ten inches) and standard dwarfs, Lilliputs (ten to fifteen inches). These are rhizomatous, of course, like the tall bearded giants of the garden, and bloom midway between the earlier species and the big ones.

* * * * *

bakeriana--Bulbous, about six inches high, with round leaves and early, fragrant, blue-purple flowers.

cristata--Crested iris with rhizomes and spreading by stolons to make wide mats. About six inches high with one or two white-crested, lilac, fragrant flowers in mid-May. There is an all-white variety. It likes light shade or dappled shade and cool moisture for its roots.

flavissima--Rhizomatous, spreading by stolons to make open clumps under six inches high. It has narrow leaves and several bearded, brown-marked yellow flowers per stem when it blooms in April and May. It needs gritty or sandy soil, only slightly acid.

histroides--Bulbous, about four inches high, with pale-blue flowers which appear early before the leaves. Various colors available.

innominata--Rhizomatous West Coast dwarf with long grassy leaves and flowers varying between yellow and orange, and between lavender and purple. Blooms in May and June. Takes light shade and neutral, or even slightly acid, soil.

orchioides--Bulbous, with sword-shaped leaves to nine inches long; has several purple-blotched yellow flowers per stem.

reticulata--Bulb covered with netted membrane. Reedy stems about eight inches long disappearing in June. Crested flowers on six-inch stems with a fragrance like fresh violets. Gold-marked on deep purple. Blooms very early in March, even in snow.

tenuifolia--Rhizomatous, about six inches high, blue-purple flowers in June.

vartani--Bulbous, flowering in late winter in mild areas, stemless slate-blue or violet flowers.

voina--Native rhizomatous species which spreads by stolons; four to six inches tall. Has tufts of narrow leaves and beardless flowers which are lilac, or velvet marked yellow, on three-inch stems; blooms in May. Provide light shade and acid soil.

CARE. For bulbous type: sandy or gritty soil with humus; drainage; sun, except the hottest. For dwarf bearded type: loamy alkaline soil, and drainage. Moist. More sun for best flowering.

PROPAGATION. Bulbous: divide bulbs in summer and replant in summer. Rhizomatous: divide in summer.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, forcing, flower beds.

=Lavandula officinalis= Labiate Lavender

Here is one that deserves a place in every garden, and for many reasons: Its aromatic foliage and flowers, its nostalgic charm, and the pleasant sight of it against evergreen with its gray-felt leaves and dark-lavender flowers. It usually stops growing just under the height of one foot and can be clipped lower if you wish. The leaves are lacy, slim, and dainty, especially with their pure-white fur when young.

Among the varieties available are the Munstead strain, dwarf, plump, and bearing pink flowers; ‘Hidcate Blue,’ very hardy; compacta (nana compacta), earlier flowering and only a few inches high; and atropurpurea, with dark purple flowers.

CARE. Poor soil so plants will not grow too vigorously and winter-kill. Drainage, sun, winter protection. Dryish. Lime for maximum fragrance. Prune almost any time; mulch.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, division, cuttings in late fall or early spring on this year’s growth with heel of older wood.

SPECIAL USES. Edging, rock gardens, ground cover.

=Myosotis= Boraginaceae Forget-Me-Not

Sentiment, compelling as it is, is not the only reason for having this delightful little plant in one’s rock garden. Small though it is, it has its own quiet charm in its delicate foliage and transparent cloud of tiny blue flowers. The intensity of color of those blooms catches your eye and draws you to it. You look at it and understand the reason for its name. Here are a few members of the family:

scorpioides (palustris)--Light, low, and sprawling; light-blue flowers touched with gold at the center during the spring. (They last much longer if you have the dwarf variety semperflorens.) The fact that these perennials are often listed as “half-hardy annuals” indicates their need for winter protection, but they will self-seed. (Water-lily specialists offer an aquatic variety that grows in bogs.)

sylvatica (alpestris)--Self-sowing biennial (also offered as an annual) that has blue flowers with touches of pink, sometimes entirely pink. May flowers.

CARE. Ordinary soil, cool, moist, part shade.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (flowers the second year), division of clumps in late summer.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, edge of pools.

=Nepeta hederacea (glechoma)= Labiatae Ground Ivy

This is a ground cover, one that can get out of hand unless checked, but it has its uses in shady spots where other covers do not flourish. About the best-liked variety is variegata, which has round leaves neatly scalloped on the edge and embroidered with white. In the spring it has spires of blue flowers.

CARE. Ordinary or sandy soil. Drainage, either sun or shade. Cut off faded flowers.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, division.

SPECIAL USES. Ground cover, containers, baskets, house and greenhouse plantings, rock gardens.

=Oenothera= Onagraceae Evening Primrose, Sundrop

The sundrops bloom by day; the evening primroses stay open at night and play host to the moths of the garden. There is a miniature of each type for the small garden. Each has the common characteristic of large yellow poppy-like flowers which are short-lived but are quickly replaced by others for most of the summer.

missouriensis--Evening primrose from the West, six inches high. The leaves are long and oval, covered with ash-gray hairs. The nocturnal flowers, poppy-like, can measure six inches across and are yellow.

perennis (pumila)--sundrop--This is the daytime bloomer, often with one-inch blooms on a plant only three inches tall. The silk-hairy leaves make a lush-looking mound.

CARE. Medium sandy soil, dry, with drainage (heavy dampness is fatal). Lime and manure. Sun. Remove seed pods to promote more flowers. Plant has long taproot which must not be broken when transplanting.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, division (in early fall or spring), cuttings (in late summer).

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens and wall plantings.

=Phlox= Polemoniaceae

There are so many varieties of this furiously spring-flowering plant, and all with many admirers, that the trick is to find the ones which appeal to you personally. You will be guided by the colors you want and the amount of space available. Many of them, after the blooming season, make lush, plushy, green foliage mats.

amoena (procumbens)--Neat, not rampant, cushions of two-inch oval leaves with flat clusters of fragrant pinkish, or purplish, flowers on six-inch stems in May and June.

bifida--sand phlox--A native of the Midwest with low, tufted, and slightly hairy foliage and starry blue flowers (early, in April and May).

divaricata (canadensis)--wild sweet William--This slow creeper is a little tall--about twelve inches--but may fit your planting scheme. It has two-inch oval leaves and clusters of lavender-blue flowers at daffodil time.

douglasi--alpine phlox--Three-inch Western native with half-inch knife-like evergreen leaves and half-inch white or pastel flowers (in June).

rigida--sandhill phlox--Western alpine, similar to douglasi except for thinner, more sharply pointed leaves and white flowers blending to blue and purple. The more acid the soil, the deeper the colors.

stolonifera--creeping phlox--Partly or fully evergreen creeper with four-inch stems, oval, hairy leaves, and full clusters of light or dark lavender flowers in May and June.

subulata--ground moss, or mountain pink--In April and May the six-inch mats of evergreen leaves are almost invisible under the profuse cover of one-inch, fragrant flowers. They may be purple, purplish-pink, or white, and some varieties are red or blue.

CARE. Fertile soil, acid or alkaline according to the variety. Moist. Most are hardy, again according to the variety.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (do not always come true), cuttings in July and August, division of roots.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, edging, ground cover.

=Primula= Primulaceae Primrose Official “Sections,” by common cultural requirements.

Auricula Section. P. auricula and other European alpines and their hybrids; usually evergreen; flower in early spring. Stony, drained, rich loamy soil lightened by leaf mold and sand; will stand more sun than most, but not hot midday sun; likes its roots under stones; mulch with stone chips.

Candelabra Section from Asia. Flowers in tiers, one whorl above another, open-faced; most tall with big leaves. Needs moist soil, part shade. Flowers in late spring and early summer. Disappear over winter.

Capitatae Section from the Himalayas. Biennial here, perennial where snow covers all winter and on the West Coast. Flowers late (July). Flat rosettes of delicately toothed leaves, twelve-inch silver stems; flat silvery heads of slightly drooping flowers. Disappears over winter.

Cortusoides Section from Asia. Woodsy-rich humusy soil. Decorative leaves usually soft hairy. Flowers in spring. Disappears over winter.

Denticulata Section. Small group from the Himalayas. Easy perennial. Be careful about dampness in winter. Among the earliest to flower in spring.

Farinosae Section. Huge group from many lands. Moisture, drainage, part shade. Stand more sun if moist. Small bud, usually white at surface, shows in winter.

Nivalis Section from Asia. Biennial here. Long narrow leaves. Flowers in tiers closer than candelabra and more drooping. Cool, rich, moist soil, part shade. Flowers in early spring; disappears in winter.

Sikkimensis Section from Asia. Belled primulas, with hanging heads of bell-shaped flowers. Biennial here; perennial in both colder and warmer climates. Most tall with heads of fragrant flowers held well above large toothed leaves. Flowers in late spring; disappears in winter.

Vernales Section includes all the easiest-to-grow and best-known primulas. Requires part shade, rich soil, moisture; should never be completely dry. Evergreen. Includes: P. vulgaris (acaulis), single flower per stem; P. polyantha with many varieties, and stalked umbrella of flowers above the leaves; P. juliae hybrids. Among P. polyantha there are some dwarf hybrids (not miniature).

CARE. Some shade for hottest part of the day. Woodsy soil rich in humus, neutral or slightly acid. Mulch with manure if possible, around and between plants; don’t cover crown. Keep moist. Provide winter protection of salt hay, evergreen boughs, or excelsior, which results in gradual thawing of the ground around the plants in spring, and also prevents premature blooming during unseasonably warm winter days. Fertilize in spring, and in summer for next year’s flowers. No nitrogen in summer fertilizer. Watch plants for signs of slugs and red spider. Divide when plants get too crowded, preferably after flowering. Hearty seeders.

PROPAGATION. Seeds when ripe (others must be frozen first and thawed), division after flowering.

SPECIAL USES. Carpet under shrubs and under early-flowering trees. Naturalize by streams and beside pools. Wall planting, rock gardens, borders, wild gardens.

=Saxifraga= Saxifragaceae Rockfoil

There are so many species and hybrids of this popular plant it is difficult to know all of them. Generally, they are characterized by flattish clusters of leaves around the crown, and airy sprays of flowers on top of taller stems. But from this point the variations take many forms and sizes. The leaves may be the size of a nickel or five times that size; flowers may be minute, or large and open-faced; there may be creeping stems or runners, or not.

For most gardeners it is not necessary to know how botanists classify these plants. If you plan to delve deeply into rock gardening there are a number of excellent books on rock plants, some of which are listed in the appendix.

Following are a few of the better-known, and easier grown, saxifraga, including several that have a place in flower borders and other garden spots.

aizoon--Arctic native with rosettes of evergreen, stiff, gray-blue leaves edged with a thin “crust” of limy deposit, and purple-spotted white flowers on tall stems (in May or June). There are a number of varieties, including yellow-flowering lutea, pink rosea, and tiny baldensis with leaf clusters only a quarter-inch across. (Drainage, moist, with northwest exposure. Shade from noon sun; provide limy soil with leaf mold.

cuscutaeformis--Thick, hairy, roundish leaves tinged with copper and marked with a network of white veins; spreads by reddish runners that produce new plants at their tips.

decipiens rosacea--Mossy mats of finely cut leaves and large cupped white flowers on six-inch stems (in May and June). Drainage; gritty sandy soil with leaf mold and humus. Moist, shade from sun. Also pink-and red-flowering varieties.

sarmentosa--strawberry begonia--Favorite pot and basket plant, hardy in nearly every garden. Spreads by strawberry-like runners with plantlets at the ends. Makes mats of round, white-veined leaves and tall airy sprays of white or purplish flowers in June. Requires shade, and moist acid soil.

umbrosa--London pride--Makes a carpet of three-inch-high rosettes of leathery leaves; spires of pink flowers in early summer. Needs moist, rich soil and shade or semishade. The small-scale variety primuloides is daintier.

virginiensis--Slender, oval three-inch leaves in flat clusters, green tinged, but bronze in the fall; small white flowers on ten-inch stems in May. Native of our Northeast. Nice in wild gardens.

CARE. Soil varies with the species (lime for the encrusted ones, which also tolerate more sun). Semishade, moist, but perfect drainage. A hot dry climate is bad for the alpines. Mossy varieties need heavier shade, richer soil, and are best moist.

PROPAGATION. Divisions of sets, cuttings, seeds (most varieties).

SPECIAL USES. Baskets, pots, dry-wall planting, containers, borders.

=Silene= Caryophyllaceae Campion, Catchfly

The perennials of this genus include some of our most colorful native plants (the flaming fire pink S. virginica, for example), all related to the garden pinks but each one having its own characteristics.

acaulis--cushion pink, moss campion--Dainty two-inch mossy tufts of needle-like leaves slowly increasing to clumps and having half-inch purple-red flowers all summer. (Provide gritty, limed soil.)

caroliniana (pennsylvanica)--wild pink--Sticky-fuzzy plant with slim four-inch evergreen leaves and pink flowers on six-inch stems (April-June). Native to Northeastern woods. Good in rocky spots. Has deep taproot so handle with care. Dig deep when dormant.

maritima--Sea campion--Slim, gray-blue leaves on trailing stems, making a mat four inches high with clusters of white flowers in June.

saxifraga--Tufts of knife-shaped leaves under summer flowers which are white inside, tinted green or red outside, on six-inch stems.

schafta--moss campion--Spreading mounds of silky-hairy leaves covered in August with rose or purple flowers on six-inch stems.

CARE. Good soil, gritty for some varieties with lime for some. Top-dress yearly with mixture of soil and cow manure. Drainage.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, division, cuttings (of young growth).

SPECIAL USES. Rock planting, borders, walls, wild gardens.

=Thymus= Labiatae Thyme

These are actually tiny shrubs with tangling, woody stems and masses of little leaves that are evergreen in all but the coldest and most exposed locations. Some creep flatly; some make three-inch mounds. You can choose from varying fragrances, leaf textures and colors, and colors of early summer flowers. In fact, there is a much wider variety available than most gardeners realize.

herba-barona--caraway thyme--Ground-hugging creeper with fresh green caraway-scented leaves, and tight clusters of rose-purple flowers. It does not seed and is propagated by division of roots. Hardy.

lanicaulis--Four-inch carpet with half-inch leaves slim as needles at the base and broadening higher on the short stems. Stems feature a woolly coat of hairs as long as they are thick. Tight clover-like flowers are rosy pink.

nitidus--French thyme--Six-to eight-inch shrub with shiny, oval, gray-green leaves, and lavender flowers. Older clumps resent being disturbed, so start young plants from cuttings.

serpyllum--mother-of-thyme, creeping thyme--Perennially popular stem-rooting creeper, less than four inches high with half-inch oval green leaves and purple flowers loved by bees. There are many varieties: white-flowered albus, silver-marked argenteus, gold variegated aureus, larger, red-flowering coccineus, bright-pink roseus, robust, romping, red-flowering splendens. Almost in a class by themselves--and often listed as separate species--are lanuguinosus, woolly thyme (completely covered with silvery fuzz), and the variety vulgaris (citriodorus), lemon thyme with citrus-scented leaves.

vulgaris--common thyme--Kitchen herb, spreads by underground stems. The erect stalks are covered with fine white hair and set with half-inch oval leaves; there are deep-lilac flowers in May and June. It spreads so fast it has been accused of being a weed.

CARE. Ordinary soil, or rich and sandy loam (gritty for some plants). Drainage. Fairly sunny. Protect lightly where winters are severe.

PROPAGATION. Division, layers in spring, cuttings in early summer, seeds (not all varieties have seed, and seeds do not always come true).

SPECIAL USES. Pavements (plants not damaged), border planting, herb gardens, ground cover, edging, dry-wall planting, cover for bulbs.

=Veronica= Scrophulariaceae Speedwell

Most of the smaller veronicas are matmakers; some are clumpy, and a few are even woody or shrub-like. Also there is a fairly wide variation in the foliage. But the flowers are always arranged in spires; a few are white, purple, or pinkish, but mainly there is a wide choice of true blues from baby blue to royal blue. Here are a few varieties:

allioni--Carpet of little leathery leaves, violet flowers in July.

armena--Ferny, furry tufts of finely cut leaves on trailing stems, five-inch spikes of vivid blue flowers (from May to July). Provide drainage, filtered sun, or half shade.

filiformis--An idiosyncratic creeper that delights some gardeners and drives others crazy. It has been described as “pernicious” and a weed. Actually it’s rather pretty, with small rounded leaves and galaxies of starry-blue flowers in late spring. Grows in either sun or light shade.

fruticans (saxatilis)--Woody stems tightly clothed in dark evergreen leaves making a shrubby plant under six inches. In June and July sapphire flowers open their eyes with pinkish lids.

fruticulosa--Shrubby and semi-evergreen, about four inches high with half-inch leaves and pinkish-blue flowers in June.

gentianoides--This species has clusters of gleaming leaves close to the ground. And in June the flowers are very large, a luscious Wedgwood blue. But there are alarming reports that it has topped twenty inches in height. To play safe, try the miniature version nana, which has the same characteristics but is much less than half that high.

repens--This is a precious pet, a massy creeper with tiny teardrop leaves. It sparkles in May or June with baby-blue flowers. It is all of two inches tall at maturity.

spicata nana--The midget reproduction of the better-known species, slowly swelling to low, leafy clumps and topped with three-inch spikes of blue-purple flowers in July. A white-flowering form has smaller leaves but taller flower stems.

CARE. Any good soil. Moist but with drainage. Sun or light shade depending on the variety (see notations in plant descriptions). Cut back faded flowers. Trailers start best if plants were grown in pots. Divide occasionally.

PROPAGATION. Seeds in spring, division in fall or spring, cuttings early in the summer.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, ground cover, dry-wall planting, pavements, steps, stepping stones.

=Viola= Violaceae Viola, Violet

Thanks to the viola, gardens of all sorts are richer and more pleasant places in which to work, visit, or spend a pleasant afternoon. Here are some of the viola’s gifts to gardening:

cornuta--Tufted pansies.

odorata--sweet violets--Fragrant violets, once strictly a specialty of florist shops but now widely grown in home gardens.

rosina--Pink flowers with intense fragrance.

semperflorens--Mats of fresh green leaves with purple flowers that last much of the summer.

tricolor--Commonly known as Johnny-jump-up, an all-summer-long bloomer with small purple and gold flowers.

tricolor hortensis--Pansies which grow in many colors and color combinations.

CARE. Rich garden soil, partial shade, moisture, light winter protection.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (sown in flats and exposed to freezing weather over winter for spring germination), division, layering of runners of those varieties that produce them.

SPECIAL USES. Cut flowers, beds, edging, rock gardens.

CHAPTER 16

MINIATURE ANNUALS

Even if every inch of our gardens were permanently planted, I’d probably still start some annuals every spring. In those depressing, letdown weeks of January after the holidays nothing brightens my life like leafing through the new seed catalogues. In the dark days of March when late-winter blusters snarl at spring and threaten to hold it off forever, my perky indoor seedlings tell me that it is just around a bend in the road. My traditional birthday treat, in early June, is a day all my own when I get my favorite flower beds ready for the summer. I absolutely refuse to fry an egg, wash a dish, or lift a dustcloth. Before dark on that wonderful day I see that every seedling is planted in moist warm soil.

Actually, I can’t imagine our grounds being so completely planted that there isn’t a place for at least a few annuals--no bare spots in the perennial border, no shrub or tree around which to set flowering clumps, no window boxes or planters in need of decoration. And if ever there is a spring when I don’t ask my husband to spade up “just one more spot” for a few more annuals, I’ll eat my garden gloves finger by finger.

Because they cost so little, and because they last only one season, you can plant annuals with careless abandon. You can experiment with bizarre color schemes. If they don’t work out, try something different next year. If you are saving a special spot for a special shrub or bush, and you feel it is too expensive for the moment, or you can’t find a specimen that is exactly what you want, let annuals fill in until you have that particular plant. If you are creating a new garden and are not quite sure of the design, test it with annuals before you make it permanent.

As with the miniature perennials, the annuals included here have been selected not only because they are small, but also because they are in suitably modest scale for use in miniature gardens of many sorts. Descriptions of the varieties should be helpful in selecting the truly miniature annuals at local nurseries and garden centers. Seeds are available from various mail-order suppliers listed in the Appendix.

Like all other garden plants, miniature annuals should be selected according to such cultural conditions as the amount of moisture and sunlight and the type of soil. If these requirements are not clearly stated on the seed packets or in the seed catalogue from which you ordered, check for details in a good reference book rather than risk disappointing failure.

GROWING ANNUALS FROM SEED

When and where you sow seeds of annuals depends on whether the particular varieties grow best in coolness or warmth, and how long the growing season has to be for maturity and flowering. This is the basis of catalogue listings that classify annuals as hardy, half-hardy, or tender. Hardy annuals germinate best when air and soil are cool and make their best growth before hot weather sets in. Seeds are sometimes sown out of doors in autumn to germinate in early spring, or they may be sown in the garden the moment the frost is out of the ground.

Half-hardy seeds are planted outdoors where the plants are to grow, or you can give them a head start either indoors or in a hotbed or a cold frame. Plant about six weeks before the time to set them outdoors. Tender perennials grown in cold areas as annuals follow the same schedule.

Seeds of tender annuals should not be planted outdoors until all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up considerably. But many tender varieties, like petunias, are slow-growing and need plenty of time to reach flowering size. These should be started indoors no later than March.

Unless you have a greenhouse or hotbed, it’s risky to start seeds too early indoors. Poor light and high temperatures will cause the seedlings to grow limp and leggy and often to topple over toward the source of the light. At transplanting time they may be so weak they will be slow getting established; thus, little time is saved after all.

But you can save several weeks by starting seeds early in a sunny window (just not too early), and you can start them even earlier in a cool greenhouse, a hotbed, or a cold frame. When we lived on Long Island we rigged up a workable substitute outside a cellar window by using discarded storm windows. In fact, since it had a brick foundation that reached below the frost line and had a heating coil in the soil, we grew many cool greenhouse plants in it during the winter. The open cellar window provided enough heat for flats of annual seedlings we propagated in it in the spring. Once these seedlings were transplanted to the garden, we dismantled our temporary greenhouse, filled the spot with topsoil, and made a flower bed. I’ve seen several small greenhouses like the one we improvised on sale commercially, one, of metal and glass, selling for less than ten dollars.

Indoors or out, seeds germinate best in clean, sifted soil that is light and porous and drains perfectly. Add organic matter such as peat or humus to help hold moisture, and sand to aerate and insure drainage. If possible, sterilize the soil with heat or one of the special fungicides, to prevent “damp-off.” Plant seeds only to the depth of their diameter, and don’t cover dust-fine seeds at all. Keep the soil moist during the germination period and for some weeks afterward.

For several years we’ve transplanted seedlings directly into peat pots as soon as they have their first few leaves. This is a tedious job, but how it saves backache and heartache later. Indoors you can transplant while seated comfortably at a table or bench, and while listening to soft music on the radio. When the seedlings have flourished in the peat pots and it is time to put them outdoors, there is much less time spent bent double on one’s knees. And since the roots aren’t disturbed, the plants seldom suffer from transplanting shock and seldom fail to thrive.

Plants grown indoors should be hardened before they’re put out of doors for good. Every day expose them to fresh outdoor air for an increasing length of time, until they are accustomed to the cooler temperatures, particularly at night.

SUMMER CARE

Annuals take the same kind of care you give perennials, except that most of them require less of it. Few need, or even thrive in, especially fertile soil. Fertilize lightly, if at all. Many annuals get along with less moisture and mulching than perennials. And of course, none need be prepared for winter. During their one big season, simply pinch or prune those that grow straggly, and remove fading flowers before they set seeds. That usually prolongs the blooming season. After frost strikes, burn the dead tops, which helps control the spread of insects and disease.

As you study miniatures you will realize how many of the old regular annuals of the garden, plants that usually top two or three feet, can also be had in five-to eight-inch sizes. You have but to look through your seed catalogues. The tiny ones are usually listed at the end of each category, though in the affections of miniature-lovers they should come first and take precedence over the “new giant-size,” “bigger-than-ever” varieties.

In searching for miniatures I’ve culled through my large collection of catalogues from Burpee to Vaughn and have compiled a list of small annuals I have either grown, or expect to grow the coming season. Not all of them are compact versions of their larger relatives. Many by nature are on the diminutive side. So many of them are old friends, let’s call them by their first names--the ones by which they are listed in most seed booklets. The plants I have in mind are mostly eight inches in height or less, though some of the longer-stemmed charmers may slip in simply because they are too lovely to be left out. We’ll give colors for those who have color schemes in mind for their gardens.

=Ageratum=

This annual, a great garden favorite, is also known as the floss flower. In general it is a profuse bloomer that is fine for borders, edgings, rock gardens, small flower beds, and even as a house plant. It comes in several colors but usually in the same sizes, two to six inches.

‘Blue Ball’--This name is especially descriptive. The plants shape up as round as a ball and then cover themselves with dark-blue flowers. Who can expect more of one so small?

‘Blue Mink’--My friends who write seed catalogues, and so see many beautiful plants, rave about this one as being true blue, the real ageratum color. Its blooms, pretty as they are, grow surprisingly large for a bush so small.

‘Imperial White Dwarf’--For its contrast I love this one, a pattern of white surrounded by the blues, pinks, and reds of other annuals.

‘Midget Blue’--This is my real pet, a really tiny one of uniform shape, never over three inches tall and with the most delicate blue ageratum flowers.

=Alyssum (Sweet)=

This is just about the nicest thing that can happen to your garden be it annual, miniature, or otherwise. Although some members of this family may reach twelve inches, most of them run from three to five inches.

‘Carpet of Snow’--Much like ‘Royal Carpet’ for spreading, but has white flowers instead of purple.

‘Little Gem’--This one is about six inches tall, but atones for its height by being a more profuse bloomer, with small white flowers.

‘Pink Heather’--The blooms open in a delicate pink and slowly darken. It has vigor and scent, and seems to want to bloom constantly.

‘Rosie O’Day’--The pride and joy of the family, and the winner of an award comparable to being chosen Miss America. The blooms are a deep pink, even more so when the weather is a bit cool. It is quick to bloom, easy to grow, and nicely fragrant.

‘Royal Carpet’--This one is only about two inches high. With its purple flowers it fills in vacant spots most beautifully. A single plant may spread out ten inches.

‘Violet King’--Somewhat shorter than ‘Violet Queen,’ but has a deeper color and more compact shape.

‘Violet Queen’--Averages about five inches, and is as its name says a rich violet color. Delightfully scented, it is wonderful for edging, borders, and flower beds.

Alyssum has long been one of my garden favorites, whether for a ground cover, for rock gardens, as an edging for walks and beds, or just for its own sweet alyssum self.

=Balsam=

In my concept of miniature plants I had always thought of balsam as a towering giant of at least two feet or more. Then one night while going through seed catalogues I discovered an entire column listing ‘Tom Thumb Double Flowered Dwarf,’ ‘Tom Thumb Purple,’ ‘Tom Thumb Scarlet,’ ‘Tom Thumb Shell Pink,’ ‘Tom Thumb Pure White,’ ‘Tom Thumb Rose.’

According to growing directions, Balsam likes a rich soil, well-drained but slightly moist, and full sun.

=Coreopsis=

It was love at first sight when I saw a clump of this delightful annual. I was even more delighted to learn that the plant can be grown as a miniature. In the smaller form the cute little fellows spread out into low mounds of six or eight inches and cover themselves with blooms that last all summer. As an edging, for rock gardens, and as a cover for otherwise bare spots, they are truly charming.

‘Golden Ray’--Yellow with crimson touches.

‘Petite Purple’--Rich purple covering the small mounds.

‘Tiger Star’--Rich-crimson-striped and splashed with yellow. Plants stay at about six to eight inches and become mounds of color.

=Cornflowers=

Here is another of the taller plants which fortunately has some small relatives. There are:

‘Jubilee Gem’--Has a vivid blue flower on a compact bush.

‘Lilac Lady’--Purplish blooms on a neat bush.

‘Little Snow Man’--Pure-white blooms.

‘Rose Gem’--Red blooms, double.

Most of these plants will stay under eight inches. They are ideal for rock gardens.

=Marigolds=

Marigolds are very well represented in the gallery of miniatures. Loving the large ones as I do, I love the tiny ones even more. In one of my favorite catalogues I find an entire group with “Petite” as a first name:

‘Petite Gold’--About seven inches tall and golden yellow.

‘Petite Harmony’--Mahogany in tone, with a gold crest.

‘Petite Orange’--About the same size, only tending to be more orange in color.

‘Petite Yellow’--Another variation on the popular marigold color. In another catalogue I find the small ones called “Pygmies”; all of them are just a little short of nine inches in height.

‘Fireglow’--Mahogany-scarlet with gold centers.

‘Helen Chapman’--Rich gold in color with flecks of red.

‘Primrose Pygmy’--Primrose-yellow flowers with a red base.

‘Yellow Pygmy’--Lemon-yellow pompon-type flowers.

There are other miniature marigolds, from the double dwarf French part of the family, within my idea of how small a small one should be.

‘Brownie Scout’--Golden little flowers with a base flecked with red.

‘Butterball’--Canary-yellow blooms and plenty of them until frost time.

‘Fireball’--A few inches taller than some varieties, but with flame-like markings flashing up through the otherwise orange petals.

‘Gold Laced’--Basically mahogany in color but with each petal edged in gold.

‘Rusty Red’--The brightest of red, extra-large flowers for a small plant.

=Nasturtiums=

I love this plant so much I hate to leave it out of my listing even though it might be a few inches taller than my other miniatures. I always am careful to plant it toward the rear of flower beds where it will not overpower the smaller plants. There are several dwarfs, but the one I know best is ‘Cherry Rose.’

=Nemophila=

This is a very beautiful little dwarf, each plant spreading out into a shapely clump, and covering itself with pretty cup-shaped blossoms. When sown in the spring it blooms all summer. When sown in the autumn it is an early spring-bloomer. It is at its best when used in a semishaded spot for a ground cover, for a border, or in a rock garden. Its more usual name is baby blue eyes.

‘Insignis Blue’--The best-known variety; covers itself with lovely, cup-shaped, sky-blue flowers with white centers.

=Petunias=

Petunias, being favorite annuals, belong in just about every garden, but it is difficult to find the small ones for the miniature garden. But they are available despite the fact that most hybridizers try to develop a larger and larger plant. Here is a list of smaller ones; few of them are taller than eight inches.

‘Blue Star’--Velvety blue with a sharp white star.

‘Bright Eyes’--Rosy-pink blooms with white throats.

‘Heavenly Blue’--Light sky-blue, a heavenly color.

‘Igloo’--Compact and pure white.

‘Rosy Morn’--Brilliant rose with white throat.

‘Salmon Gem’--Bright salmon color.

‘Twinkles’--Brilliant rose-starred white.

=Phlox=

This is another garden favorite that may give you problems when you try to find seed for the small ones. Again, the tall varieties are being developed, but concessions have been made to those who like the diminutive. I find five varieties listed as the ‘New Dwarf Compact.’

‘Cinnabar Red’--Scarlet vermilion.

‘Fireball’--Rich fiery crimson scarlet.

‘Isabellina’--Primrose yellow.

‘Pink’--Bright chamois-pink.

‘Snowball’--Flowers of purest white.

Another source lists:

‘Dwarf Globe’--A plump-shaped plant with flowers of various colors.

nana compacta--Not six inches high and a constant bloomer with large radiant flowers.

‘Twinkle’--Various colors with fluted, fringed petals.

=Portulaca=

Seemingly this is an insignificant little plant, though I don’t know how one so charming could be classified as such. I had never raised it until the editor of one of my favorite magazines asked me to make some photographs of it. Of course, I had to grow it first. I planted a bed and waited for results. They were not long in coming. Plants barely out of the ground started blooming a few days later, and started spreading about the same time. The blooms, when single, were cup-shaped; the doubles looked like roses. The plants had a sunny exposure, a sandy soil, not much nutriment, and an inordinate attraction for our dogs (like catnip for cats). One day I took a photograph of my husband’s Labrador-retriever pup looking over a short picket fence at my portulaca. I promptly put in a higher fence, but the puppy grew faster than the fence. Eventually, I got my photographs, but it was a dog-gone struggle. If you do not have dogs, or if your dogs are not portulaca-minded, I offer you a listing of a few varieties.

‘Alba’--Pure white.

‘Aurea’--Lovely yellow.

‘Coccinea’--Scarlet.

‘Red Foundling’--A little larger than some of the others, but semidouble, carmine-red, and most lovely.

‘Rosea’--Rose.

‘Salmon’--Salmon-colored and delightful.

=Snapdragons=

I didn’t think it possible that the lovely tall snapdragons, the ones that are waist high or taller, could be reduced to a mere six or eight inches. But it is possible. I offer two varieties in substantiation.

‘Miniature Magic Carpet’--Four to six inches. Colors are mixed and very dainty. As a carpet plant it is a creeper when given a chance.

‘Tom Thumb’--A plant that varies from six to eight inches tall, very free-flowering, good for window boxes, rock gardens, porch boxes, and flower pots for the window. Colors are in all of the brilliant shades.

=Sweet Peas=

One seed company came right to the point when listing the small varieties of sweet peas, calling them ‘Little Sweethearts,’ which they are. Eight varieties were listed in one booklet.

‘Boy Blue’--Clear mid-blue and delightful.

‘Caprice’--Red-maroon.

‘Coquette’--A rose-red variety.

‘Heidi’--Another red bloomer.

Those are varieties we have grown. Others which I hope to meet are ‘Fantasy-Face,’ ‘Pollyanna,’ ‘Sinbad,’ and ‘Snow-White.’

Another source lists ‘Cupid,’ ‘Little Sweetheart,’ and ‘Color Carpet.’ These three are bushy, not viny, make six-inch mounds of small-scale pea-type leaves, are slightly fragrant, and are usually sold in mixtures of colors.

=Verbena=

Actually this is a perennial, but it is usually grown as an annual. It is rampant both as a bloomer and as a creeper. The flowers are tubular with flat heads and show up in many colors--pink, lavender, scarlet, white. Our sources list Verbena bipinnatifida, the most hardy; and V. hortensis, many colors with white eyes, and a low compact shape. Another, ‘Dwarf Compact’ is white.

=Zinnias=

In running down my alphabet of annuals, from alyssum to zinnias, I find it a bit difficult to fit the latter into what I consider the miniature category, eight inches or thereabout. But zinnias are so effective in a garden I’ll forgive them if they are a few inches above eight. I’ll plant them in the back rows of my beds and pinch out the tops if they get too rambunctious. In the Lilliput class, those delightful little plants which cover themselves with the pompon type of bloom, I offer the following list.

‘Canary Yellow’--Clear yellow.

‘Peach Blossom’--Soft light pink.

‘Rose Gem’--Deep clear rose pink.

‘Scarlet Gem’--Bright fiery scarlet.

‘White Gem’--Pearl-like white.

Sorry I can’t offer more varieties, but all growers seem to be devoted to growing giants in the zinnia class. I happen to love the little ones, those cute pompons that look so charming in the buttonhole of a man’s jacket.

CHAPTER 17

MINIATURE GARDEN BULBS

Ring-around-a-rosying at the foot of a gray birch, twenty dazzling-white spring snowflakes nodding at the turn of a path, a company of bright-eyed kaufmanniana tulips; perching lightly in a rocky crevice, a flock of tiny canary daffodils that seem ready to wing away.... There’s something about the miniature bulbs that’s more fauna than flora, more fairy tale than real. Each one has its own elfin character and a happy-go-lucky way of stamping your garden “personally yours.”

In the rock garden, at the edge of a border, with evergreen ground covers, clustered wherever there’s a stone or stump to back them up, used by the hundreds as drifts in the lawn, miniature bulbs more than anything else give you that spring feeling. Potted and forced into flower indoors, they’re winsome window-garden items, delicate decorations for coffee table or what-not, delightful dish-garden inhabitants. They’re indispensable for sink gardens, precious in the small greenhouse.

Perhaps part of their charm lies in their unfamiliarity. So few are well known and widely grown. So many more are easy to find, easy to grow, and especially easy to pay for. And they’re such beguiling plants, I don’t see how any garden could be without them, miniature or not.

All of the bulbs included here hold their flowers no more than six inches high. They’re not small versions of better-known, larger plants, but mostly completely different, with their own individual characteristics--and with bulbs, foliage, and flowers in miniature proportions. The word bulb is used in its generalized sense, and includes true bulbs, corms, and tubers. To be botanically accurate, a few plants such as tuberous-rooted dahlias, rhizomatous iris, and bulbous erythroniums should also be included; but to be consistent in such matters as culture and decorative use, they’re grouped with plants that grow similarly, in the chapters on annuals, perennials, and wild flowers.

Some of these miniature bulbs are available from nurseries and other local suppliers. But the majority, and particularly the most unusual, are offered by mail by bulb importers and specialist growers. Reading some of the catalogues is like taking a quick trip to exotic parts of the world. And for me, ordering no more than I can find time to plant and care for is a severe exercise in self-restraint. There are always a few more that would look well in some special spot, others that are intriguing simply because I’ve never grown or seen them.

Most bulb catalogues give specific cultural recommendations that are helpful in selecting varieties that will adapt to your climate, and to the sun, soil, and moisture in the spot where you want to plant them. In general, bulbs are either hardy or not; they will survive a deep winter freeze, or they must be lifted and stored before the ground freezes at all. There are some natural borderline exceptions, like many fascinating varieties native to the West that are not so touchy about cold as they are about other climatic and cultural conditions.

GROWING MINIATURE BULBS OUTDOORS

Tender, summer-flowering bulbs are planted in late spring, when soil is warm and danger of severe frost has passed. Hardy bulbs are usually planted in late summer and early fall, when foilage has ripened and died back and the plants are in deepest dormancy. This includes fall-flowering types like the colchicums. The earlier bulbs can be planted, the stronger the root systems they can develop before winter, and the stronger their flowering during the first season.

Make sure the selected site has perfect drainage. Bulbs rot quickly when water stands around their roots. Dig generously, to about eight inches deep; enrich the soil with organic matter such as leaf mold or compost; increase aeration and drainage in sticky, clay-like soils with sharp sand; add a light sprinkling of bone meal or superphosphate, if fertility is low. Since few bulbs like very acid soil, lime is a “must” except where the soil tests so extremely alkaline that the addition of organic matter does not make it acid.

An average measure for depth of planting is twice the diameter of the bulb in cooler climates, an inch or so deeper in areas like southern Virginia to provide protection against summer heat. For quick effect, plant about a dozen bulbs in a group; six bulbs more widely spaced will usually increase and give the same effect in several years.

Watering

Most bulbs need moisture before, during, and after flowering, when foliage is green and growing or ripening. They’re better off on the dry side during dormancy. This is a perfect setup for most hardy types, because they need the least watering in summer, when droughts are most common. But it does increase the urgency for perfect drainage for some of the Western species that can’t bear moisture in winter.

Fertilizing

Except for an early-spring top-dressing of leaf-mold compost, we seldom feed our little bulbs. Occasionally, some healthy specimens may get a puny, undernourished look that calls for sprinkling bone meal or superphosphate over the soil and scratching it in. Or we may water with manure “tea” during or after flowering time.

If soil is properly prepared at planting time, supplemental feeding should not be necessary for most types for several years. By that time some bulbs have multiplied so enthusiastically they should be lifted, separated, and reset in freshly mixed soil.

Problems and Pests

If you plant bulbs where they don’t stand in soggy mud or water, you’ll have little loss from rot. But if you’re in a suburban or rural area inhabited by cute chipmunks, squirrels, or mice, you won’t want to plant juicy morsels such as tulips, crocus, and eranthis just to feed the animals. I’ve never had the time or patience to plant bulbs in wire cages. Poison baits can be dangerous when you have children or pets. An effective safety measure is to put the bait inside a clean milk bottle and cover it with a heap of straw or leaves, with evergreen branches to hold the heap in place.

Winter Protection

Because the root systems may not be completely matured, newly planted bulbs should be mulched with a light, airy covering of something like salt hay during their first winter. After that, the necessity for protection varies with hardiness and with climate. Sometimes these mulches hold in more moisture than is good for bulbs. If alternate freezing and thawing should heave the shallow roots up through cracks in the soil, press them back gently but firmly and cover with soil again.

PROPAGATING MINIATURE BULBS INDOORS

Whether they’re to be exhibited in competition at a flower show, or displayed for close-up enjoyment in the living room, uniform perfection is the objective. First, then, buy the finest-quality bulbs available--the most plump, firm, healthy bulbs you can find. If the catalogue listing includes “recommended for forcing” or “specially treated for forcing,” so much the better.

Time for potting, and length of time required for rooting, vary with the varieties. We’re usually potting up bulbs for forcing through most of October, occasionally into the first week of November. Our favorites are potted at two-week intervals, so we’ll have a continuous show of flowers in winter and early spring.

We prefer clay pots because of their porosity, and shallow pots because most miniature bulbs are shallow-rooted. A generous layer of pebbles or broken crocks goes in the bottom of every pot. The potting soil is a house-plant mixture with a teaspoon of lime mixed in for a six-inch bulb pot. Bulbs are set so their tips are barely covered with soil; then pots are set in water up to the rims to make sure both soil and pots are thoroughly moist.

Before they can be forced into flower, bulbs need time to grow sound root systems. They need to be stored cool, and in the dark so that premature top growth won’t be encouraged.

Our potted bulbs are pre-rooted in the cold frame, the pots sunk in the soil, each pot covered by another pot turned upside down over it. Soil is added to cover the top pots; and after severe weather sets in, we top with at least six inches of salt hay.

In lieu of a cold frame, a fairly deep trench, with a layer of pebbles or sand for drainage, can be used in the same way, with twice as much salt hay on top or even more. Some growers set the pots on shelves in cool, dark corners of the basement, but our cellars have always been much too warm. Soil should be kept moist, but not wet, during the rooting period.

When the pot is completely filled with roots, and a few stick out the drainage hole in the bottom, the potted bulbs are moved to a cool, shady spot in the house or greenhouse for just a few days. Then they are brought into the sun for growth and flowering. For the best and most lasting flowers, try to provide temperatures between 55 and 60 degrees by day, five degrees or more cooler by night.

The window of an unheated bedroom or attic, or an enclosed porch, may be the only place where temperatures are low enough for healthiest growth. These are good places to grow the plants until they open their flowers, then they can be brought into warmer quarters for a flowering display.

If you are trying to force bulbs into flower at some specific time, and if the buds aren’t swelling as fast as they should, warmer temperatures and a booster feeding of liquid manure should speed up the process. Cooler temperatures will help retard flowering.

Keep the soil always moist before, during, and after flowering. When the leaves begin to yellow, gradually hold back on watering and keep it barely moist until time to set the bulbs out in the garden. Forcing bulbs two years in succession is not usually successful.

MINIATURE BULB PLANTS

=Chionodoxa= Liliaceae Glory-of-the-Snow

Early April flowers that disregard unfavorable weather. Leaves are narrow and grassy and disappear after the flowering period. Flowers are open-faced with short tubes.

gigantea--Largest flowers, pastel lavender-blue. Strong stems that don’t fall over in bad weather.

luciliae--Five or more flowers per five-inch stem, bright sky-blue with white centers. The variety alba is white; rosea, pink.

sardensis--Like luciliae, but deeper blue without the white eye.

CARE. Gritty soil. Moisture. Mulch with manure in the fall. Light and sun. Hardy and easy to grow. Makes a ground carpet.

PROPAGATION. Seeds (seeds itself except for some varieties which increase below ground), offshoots.

SPECIAL USES. Ground cover, rock gardens, forcing.

=Colchicum= Liliaceae Autumn Crocus, Meadow Saffron

Usually called crocus, this fall bloomer actually is a lily.

autumnale--Crocus-like flowers four inches across from September to frost. Leaves two inches wide in spring. Usually has purple flowers. There are several varieties: album, white; roseum, pink and often double; ‘The Giant,’ large, late, lilac and white (best-known variety).

bornmuelleri--Generally considered the finest species with five-inch-wide flowers, rosy-lilac turning to purple and the tube white.

luteum--Rare spring-flowering species, flowers yellow and smaller, leaves slim and less conspicuous.

speciosum--Large leaves, and flowers with pink or white throats. The white variety album is also large and is often considered the most beautiful of hardy bulbous plants.

CARE. Soil loamy, slightly acid. Sun or partial shade. Plant in colonies in August, two to three inches deep. Let leaves mature.

PROPAGATION. Separate bulbs. Division of corms. Seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Borders, rock gardens, forcing.

=Crocus= Iridaceae

There are three general kinds of these grassy-leaved plants with flaring flowers of several colors. The large flowering “Dutch” hybrids flower in the spring; the usual spring-flowering varieties come earlier and last longer; other species flower in the fall.

biflorous--Spring. Bright-purple flowers with darker stripes, yellowish throat.

medius--Fall. Bright-orchid flowers with very pale throat.

sativus--Fall. Pastel-lilac flowers accented with scarlet stamens.

seiberi--Spring. Yellow-throated lavender flowers.

speciosus--Fall. Light blue with fiery orange stigmas.

tomasinianus--Spring. Palest pinkish-blue.

versicolor--Spring. Lilac with purple streaks, or, in the variety picturatus, white with purple feathering.

zonatus--Fall. Rosy lavender with orange inside.

CARE. Soil, sandy and drained. Not much fertilizer. Full sun. Hardy, but winter mulch is often helpful. Divide seldom and replant at once. Be on alert for rodents.

PROPAGATION. Offsets, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens, colonization.

=Cyclamen= Primulaceae

These are the country cousins of the florist’s cyclamen but smaller in size. Their substantial, heart-shaped leaves are often beautifully marked in marbled patterns and are in a circle near the ground. Generally they are evergreen through the winter but drop before the flowers appear. Each blossom hangs from its own stem with turned-back tubes. Some varieties blossom in summer and fall, some (indoors or in suitable climates) flower In winter or very early spring. A number of varieties are available.

atkinsi--Crimson flowers in January, foliage marbled. The variety album has white flowers; roseum is pink.

cilicicum--Purple-throated pale-pink flowers on five-inch stems (in September), small marbled leaves.

coum--Blooms in February and March; choice of red, white, or pink. Dark-green foliage.

europaeum--Fragrant red flowers in late summer. Leaves marbled.

libanoticum--Large flowers with dainty pink blending into white, in early spring. Foliage marbled.

neapolitanum--Exquisite silver-zoned leaves follow the rosy-pink flowers that push their buds through the soil in September. The variety album is white.

repandum--Red-purple flowers with wide-flaring petals, in April.

CARE. Humusy soil, with drainage. Must never dry out, but roots must never stand in water. Humidity in greenhouse. Outdoors, shade. Small amount of lime. Once established, small amounts of rotted manure.

PROPAGATION. Seeds, and division (plant with top of tuber at surface; may be dormant first year after planting).

SPECIAL USES. Rock and woodland gardens, forcing.

=Eranthis= Ranunculaceae Winter Aconite

Often during a mild January or February this little flower blooms with its butter-yellow cup on a stem only four inches above the ground. The finely-cut leaves form a collar below the blooms.

‘Cuinia’--Slightly later and faintly fragrant.

hyemalis--Long-stemmed ferny leaves with clear yellow flowers. The variety cilicica has deeper-colored flowers and brownish leaves.

‘Tubergeni’--A hybrid with larger golden flowers.

CARE. Soil woodsy, not too acid. (Plant is dormant in summer.)

PROPAGATION. Division of roots.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, pockets atop walls, forcing.

=Galanthus nivalis= Amaryllidaceae Snowdrop

An early-flowering plant that often has blooms sticking up through March snow. The narrow leaves form a base for six-inch stems with fragrant white bell-shaped flowers.

Several varieties are available: flore-pleno, double; maximus, larger and less frail-looking flowers; viride-apice, white petals tipped with green.

CARE. Soil heavy, moist, and cool. Considerable shade, but only opens fully in the sun. Top-dress with manure in the fall. Hardy.

PROPAGATION. In fall plant bulbs three to four inches deep, near deciduous trees or shrubs. Most effective in groups. Spreads by self-seeding.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock and wild gardens.

=Gladiolus= Iridaceae

In a small woodland garden only the miniature gladiolus is suitable; they are little fellows two and a half inches in height or less. A number of these small ones are available. Named varieties are:

‘Glee,’ ‘Gnome,’ ‘Impresario,’ ‘Little Egypt,’ ‘Little Fawn,’ ‘Little Red Star,’ ‘Little Spice,’ ‘Periwinkle,’ ‘Pinkie Dots,’ ‘Pint Size,’ ‘Whirlybird,’ ‘Red Button,’ ‘Red Dot,’ ‘Red Tweedle,’ ‘Tom Thumb,’ ‘Wee Red.’ As a point of information, the term “small” applies to plants from two and a half to three and a half inches high.

CARE. Good garden soil. If manure is to be used, it should be applied the year previous and worked into the soil; it should not come into contact with the corms. Drainage. Sun.

PROPAGATION. Plant corms or bulbs.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, beds.

=Hyacinthus= Liliaceae Hyacinth

The large formal hyacinths of the regular garden have a number of relatives that are small, delicate, and graceful, including two midget species:

amethystinus--Early-flowering Spanish species with typically flat leaves and nodding blue bell flowers on spikes seldom over five inches. There is also a white variety, albus.

ciliatus (azureus)--Slightly smaller with stiff three-inch spikes, blue-green leaves often hairy on the edges, and blue flowers. The variety albus is white.

CARE. Rich fertile soil. Drainage. Mulch if no leaves fall on plants. Sun.

PROPAGATION. Division, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens.

=Leucojum= Amaryllidaceae Snowflake

The long leaves are about a half-inch wide and in a basal circle from which the stems stretch up to hold nodding bell flowers marked on the edge with bright-green dots.

aestivum--summer snowflake--Flowers in May. About nine inches tall, it may be a little large for really small gardens.

vernum--spring snowflake--One fragrant bell flower to each six-inch stem, in April.

CARE. Soil rich and sandy, drainage, protect from hot sun.

PROPAGATION. Detach bulblets after leaves wither. Self-seeds. Increases rather fast. Plant bulblets three to four inches deep.

SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens.

=Muscari= Liliaceae Grape Hyacinth

These slim-leaved plants come in a wide variety with a selection of flowering times from early March through May and have clusters of flowers that look bright and grape-like or soft and plumy.

armeniacum--Violet-blue flowers on six-inch stems. The variety cantab blooms in mid-spring, clear blue and sweet-scented. ‘Early Giant’ is larger and earlier. True blue.

botryoides album--Heavenly white and fragrant. The most compact and suitable for smaller gardens, or forcing.

comosum monstrosum (plumosum)--feather or tassel hyacinth--Lavender feather dusters in late May.

moschatum flavum--Out-of-the-ordinary purple flowers turning to yellowish in March and April. One of the smaller species.

pacemosum--Fragrant, deep-blue flowers on eight-inch stems.

parodoxum--Flowers of blue so dark they’re nearly black.

tubergianum--A newly introduced species, with the top flowers turning lighter, and the lower ones darker. (Mid-April.)

CARE. Soil deep, rich, and sandy. Drainage. Sun or light shade.

PROPAGATION. Offsets, seeds.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens.

=Narcissus= Amaryllidaceae Daffodil

It is very unlikely that the average gardener realizes how many varieties in the narcissus world are under six inches in height at maturity. One catalogue lists over two hundred names of little varieties for little gardens. Obviously, only a few can be mentioned here.

bulbocodium--hoop-skirt daffodil--The “trumpet” is drawn in a bit at the mouth, making it more like a balloon than a trumpet. Six smallish petals twist and turn shyly behind. All varieties are under six inches tall. Among the smallest are three-inch, scented, white-flowering monophyllus (for forcing only); obesus, with a fat yellow trumpet; tunifolium, smaller, brighter, and later than the species; and scented vulgaris nivalis, the smallest of all at two to three inches and very early. The variety conspicuus is the easiest to grow and about four inches tall.

cyclamineus--The nodding trumpets are long and slim, the petals fold straight back around the stem, giving a feeling of motion. The species is all yellow and about four inches high. Among the smallest hybrids are ‘Milky-White,’ ‘Yindee,’ ‘Minicycla,’ deep yellow ‘Jetage,’ and ‘Flute.’

jonquilla--Like the familiar jonquils, these are usually scented and have small, flattish cups with a neat ruff of flat petals around the neck. The variety atlanticus is pure white and four inches high; the variety juncifolius is three inches high and has several scented yellow flowers per stem. ‘Peachblossom’ is similar and one inch taller.

tazetta--Similar to jonquils, but the cups are even smaller and flatter. They are mostly early flowering and have several blooms to a stem. The species is twelve inches tall, but the variety lacticolor (canaliculatas) is only four inches, with yellow cup and white petals that flare back. ‘Halenzy’ combines pale yellow and white. ‘Shrew’ is the tiniest.

triandrus--angel’s tears--Several drooping flowers per stem, the center cup-shaped, the petals turned back and twisted rather like a tiny fuchsia flower. Among the varieties, albus is all white, and three to four inches high; concolor is all gold; ‘Frosty Morn’ is white; ‘Poppet’ has yellow petals and a white cap.

trumpet--Miniature replicas of the familiar larger types, the flaring trumpet standing out from a collar of six petals. In some types the petals are flat, in others wavy or twisted. Among these, asturiensis (minimus) is the smallest of all daffodils; minar (nanus) is slightly larger, two to three inches tall; ‘Wee Bee’ is lemon yellow and five inches tall. ‘Little Beauty’ has two shades of yellow; ‘Sneezy’ is all yellow, and four inches high.

CARE. Average soil (acid or alkaline), not too heavy, not too light. Drainage. Fertilize little and use only bone meal. Mulch with stone chips to prevent flowers being spattered with mud during rain.

PROPAGATION. Bulbs. Plant in August if possible. Plant in groups because of small size. Allow space for increase. Plant smallest bulbs one and a half inches deep; large bulbs, the depth of bulb itself. Don’t disturb unless crowded.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens, containers.

=Oxalis= Oxalidaceae

Bulbous or tuberous shamrock-leaved perennials with five-petaled, buttercup-shaped flowers that close in the dark, most of them much hardier than realized and all suitable for indoor or greenhouse planting.

adenophylla--Blue-green leaflets, clusters of pink flowers with deeper pink veins (May and June). Three inches tall. Hardy.

enneaphylla--Tuberous-rooted perennial with gray-green leaves and large white-purple veined flowers; two inches. Spring bloomer.

lasiandra--More fragile species, bulbous with tight clusters of deep-rose flowers. Dig and store in fall, or provide protection. Sun.

rubra (crassipes)--Not bulbous but with thickened roots. Pink flowers in clusters above the leaves.

variabilis rubra--Dense mats of fresh green leaves under deep-pink flowers, some two inches across. Hardy as rubra.

CARE. Average soil. Dig and store bulbs of some species.

PROPAGATION. Division of roots, bulbs.

SPECIAL USES. House plants, rock planting, containers.

=Sternbergia lutea= Amaryllidaceae Winter Daffodil

Popularly called a daffodil and compared to a crocus, but these small amaryllids beat both of those plants for durability and distinction. They have up-facing butter-yellow flowers like squat, flaring, two-inch vases. They bloom in mid-September with the flowers lasting some weeks. The narrow leathery leaves often last through the winter but die back by spring. Fragrant.

CARE. Heavy soil, barely acid. Dry, drainage. Sun.

PROPAGATION. Bulbs.

SPECIAL USES. Forcing, rock gardens.

=Tulipa= Liliaceae Tulip

These are typical tulips with flowers that are up-facing bells or saucers, but are varied in shape, colors, and markings of the petals. They keep tightly closed after dark and on dark days but open wide in the sun. The foliage may be wide or grassy, clean green or mottled. Included here are only the smallest available species.

batalini--Twisted, narrow leaves and soft creamy-yellow flowers (in April).

biflora--Only two or three slim, tapered leaves around a four-inch flower stem bearing from one to three long, striped buds which open to flat, white, star-shaped flowers with golden centers. Often blooms in March. Variety turkestanica has wider leaves and up to ten flowers per stem.

dasystemon (tarda)--Polished blue-green leaves fan out flat under three-inch stems with bouquets (three to five) of yellow-centered white flowers. Some have pointed petals striped lengthwise with green on the outside. (Mid-April.)

eichleri--Typically broad leaves, stems six to eight inches, fiery-red flowers with gold and blue-black centers and gold stripes outside.

kaufmanniana--water-lily tulip--The leaves are very broad, short, and sharply pointed; the stems are sturdy and five inches long. The flowers are very large, creamy yellow marked with carmine (in April). There are many named varieties with flowers in shades and combinations of gold, scarlet, cream, and even salmon pink.

kolpakowskiana--Long, blue-green leaves waved on the edges, yellow flowers blotched with brick red on the outside (in April).

linifolia--Narrow, wavy leaves and six-inch stems topped with satiny scarlet flowers, marked with blue-black at the heart (in April).

patens (persica)--Slim, arching leaves, stems with one to three flowers, yellow, darker outside, fragrant (in May).

puchella--Early, even before the daffodils. Slim leaves. Flowers an odd shade of lavender and tinged red. Slightly larger.

stellata chrysantha (originally considered a species, chrysantha)--Curved-down blue-green leaves, six-inch stems; cherry-flushed yellow flowers opening to flat stars (in April).

EPILOGUE

There is a touch of sadness to any book that is published posthumously. It means that an author who has devoted years to acquiring a skill with words and their ways, one who has something to say, will write no more.

This book, All About Miniature Plants and Gardens, Indoors and Out, is the work of Bernice Gaines Brilmayer. It was written in the last months of her life and was practically completed except for the mechanics of preparing it for publication. Although she didn’t realize the seriousness of her illness, she asked me to do the final work on the manuscript.

Her dedication, “For my family, again and again. The future is coming closer,” is typical of the magnificent woman she was. She lived for the days when we would be free of the commercial world, when we could write, dream, plant, and write. It was to be for, and with, the family she loved so well. I’ve never heard the philosophy of her existence expressed so well as by an old fishing friend, Captain Bill Stiles of Stone Harbor, New Jersey. Captain Bill, of the Skipper, is not one who professes to write phrases and words, but he does know people. On the long ride out to the fishing grounds off the Jersey coast Bill used to observe her. When the anchor was down, Bill would give the order to “drop lines, Folks.” He noted that she was always the last to get her line in the water. Her family came first and she waited until they were set.

If ever I do a biography of Bernice, the title will be “The Last to Get Her Line Down.”

The family to which she dedicated her books, has a dedication to her:

TO BERNICE--A GALLANT WOMAN 1913–1962 IN LOVING MEMORY THE FAMILY YOU LOVED SO MUCH

Robert Brilmayer Redding, Connecticut, 1963

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Westcott, Cynthia, GARDENER’S BUG BOOK. New York: Doubleday, 1956.

Wilder, Louise Beebe, ADVENTURES IN MY GARDEN AND ROCK GARDEN. New York: Doubleday, 1929.

Wilson, Helen Van Pelt, NEW PERENNIALS PREFERRED. New York: Van Nostrand, 1962.

Wyman, Donald, SHRUBS AND VINES FOR AMERICAN GARDENS. New York: Macmillan, 1958.

Wyman, Donald, TREES FOR AMERICAN GARDENS. New York: Macmillan, 1951.

WHERE TO BUY MINIATURE PLANTS AND SUPPLIES

Nothing is as frustrating to a gardener as to hear or read glowing descriptions of plants that appeal to him and then be unable to find them in catalogues or elsewhere. For the unusual and out-of-the-ordinary plants the answer is quite often a mail-order supplier. For some general types such as water lilies and woodland or rockery plants, the most fruitful source is the specialist, who quite naturally has the widest selection and the greatest knowledge of the plants he grows the most. We have increased our collection of miniature plants by mail order from many (but not all) of the following. While I have not bought from all of them, enough of my friends and colleagues have so that I am rather familiar with all. In writing for catalogues of any sort, remember they are expensive to produce and often you are asked to pay a nominal fee for them. I usually get so much information I am happy to pay a few cents. You can often save time and trouble by asking if there is such a fee.

ALBERTS & MERKEL BROS., INC., Box 537, Boynton Beach, Fla.--Orchids and other tropical plants.

ALLGROVE, ARTHUR EAMES, North Wilmington, Mass.--Terrarium and woodland plants and supplies.

ALPENGLOW GARDENS, 13328 Trans-Canada Highway, North Surrey, New Westminster, B.C., Canada--Alpines, perennials, trees, and shrubs.

AMERICAN PERENNIAL GARDENS, 6975 Dover St., Garden City, Mich.--Perennials.

ARENIUS, ARTHUR, 123 Western Drive, Longmeadow 6, Springfield, Mass.--Gladiolus.

ARMSTRONG NURSERIES, Ontario, Calif.--Roses, dwarf citrus.

ARNDT’S FLORAL GARDEN, Route 2, Box 336, Troutdale, Ore.--African violets and other gesneriads.

BARNHAVEN, Box 218, Gresham, Ore.--Primulas.

BARRINGTON GREENHOUSES, 860 Clements Bridge Rd., Barrington, N.J.--House and greenhouse plants.

BEAHM GARDENS, 2686 E. Paloma St. Pasadena 8, Calif.--Epiphyllums and other succulents.

BEE, MRS. T. C., Route 3, Box 120, Newnan, Ga.--African violets and other house plants.

BIT OF FLORIDA, INC., Box 3305, West Hollywood, Fla.--Dwarf citrus.

BRECK’S OF BOSTON, 250 Breck Bldg., Boston 10, Mass.--Seeds, bulbs, and supplies.

BRIMFIELD GARDENS NURSERY, 245 Brimfield Rd., Wethersfield, Conn.--Trees and shrubs for garden, bonsai.

BRISTOL NURSERIES, Bristol, Conn.--Chrysanthemums.

BUELL’S, Eastford, Conn.--African violets and other gesneriads.

BURGESS SEED AND PLANT CO., Galesburg, Mich.--Seeds, bulbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs.

BURNETT BROS., INC., 92 Chambers St., New York 7, N.Y.--Seeds, bulbs, supplies.

BURPEE, W. ATLEE, CO., Philadelphia 32, Penna.--Seeds, bulbs, supplies.

BURT’S, Federal Highway No. 1, North Jupiter, Fla.--House and greenhouse plants.

CACTUS PETES, 5454 Valley Blvd., Los Angeles 32, Calif.--Epiphyllums and other succulents.

CALIFORNIA NURSERY CO., Niles, Calif.--Trees and shrubs.

CAROLINA BIOLOGICAL SUPPLY CO., Elon College, N.C.--Woodland, bog, and water plants.

CARROLL GARDENS, Westminster, Md.--Bulbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs.

CHAMPLAIN VIEW GARDENS, Burlington, Vt.--Gladiolus.

CHAUTAUQUA FLOWERFIELD, Greenhurst, N.Y.--Bulbs, perennials.

CHERRY, NORMAN J., CO., Box 608, Merrick, Long Island, N.Y.--Supplies for house and greenhouse.

COCHLAN, JAMES J., Box 331, Saddle River, N.J.--Bonsai plants and containers.

CONARD-PYLE CO., West Grove, Penna.--Roses.

DAFFODIL MART, Nuttal Station, Gloucester, Va.--Narcissus.

DE JAGER, P., AND SONS, INC., 188 Ashbury St., South Hamilton, Mass.--Bulbs.

DELKINS BULBS, 4205 Hunts Point Rd., Bellevue, Wash.--Bulbs.

DOLBOW, DOROTHY J., 149 W. Main St., Penns Grove, N.J.--Supplies for house and greenhouse.

EASTERN NURSERIES, INC., Holliston, Mass.--Trees, shrubs, alpines.

EDENWALD GARDENS, Vincennes, Ind.--Iris.

EL SEGUNDO GERANIUM GARDENS, Box 289, Gardena, Calif.--Geraniums.

EMERSON INDUSTRIES, INC., 132 Adams Ave., Hempstead, N.Y.--Window greenhouses, etc.

EVANS, HERBERT O., Solon, Ohio--Gladiolus.

EVERGLADES ENTERPRISES, Box 48-811, Miami, Fla.--Tropical plants.

EVERGREEN HOUSE, Box 433, Los Altos, Calif.--Bonsai plants and containers.

FANTASTIC GARDENS, 9550 S.W. 67th St., Miami, Fla.-- Bromeliads and other tropical plants.

FENNELL ORCHID CO., 26715 S.W. 157th Ave., Homestead, Fla.--Orchids.

FIELD, HENRY, SEED AND NURSERY CO., Shenandoah, Iowa--Seeds, bulbs, perennials, aquatic plants, trees, shrubs, and house plants.

FIORE, CHARLES, NURSERIES, INC., Prairie View, Ill.--Trees and shrubs.

FRENCH, J. HOWARD, Baltimore Pike, Lima, Penna.--Seeds, bulbs, supplies.

GARDENS OF THE BLUE RIDGE, Ashford, McDowell County, N.C.--Native woodland, bog, and water plants, trees and shrubs.

GERRY’S GERANIUM GARDEN, 221 W. 223 St., Torrance, Calif.--Geraniums.

GIBBS, WINSEL, SEED AND NURSERY CO., 1955 W. Florence Ave., Los Angeles 47, Calif.--Tropical trees, shrubs, plants.

GIRARD NURSERIES, Geneva, Ohio--Trees and shrubs for garden, bonsai.

GLEN SAINT MARY NURSERY, Glen Saint Mary, Fla.--Trees and shrubs.

GRAY, ALEC, Treswithian Daffodil Farm, Camborne, Cornwall, England--Narcissus.

GREEN LEAF NURSERY, 2047 Middlefield Rd., Mountain View, Calif.--House and greenhouse plants.

GRIFFING NURSERIES, Beaumont, Texas--Trees and shrubs.

HAGA, F. M., & SON, 5033 Doris St., Charlotte 5, N.C.--African violets and other gesneriads.

HARRIS, JOSEPH, CO., INC., Rochester 11, N.Y.--Seeds, bulbs.

HARROLD’S, Box 29, Grants Pass, Ore.--House-plant and garden seeds, plants, roses.

HAV’ALOOK GARDENS, 10045 Grand River, Fowlersville, Mich.--House and greenhouse plants.

HOLLY HILL, Straight Path, Huntington, N.Y.--Holly, heath, heather.

HOUDYSHEL, CECIL, 1412 Third St., LaVerne, Calif.--House and greenhouse bulbs and plants.

HOUSE OF PLANTS, 26 S. Hotchkiss St., Binghamton, N.Y.--Gesneriads.

HOUSE PLANT CORNER, Box 810, Oxford, Md.--Supplies for house and greenhouse.

ILGENFRITZ, MARGARET, Monroe, Mich.--Orchids.

INTER-STATE NURSERIES, Hamburg, Iowa--Seeds, bulbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs.

JACK’S CACTUS GARDEN, 1707 W. Robindale St., West Covina, Calif.--Cacti and other succulents.

JACKSON & PERKINS CO., Newark, N.Y.--Roses, perennials.

JOHNSON CACTUS GARDENS, Paramount, Calif.--Cacti and other succulents.

JOYNER’S, 404 Fisher Drive, Ocala, Fla.--Caladiums.

KARTUZ, MICHAEL J., 92 Chestnut St., Wilmington, Mass.--House and greenhouse plants.

KELSEY NURSERY SERVICE, Highlands, N.J.--Bulbs, trees and shrubs, woodland plants.

LAGER AND HURRELL, INC., 427 Morris Ave., Summit, N.J.--Orchids.

LAKEMONT NURSERIES, 915 S. Lakemont Ave., Winter Park, Fla.--House and greenhouse plants.

LAMB NURSERIES, 101 E. Sharp Ave., Spokane 2, Wash.--Chrysanthemums.

LESLIE’S WILD FLOWER NURSERY, 30 Summer St., Methuen, Mass.--Woodland plants.

LOGEE’S GREENHOUSE, 55 North Street, Danielson, Conn.--House and greenhouse plants.

LOUNDBERRY GARDENS, Oakford, Ill.--Bulbs and woodland plants.

MANHATTAN GARDEN SUPPLY, 305 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach, Calif.--Geraniums.

MARX, WALTER, GARDENS, Boring, Ore.--Bulbs, perennials, roses.

MAYFAIR NURSERIES, RFD 2, Nichols, N.Y.--Alpines, trees, and shrubs for gardens, bonsai.

MCCLEELAN, ROD, CO., 1450 El Camino Real, South San Francisco, Calif.--Orchids, bonsai containers.

MERRY GARDENS, P. O. Box 595, Camden, Maine--Rare house plants, geraniums, begonias, and a large selection of miniatures.

MILLER, HOLMES C., 280 W. Portola Ave., Los Altos, Calif.--Geraniums.

OAKHURST GARDENS, Box 444, Arcadia, Calif.--House and greenhouse plants.

OPPEN’S GREENHOUSE, 4330 Auburn Rd., Salem, Ore.--House and greenhouse plants.

PARK, GEORGE W., SEED CO., Greenwood, S.C.--Seeds, bulbs, supplies.

PEARCE SEED CO., Moorestown, N.J.--Seeds, bulbs, perennials, plants.

PILLEY’S GARDENS, Box 757, Valley Center, Calif.--Iris.

PINE-CROFT NURSERIES, Exeter, N.H.--Perennials.

PLANTERS, THE, 385 Bleecker St., N.Y.C.--House and greenhouse plants, bonsai.

PUTNEY NURSERY, Putney, Vt.--Chrysanthemums.

RARE PLANT CLUB, Route 1, Box 155, Mill Valley, Calif.--Bonsai plants and containers.

ROEHRS, JULIUS, CO., Rutherford, N.J.--House and greenhouse plants.

SCHERER, S., AND SONS, Northport, N.Y.--Aquatic plants and water lilies.

SCHULZ, PEGGIE, 7714 N. Fairfield Rd., Minneapolis 12, Minn.--House-plant seeds.

SHERWOOD NURSERY CO., Corbett, Ore.--Trees and shrubs for garden and bonsai.

SKY-CLEFT GARDENS, Camp Street Ext., Barre, Vt.--Alpines, perennials, woodland plants.

SLOCUM WATER GARDENS, Binghamton, N.Y.--Aquatic plants and water lilies.

SPRING HILL NURSERIES, Tipp City, Ohio--Perennials, roses, trees.

STARK BROS., Louisiana, Mo.--Trees and shrubs.

STARKER, CARL, GARDENS, Jennings Lodge, Ore.--Alpines, perennials, trees and shrubs, bonsai containers.

STEWART, FRED A., INC., 8606 E. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel, Calif.--Orchids.

SUMMIT GARDENS, Box 567, Glenn Ellyn, Ill.--Gladiolus.

TERRACE VIEW GARDENS, Greencastle, Ind.--House and greenhouse plants.

THOMPSON & MORGAN, LTD., Ipswich, England--Seeds.

THREE LAURELS, Madison County, Marshall, N.C.--Woodland plants; trees and shrubs.

THREE SPRINGS FISHERIES, Lilypons, Md.--Water lilies and aquatic plants of all sorts.

THURMAN’S GARDENS, Route 6, Spokane, Wash.--Alpines, perennials.

TINARI GARDENS AND GREENHOUSES, Bethayres, Penna.--African violets.

TRICKER, WILLIAM, INC., 196 Allendale Ave., Saddle River, N.J.--Water lilies and other aquatic plants.

TROPICAL PARADISE GREENHOUSE, 8825 W. 79th St., Overland Park, Kan.--House and greenhouse plants.

UPPER BANK NURSERIES, Ridley Creek Rd., Media, Penna.--Trees and shrubs.

VAN NESS WATER GARDENS, 2460 N. Euclid Ave., Upland, Calif.--Water lilies and other aquatic plants.

VAUGHAN’S SEED CO., 24 Vesey St., New York 7, N.Y.--Seeds, bulbs, perennials, trees, shrubs, aquatic plants.

VILLAGE HILL NURSERY, Williamsburg, Mass.--Geraniums, perennials.

WAKE ROBIN FARM, Route 1, Box 33, Home, Penna.--Woodland plants.

WARE, ROMAINE B., Canby, Ore.--Lilies and other bulbs.

WARREN’S NURSERY, 2200 Fifth St., Berkeley 10, Calif.--House and greenhouse plants.

WAYSIDE GARDENS, Mentor, Ohio--Annuals, bulbs, trees, shrubs, etc.

WESTON NURSERIES, INC., E. Main St., Hopkinton, Mass.--Perennials, trees, and shrubs.

WHITE FLOWER FARM, Litchfield, Conn.--Bulbs, perennials, trees, shrubs.

WILSON BROTHERS, Roachdale, Ind.--Geraniums.

WOOD, THOMAS M., Constantia, N.Y.--Woodland plants.

WOODLAND NURSERY, Hendricks Rd., RFD 1, Perkiomenville, Penna.--Trees and shrubs.

WYANT, MELVIN E., Johnny Cake Ridge, Route 84, Mentor, Ohio--Roses.

YOARS HOUSE PLANT NURSERY, Bunker Hill, Ind.--House and greenhouse plants.

INDEX

Abelia, 236

Abeliophyllum distichum (White Forsythia, Korean Abelia), 236

Abies (Fir), 238

Abutilon hybridum savitzi (Flowering Maple), 93

Abutilon megapotamicum, 64

Achillea (Yarrow, Hilfoil), 259

Achimenes, 93–94

Acorus gramineus variegatus, 94

Adder’s-Tongue, 222, 288–89

‘Adeline’ (‘Improved Darling’), 96

Adiantum bellum (Bermuda Maidenhair Fern), 94

Aeonium caespitosum spathulatum, 102

Aeschynanthus, 63

Aethionema (Stone-Cress, Persian Candytuft), 260

African boxwood, 124

African violets (See: Viola)

Agave victoriae-reginae (“century plant”), 102

Ageratum (floss flower), 282

Aichryson (Aeonium) domesticum variegatum, 102

Ajuga (Bugle), 260

‘Alba,’ 285

‘Albatross,’ 101

All About Begonias, 78

All About Vines and Hanging Plants, 36, 37

Allophyton mexicanum (Mexican Foxglove), 94

Aloe, 102

Alpenglow Gardens, 13

Alpine daisy, 263

Alpine gardens, 187–98

Alpine phlox, 271

Alpine (rock) plants, 62, 150, 187–98, 273

Alternanthera (Joseph’s Coat), 94–95

Aluminum plant (watermelon pilea), 130

Alyssum (Madwort), 47, 138, 260–61

Alyssum (Sweet), 282–83

American Iris Society, 268

American yew, 248

Andromeda (Bog Rosemary), 238–39

‘Andy,’ 96

Anemone (Windflower), 261

Angel’s tears, 296–97

Annuals, 10, 38, 47, 138; miniature, 277–87; in rock and wall gardens, 187

Antennaria (Pussy-Toes), 261

Anthurium scherzerianum (Flamingo Flower), 95

Aphids, 232

Aptenia cordifolia (Mesembryanthemum cordifolium), 102

Aquilegia (Columbine), 262

Arabis (Rock Cress), 262

Aramite, 232, 255

Arborvitae (Thuja), 249

Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit), 211, 219

Arizona, 140

Aroids, 51, 53, 63

Artillery plant, 130

Asarum (Wild Ginger), 160, 219

Ash, 166

Ashberry, Anne, 150

Asia, 271, 272

Asplenium (Spleenwort), 219

Aster alpinus (Rock Aster), 262

‘Astrid,’ 129

Astrophytum (Star Cactus), 102

‘Aurea,’ 285

Autumn Crocus, 289, 292

‘Autumn Snow,’ 267

Azalea (Rhododendron), 177, 213, 226–27, 234, 239

Babiana stricta, 95

Baby blue eyes, 284

‘Baby Bunting,’ 145

‘Baby Crimson,’ 145

‘Baby Perfection,’ 98

‘Baby Rainbow,’ 100

Baby Toes, 104

Baby’s Breath, 267

Baby’s Tears, 120–21

Ball Cactus, 106

Ballard, Ernesta, 13

Balsam, 283

Banana, dwarf, 63, 68

Barberry, 228; dwarf, 180

Basket of gold, 261

Bayside, 23, 24

Beech, 230

Begonia: 19, 25, 28, 29, 37, 63, 95–101; fibrous-rooted, 95, 96–97; floriferous, 63; grown in artificial light, 24, 35; miniature (dwarf), 44, 53, 95–101; Strawberry (See: Saxifraga); tuberous, 24, 95 (See also Rex begonias, Rhizomatous begonias, Semperflorens begonias)

Bell Flower, 263–64

Bellis (Daisy), 263

Bermuda Maidenhair Fern, 94

Bertolonia, 100

Better Business Bureau, 215

Betula nana (Birch), 239

Billbergia, 114

Birch tree: 177, 183, 239; as base for bromeliads, 69; in bonsai, 166

Bird’s nest, 246

Bishop’s Cap, 224–25

‘Black Falcon,’ 98

Blackleaf panamiga, 131

‘Black Vesuvius,’ 126, 249

Bloodroot, 160, 212, 214

‘Blue Ball,’ 282

‘Blue Gem,’ 95

‘Blue Mink,’ 282

Blue Oxalis, 125

‘Blue Star,’ 285

Bluets, 223

Boea hygroscopica, 100

Bog Rosemary, 238–39

Bone meal (See Superphosphate)

Bonsai: 159–76; character of the plant in, 164–65; in citrus, 163; indoor, 161–63; name, 161; plants for use in, 101, 110, 122, 124, 132, 134, 150, 160, 166, 227, 238–49; root-pruning in, 169–70; roses in, 138; shinto, 161

‘Bo-Peep,’ 145

Boston (Massachusetts), 64, 65; beans, 107

Bottle Brush, 243

Bouvardia longiflora humboldti, 101

‘Bow-Arriola,’ 97, 99

‘Bow Chance,’ 97, 99

‘Bow-Joe,’ 97

‘Bow-Nigra,’ 97, 99

Box (See Buxus; Buxus microphylla japonica)

Boxing gloves, 106

Boxwood, African, 124 (See also: Buxus; Buxus microphylla japonica)

‘Boy Blue,’ 286

Bracts, 104, 136

‘Bright Eyes,’ 285

Broadlily, 220

Bromeliad, 44, 45, 69–70, 114, 136; tree, 63, 69–70

Brooklyn, 137

‘Brownie Scout,’ 284

Bruckenthalia spiculifolia (Balkan Heath), 239

Bugle, 260

Bulbs: 288–98; fertilizing, 290, 292; propagating miniature, indoors, 291–92; South African, 95; spring-flowering, 64; winter-flowering, 95

Bunchberry, 221

Bunny ears, 106

Burning Bush, 243

Burpee, 281

‘Butterball,’ 284

Button Fern, 128

Buxus (Box, Boxwood), 46, 138, 239–40, 249

Buxus microphylla japonica, 101

Cactus: 49, 64–65, 78, 101–7; Christmas, 30; use in window gardens of, 19–21

Caladium (Elephant Ears), 11, 107–9; bicolor varieties of, 107

Calamondin, 113

Calathea (Maranta), 109, 122

Calceolarias, 38

Calceolaria biflora, 153

Callopsis volkensi, 109

Calluna vulgaris (Heather, Ling) 226, 240

Campanula (Harebell, Bell Flower), 263–64

Campion, 273–74

Camptosorus rhizophyllus (Walking Fern), 219

Canada, 219

Canadian yew, 248

‘Canary Yellow,’ 287

‘Candidum, Jr.,’ 107

Candytuft, 252, 267; Persian, 260

Cankerworms (See “Inchworms”)

‘Caperata’ (‘Little Fantasy’), 129

‘Caprice,’ 286

Caraway thyme, 274

Carex elegantissima (Morrowi variegata), 110

Carissa grandiflora nana compacta (Natal Plum), 110

Carnations, 266

Carpet bugle, 260

‘Carpet of Snow,’ 282

Caryopteris, 229

Caryopteris incana (Blue Spirea), 240

Caryota urens (fishtail palm), 63

Cassiope lycopodioides, 240

Catchfly, 273–74

Cedar, 234; White, 241

“Century plant,” miniature, 102

Cephalocereus senilis (Old Man Cactus), 102

Ceramics, as plant containers, 39, 41

Cerastium, 263

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (Leadwort), 265

Ceropegia, 110

Chaenomeles (Cydonia) (Japanese Quince, Flowering Quince), 240–41

Chaenostoma fastigiatum (Little Stars), 111

Chamaecereus silvestri (Peanut Cactus), 102

Chamaecyparis, 226

Chamaecyparis (Retinospora) (False Cypress, White Cedar), 141

Chamaedaphne calyculata (Leatherleaf), 241

Chamaedorea elegans bella, 111

Chamaeranthemum, 111

‘Chantilly Lace,’ 98–99

Charcoal: for house plants, 78; use in terrariums of, 58–59

‘Charm,’ 93

Cheddar pink, 266

Chenille plant, 103

‘Cherry Rose,’ 284

Chidamian, Claude, 159

Chin Cactus, 104

‘China Doll,’ 98–99

China plant, 136

Chinodoxa (Glory-of-the-Snow), 292

Chipmunks, 290

Chlordane, 232

Chlorophytum bicheti, 111

Chlorophytums, 90

Chrismas cheer, 107

Chrysanthemums, 30; commercial, and photoperiodism, 23

‘Cinderella,’ 145

‘Cinnabar Red,’ 285

Cissus striata (Miniature Grape Ivy), 111

Citrus: 113; dwarf, 63, 68; evergreen, 117

Claytonia virginica (Spring Beauty), 155, 211, 219–20

‘Cleopatra,’ 97

Clerodendrum thomosoniae, 63

Climbers, 27, 47, 51, 70, 110; miniature, 18, 49, 111–12, 138, 143

Clintonia, 220

Club moss, 224

‘Coccinea,’ 285

Colchicum (Autumn Crocus, Meadow Saffron), 289, 292

Coleus, 94

‘Color Carpet,’ 286

Columbine, 262

Columnea microphylla, 113

Columneas, 63

Common thyme, 274

Conifers (See Evergreens)

Conophytum, 103

Connecticut: 75, 142, 144, 150, 158, 176, 179, 183, 213, 251, 253, 255; fall planting in, 229; Redding, 64, 81, 172

Connecticut Power and Light Company, 35

Conservatories, planted as gardens, 64

Containers, gardens in, 38–52, 41, 49, 53–60

Convallaria majalis (Lily of the Valley), 220

Coptis trifolia (Goldthread), 220

‘Coquette,’ 286

Coral beads, 107

Coreopsis, 283

Coreopsis auriculata nana, 265

Corms, 288; and fertilizing, 295

Cornflowers, 283

Cornus canadensis (Bunchberry, Creeping Dogwood), 221

Corydalis (Fumitory), 265

Coryphantha vivipara, 103

Cotoneaster, 177, 233, 241

Cottage (grass) pink, 266

Cotton, 63

Cranesbill (See: Geranium)

Crassula, 103

Creepers: 105, 111, 120, 129, 132, 134, 136, 182, 221, 224, 271, 274–75, 286; in greenhouse, 70; in indoor garden, 19, 27, 49, 58, 60; in sink garden, 154 (See also Episcias; Ivy Vines)

Creeping bluets, 223

Creeping Charlie, 130

Creeping Dogwood, 221

Creeping fig, 27 (See also: Ficus)

Creeping phlox, 271

Creeping thyme, 274

Crocus, 290, 293

Crown: division of plant, 90; of thorns, dwarf (See: Euphorbia); Cactus (See: Rebutia)

Cryptanthus (Earth Stars), 114

Cryptbergia meadi, 114

Cryptogramma crispa (Parsley Fern), 221

Cryptomeria japonica, 241

‘Cuinia,’ 294

‘Cupid,’ 286

Cushion pink, 273

Cuttings: 31, 73, 86, 88–89, 140, 198; in bonsai, 166; effect of red rays of spectrum on, 30; hardwood, 235, 243, 250; leaf, 89; in propagation of perennials, 258; rhizome, 89, 208; root, 89; softwood, 88, 234–35, 243

Cyanotis, 114

Cyclamen, 38, 155, 293–94; neapolitanum, 152, 294

Cymbalaria muralis (Kenilworth Ivy), 11, 40–41

Cypripedium (Lady-slipper, Moccasin Flower), 212, 216, 221

Daboecia cantabrica (Irish Bell Heather), 242

Daffodils, Winter, 297–98 (See also: Narcissus)

Dahlias, 288

‘Dainty Spray,’ 96

Daisy, 263

Dalibarda repens (Dewdrop, False Violet), 221–22

“Damp-off,” 256

Daphne, 243, 260

Davallias (rabbit’s-foot ferns), 64

Day-neutral plants, 30, 34

Delphiniums, 211

Desert Rose (See: Trichodiadema densum)

‘Dew Drop,’ 100

Dewdrop, 221–22

Dianthus (Pink), 258, 266; barbatus (sweet William), 10, 266

Dieffenbachias, 89

Dionaea muscipula (Venus Fly Trap), 115–16

Dish gardens: 38–39, 42–45; commercial, 51–52; plants for, 93–95, 101, 109–11, 124, 129–32, 134, 239–40, 243, 288; use of accessories in, 44

Dogtooth Violet, 222, 288–89

Dogwood, 213; Creeping (See: Cornus canadensis)

‘Dopey,’ 126

Double pink, 266

Dracaena godseffiana, 115

Drosera rotundifolia (Sundew), 115

Duckweed, 223

‘Dwarf Bearded Iris,’ 268

‘Dwarf Compact,’ 286

Dwarf crown of thorns, 104

‘Dwarf Globe,’ 285

‘Dwarf Houghtoni,’ 96

Dwarf myrtle, 124

Dyckia, 116

‘Early Giant,’ 295

Earth Stars, 114

Earthworms, 60

Easter Lily Cactus, 104–5

Eastern wild ginger, 219

Ebony sweetheart, 219

Echeveria, 103

Echinocereus melanocentrus (Hedgehog Cactus), 103

Echinopsis (Easter Lily Cactus), 104–5

Electricity: as source of light for plants, 23–37; use in greenhouse propagating of, 73, 86

Elephant bush, 106

Elephant Ears (See: Caladium)

‘Elf,’ 126

Elms, for bonsai, 166

‘Emerald Ripple,’ 129

England, 150

English daisy, 263

English Ivy, 11, 118–19

English Royal Horticultural Society, 148

English yew, 248

Epigaea repens (Trailing Arbutus), 222

Epiphyllum, 63

Epiphytic plants, 44, 53, 62, 92; on bromeliad tree, 70

Episcia dianthiflora, 116

Episcias, 20, 37, 63, 70, 90, 116

‘Epsilon,’ 126

Eranthis (Winter Aconite), 290, 294

Erodium chamaedryoides roseum, 155

Erythronium (Adder’s-Tongue, Trout Lily, Dogtooth Violet), 222, 288–89

Euonymous (Burning Bush), 243

Euphorbia, 104

Evening Primrose, 170

Evergreens: coniferous, 165, 234, 246, 249; ericaceous, 226; as mulch, 140, 144, 197, 233, 242, 249, 255, 272, 288, 292; in rock garden, 49, 239; in sink gardens, 155; watering of, 231

Exacum affine, 116

Exotica II, 11

Eyelash begonia, 97

‘Fairyland,’ 126

‘Fairy Tales,’ 126

False Cypress, 241

False Violet, 221–22

Fan Columbine, 262

‘Fantasy-Face,’ 286

Faucaria (Tiger Jaws), 104

Fawn lily, 222

Feather hyacinth, 296

Fenestraria (Baby Toes), 104

Fern: 51, 54, 58, 66, 131, 133, 155, 212; Button, 128; maidenhair, 94, 216; Mexican tree, 63; rabbit’s-foot, 64; staghorn, 70; use in window gardens of, 20 (See also; Asplenium)

Fertilizing: of greenhouse plants, 72; of house plants, 79–80; with liquid manure, 109, 123, 175, 218, 254, 290, 292; of miniature gardens in containers, 51, 156, 175, 208; with rose food, 141, 143; trees and shrubs, 230

Fiberglas, as mulch, 197

Ficus (Creeping Fig), 27, 117; pumila minima, 19, 117

Fig: creeping, 27; dwarf ever-bearing, 68 (See also: Ficus)

‘Fireball,’ 284–85

Firecracker Vine, 122

Firefern, 124–25

‘Fireglow,’ 284

Fish emulsion, as fertilizer, 157, 175

Fishtail palm, 63

Fittonias, 117

Fittonia verschaffelti (Nerve or Mosaic Plant), 117

Flamingo Flower, 95

‘Fleurette,’ 126

Floribundas, 137

‘Florida Beauty,’ 115

Floss flower, 282

Flower and Garden, 27, 61

Flowering Maple, 93

Flowering Quince, 240–41

‘Flute,’ 296

Forget-Me-Not, 269

Formal gardens, 48, 64, 138–39, 180

Fortunella (Kumquat), 117–18

Fothergilla (Bottle Brush), 243

Foxglove, Mexican, 94

‘Francois Cardinaux,’ 93

Free, Montague, 45

French thyme, 274

‘Frosty Morn,’ 297

Fuchsia magellanica, 118

Fuchsias, 63, 118; light requirement of, 75

Fumitory, 265

Fungicide, for roses, 143

Galanthus nivalis (Snowdrop), 294

Garden Pools, Water-Lilies and Goldfish, 210

Gardens: aquatic, 199, 207–10; in the city, 213; herb, 48; Northeastern, 10; Northern, 106; Oriental, 48–49; pests in, 83–85; Southern, 109

Gentian, 116; bottle, 212

Georgia, 219, 223

Geranium (Cranesbill): 135, 266; dwarf, 17, 87–88, 127; miniature, 20; temperature for greenhouse, 71 (See also: Pelargonium hortorum; Saxifraga)

German Weismoor, 135

Germander, 249

Gesneriads: 20, 28, 63, 71, 96–97, 100, 134–35; and artificial light intensity, 35, 37; in Greenwich Village apartment, 23; grown from seed, 86

‘The Giant,’ 292

Ginger, wild, 160, 219

Ginkgo, in bonsai, 166

Gladiolus, 294–95

Glass: gardens in, 53–60; as plant containers, 39, 100

‘Glee,’ 294

Glory bush (Tibouchina semidecandra), 64

Glory-of-the-Snow, 292

Gloxinia (Sinningia), 134–35

‘Gnome,’ 294

‘Goblin,’ 126

Golden Easter Lily, 105

‘Golden Hahni,’ 132

Golden lace, 106

‘Golden Ray,’ 283

Goldfish, 36–37, 205–6

‘Goldheart,’ 119

‘Gold Laced,’ 284

Goldthread, 220

‘Goliath,’ 262

Goodyera pubescens (Rattlesnake Plantain), 155, 216, 222–23

Graf, A. B., 11

‘Granada,’ 145

‘Granata,’ 145

Grape Hyacinth, 295–96

Grass, in dish gardens, 47

Greek myrtle, 124

Greenhouse: 61–73; author’s, 279; indoor, 27, 55; low-cost, 279–80; miniature, 53; pests in, 83–85; plants for, 136; propagating, 73, 86–90; rampant, 69; soil mixture, 71–72; window, 22, 138

‘Green Medora,’ 97

Gro-Lux lamps, 31, 35–36

Gro-Master propagating box, 86

Ground cedar, 224

Ground Ivy, 270

Ground moss, 271

Ground pine, 224

Gymnocalycium mihanovichi (Chin Cactus), 104

Gypsophila (Baby’s Breath), 267

‘Hahni,’ 131

‘Halenzy,’ 296

Harebell, 263–64

Hawaii, 140

Haworthia, 104–5

Hearts entangled, 110

Heather, 226, 240

‘Heavenly Blue,’ 285

Hebe buxifola variegata, 118

Hedera helix (English Ivy), 11, 118–19

Hedgehog Cactus, 103

Hedges, in dish gardens, 46

‘Heidi,’ 286

‘Helen Chapman,’ 284

‘Helen Fowler,’ 209

Helxine soleiroli (Baby’s Tears), 120–21

Hemlock, 166, 249

Henri, 124

Hepatica (Liverleaf), 155, 223

‘Hidcate Blue,’ 269

Hilfoil, 259

Himalayas, 271

Holly, 166, 244

Home decorating, and artificially lighted plants, 24–25

Hoop-skirt daffodil, 296

Hormone rooting preparations, 88–89, 234–36

Hortus Second, 11

House plants: 72, 74–136, 282; collecting, 18; culture of, described, 92–136; humidity for, 76–77; insects and disease and, 83–85; propagating of, 84, 86–90; repotting of, 79–80; temperatures for, 75–76; unusual, 91; watering of, 80–82

Houstonia (Bluets, Quaker Lady), 223

Hoya bella (Wax Plant), 120

Humidity: gauge, 76; for house plants, 76–77; relative, 76

Hyacinthus, 295

Hybrids: 12; fuchsia, 63; man-made, 11; Weismoor, 160–61

Iberis (Perennial Candytuft), 252, 267

‘Igloo,’ 285

Ilex crenata helleri (Holly), 166, 244

‘Imp,’ 126

Impatiens, 19

Impatiens repens, 120

‘Imperial White Dwarf,’ 282

‘Impresario,’ 294

Inchworm plant, 105

“Inchworms,” 158, 232

Indian head, 106

‘Insignis Blue,’ 284

Institute de Biologia, 114

Internodes, long, 75

Ionopsidium acaule, 155

Iris: 267–68; bulbous, 267; rhizomatous, 267, 288–89

Irish Bell Heather, 242

‘Isabellina,’ 285

‘It,’ 100

‘Itsy Bitsy,’ 119

‘Ivalace,’ 119

Ivy: 41, 194; in bonsai, 166; English (See: Hedera helix); grape, 11, 111; Kenilworth (See: cymbalaria muralis); poison, 213

Jack-in-the-pulpit, 211, 219

Japanese beetles, 137, 232

Japanese Quince, 240–41

Japanese yew, 248

Jasmine, 63 (See also: Stephanotis floribunda)

Jelly beans, 107

‘Jetage,’ 296

Jewel plant, 107

‘Jo Ann Pring,’ 209

Johnny-jump-up, 276

Joseph’s Coat, 94–95

Joshua tree, little, 49, 107

‘Jubilee,’ 119

‘Jubilee Gem,’ 283

Julius Roehrs Company, 13

Juniper, 139, 177, 226, 245; Sargent’s, 160 (See also: Juniperus)

Juniperus: 244–45; communis, 139, 245; procumbens nana, 226, 245

Kalanchoe, 105

Karathane, 232

‘Kathy Diane,’ 98

Kenilworth Ivy, 11, 40–41

‘Kleiner Liebling’ (‘Little Darling’), 126

Kleinia, 105

Koellikeria erinoides, 120

Korean snowballs, 250

Kumquat, 117–18

Lady-slipper (See: Cypripedium)

Landscape, gardens in the, 177–82

Lantana camara, 120

Laurel, mountain, 160

Lavandula officinalis (Lavender), 177, 252, 258, 269; dwarf, 138, 259

Lavender (See: Lavandula officinalis)

Layering: 89–90, 166–67, 235–36, 259; air, 89, 166–67, 236; ground, 90, 166–67, 235–36, 259

Leadwort, 265

Leatherleaf, 241

Leiophyllum buxifolium, 226

Lemna minor (Duckweed), 223

Lemon thyme, 274

Leucojum (Snowflake), 295

Leuconeura massageana, 123

Levittown, 23, 27

Light bulbs: distance from plants of, 32–33; fluorescent, 27, 31, 55; incandescent, 27, 31

Lilac, 229

‘Lilac Lady,’ 283

Lilliputs, 268

Lily of the Valley, 220

Lime (citrus), 113

Lime: 156, 208, 260, 289; horticultural, 78, 230; and humusy soil, 94, 218, 254

Ling, 226, 240

‘Little Beauty,’ 93, 297

‘Little Darling,’ 126

‘Little Egypt,’ 294

‘Little Fantasy,’ 129

‘Little Fawn,’ 294

‘Little Gem,’ 96, 249, 267, 282

‘Little Joe,’ 266

Little Joshua tree, 107

‘Little Princess,’ 148

‘Little Rascal,’ 108

‘Little Red Star,’ 294

‘Little Snow Man,’ 283

‘Little Spice,’ 294

Little Stars, 111

‘Little Sweethearts,’ 286

Liverleaf, 155, 223

Lobelia, 138

Lobivia aurea (Golden Easter Lily), 105

London pride, 273

Long Island, 279

Long-night plants, 30–31

‘Lorraine Closson,’ 100

‘Louise Closson,’ 100

‘Lucille Closson,’ 100

‘Lucy Closson,’ 100

Lycopodium (Club Moss), 224

Madwort (See: Alyssum)

‘Magic Carpet,’ 132

Maidenhair spleenwort, 219

Maiden pink, 266

Maine, 261

Malpighia coccigera (Miniature Holly), 122

Mammillaria (Pincushion Cactus), 105

‘Mamorata’ (‘Silver Heart’), 129

Mandarin orange, 113

Manettia bicolor (Firecracker Vine), 122

Manitoba, 103

Mantha requieni, 63

‘Maphil’ (‘Cleopatra’), 97

Maple: in bonsai, 164, 166; flowering, 93

Maranta, 53, 109, 122–23 (See also: Calathea)

Marigolds, 283–84

‘Maroon Beauty,’ 132

Marumi kumquat, 117

Maryland, 223; Beltsville, artificial light experiments, 23

‘Masterpiece,’ 93

May Apple, 225

Meadow Saffron, 289, 292

‘Medora,’ 97

Medusa’s head, 104

Merry Gardens, 13

Mesembryanthemum cordifolium, 102

Mexican Foxglove, 94

Mexican snowball, 103

Mexican tree fern, 63

Mexico, 114

Mice, 290

‘Midget,’ 98

‘Midget Blue,’ 282

‘Midget Double,’ 266

Mildew, 142

‘Milky-White,’ 296

Mimosa, 63

“Ming urn,” 54

‘Miniata,’ 93

‘Miniature Magic Carpet,’ 286

‘Minicycla,’ 296

Mint, Corsican (Mantha requieni), 63

‘Minx,’ 126

‘Mischief,’ 126

‘Misera,’ 93

‘Miss Marveen,’ 108

Mitchella repens (Partridgeberry), 53, 224

Mitella (Bishop’s Cap), 224–25

Mites, 37, 232

Moccasin Flower (See: Cypripedium)

‘Mon Petit,’ 148

‘Mon Petite,’ 148

Monstera, cut-leaf, 17

Montreal Botanical Gardens, 120

‘Moonlight,’ 259

‘Morgan’s Pink,’ 103

Morning glories, 24, 37

Morrowi variegata, 110

Mosaic Plant, 117

Moss: 86–87, 155–56, 171–72, 208, 213; Club (See: Lycopodium); Michigan peat, 78; sheet, 155; Spanish, 70; use in terrariums of, 58–59 (See also Sphagnum moss)

Moss campion, 273

Mother-of-thyme, 274

Mottled wild ginger, 219

Mountain laurel, 46

Mountain pink, 271

‘Mrs. Arno Nehrling,’ 108

Mulching, 140, 144, 197, 233, 242, 249, 255, 272, 288, 293

Munstead lavendar, 269

Muscari (Grape Hyacinth), 295–96

Mutations, 11–12, 234

Myosotis (Forget-Me-Not), 269

Myrsine africana (African Boxwood), 124

Myrtus communis (Greek Myrtle), 124

Nagami kumquat, 118

Narcissus (Daffodil): 17, 63, 288, 296–97; fertilizing, 297; miniature, 155; trumpet, 152, 297

Nasturtiums, 284

Natal Plum, 110

‘Needlepoint,’ 119

Nemophila (baby blue eyes), 284

Nepeta hederacea (glechoma) (Ground Ivy), 270

Nerve Plant, 117

‘New Dwarf Compact,’ 285

New England, 260

New York City, 211, 213

Nicotine sulfate, 232

Night-neutral plants, 30, 34

Notocactus (Ball Cactus), 106

Nymphaea (Pygmy Water Lily), 209

Oak, 230

Oenothera (Evening Primrose, Sundrop), 270

Offsets, 135; in propagating, 90

Old lady, 106

Old Man Cactus, 102

Oleander, 63

Olive, 63

Oncidium pusillum, 12

Opuntia, 106

Orchids: 10; for bromeliad tree, 70; cattleya, 17; and electric lighting, 24, 37; miniature (dwarf), 11, 17, 44, 53, 63; in New York, 23; potting material for (See Osmunda fiber)

‘Oriental Music,’ 98

Osmanthus fragrans, 63

Osmunda fiber, 44, 45, 70, 81, 92

Otaheite orange, 113

Overpotting, 79–80

Oxalis, 63, 124–25

Pachysandra, 212

Pacific Northwest, plants shipped from, 91

Painted lady, 103

Panda plant, 105

‘Pansy,’ 100

Pansy, 245; hybrid, 46

Parochetus communis (Shamrock Pea, Blue Oxalis), 125

Parodia, 106

Partridgeberry, 53, 224

Parsley Fern, 221

Pasque flower, 261

Passiflora coccinea, 63

‘Patens Major,’ 93

Patient Lucy, 120

‘Patricia,’ 209

‘Patty Lou,’ 148

‘Peach Blossom,’ 93, 287

‘Peachblossom,’ 296

‘Peacock,’ 100

Peanut, 63

Peanut Cactus, 102

Peat: 86, 93, 140, 143, 196, 218, 230, 233, 254, 256, 258, 279, 281; Michigan, 218; moss, 115; orchid, 136

Pelargonium hortorum (Geranium), 126–28

Pellaea rotundifolia (Button Fern), 128

Pellionia, 128

Pelonex, 78, 86, 233

Penwiper plant, 105

Peperomia, 19–20, 58, 89, 128–29

Perennials: 197, 209, 218; dwarf, 10, 132–33, 138, 251–76, 286; effectiveness in rock gardens of, 189

‘Periwinkle,’ 294

‘Perky,’ 126

‘Perle d’Alcanada’ (‘Perle d’Alconada’), 148

Perlite, 47, 73, 77–78, 81; in propagating, 86, 233

Permanganate of potash, 206

‘Persian Brocade,’ 98

Persian Candytuft, 260

Pests and house plants, 85

‘Petite Gold,’ 284

‘Petite Harmony,’ 284

‘Petite Orange,’ 284

‘Petite Purple,’ 283

‘Petite Yellow,’ 284

Petunias, 278, 284–85; bedding, 187

Philadelphia, 118

Philodendron, 63

Phlox, 270–71, 285

Photochrome, 24

Photoperiodism, principle of, 23, 30

Photosynthesis, 30

Picea abies (Spruce), 246

‘Pied Piper,’ 96

Pilea, 129–31

Pincushion Cactus, 105

Pine: 212, 226, 230; “duff,” 196; mugho, 177, 231, 234

‘Pink,’ 285

‘Pink Charm,’ 262

‘Pink Heather,’ 282

‘Pinkie Dots,’ 294

‘Pink Radiance,’ 108

‘Pint Size,’ 294

Pinus (Pine), 246 (See also Pine)

Pipsissewa, 155, 216

Pitcher plant, 63

‘Pixie,’ 129, 266

‘Pixie Gold,’ 148

“Plant rooms,” in contemporary homes, 64

Plant sources, 58

Plumbago, 252

Podophyllum peltatum (May Apple), 225

Poinsettias, 30, 104

Poison ivy, 213

‘Polaris,’ 126

‘Pollyanna,’ 286

Polyscias (Aralia) fruticosa, 131; ‘Elegans,’ 131; ‘Parsley,’ 131

Polystichum tsus-simense, 131

Pomegranate, tree, 68

Ponderosa lemon, 113

Pools, miniature: 66, 199–206, 223–24; charcoal as purifier of, 210; oxygenating plants for, 209

‘Poppet,’ 297

Poppy, miniature, 178

Portulaca, 285–86

Portulacaria afra variegata (Rainbow Bush), 106

Powder puff, 106

Prayer plant, 122

‘Pride,’ 126–27

‘Primrose Pygmy,’ 284

Primroses (See: Primula)

Primula (Primrose), 38, 256, 271–72

‘Prince Valiant,’ 126

Propagating: 197–98, 233–36; of cacti and succulents, 101; greenhouse, 73, 197; with the Gro-Master, 86; of house plants, 84, 86–90, 92; miniature roses, 144–45; of woodland plants, 217–18

Pruning: 82, 231; of dish gardens, 43; miniature roses, 141, 143; of sink gardens, 157–58

‘Purity,’ 267

Pussy ears, 114

Pussy-Toes, 261

“Pygmies,” 284

‘Pygmy,’ 127

Pygmy Water Lily, 209

Quaker Lady, 223

Rabbit tracks, 122

Rabbit’s-foot ferns, 64

Rainbow Bush, 106

‘Raspberry Parfait,’ 99

Rattlesnake plantain (See: Goodyera pubescens)

Rebutia (Crown Cactus), 106

‘Red Berry,’ 100

‘Red Button,’ 294

‘Red Dot,’ 294

‘Red Foundling,’ 286

‘Red Imp,’ 148

‘Red Tweedle,’ 294

Resurrection plant, 134

Rex begonias, 89; miniature, 99–101

Rhizomatous begonias, 89, 95, 97–99

Rhizomes, 89, 97, 208

Rhododendron, 246 (See also Azalea)

‘Robin Hood,’ 126–27

Rock, as an accessory in gardens, 45, 47, 57, 66, 172, 177 (See also Rock gardens)

Rock Aster, 262

Rock cress, 262

Rock gardens: 183–98; alpine and rock plants in, 187–98; in containers, 49; designs for, 184–87; plants for, 119, 126, 187–91, 219–26, 239–50, 259–76, 282–83, 286, 288, 292–95, 297–98

Rockfoil (See: Saxifraga)

Roots: cuttings from, 89; division of, 90; as plant holders, 45; rotting of, 42, 81

‘Rosa Oakington Ruby,’ 148

Rosary vine, 110

‘Rosata,’ 148

‘Rosea,’ 286

Rose gardens, 138–39, 227

‘Rose Gem,’ 283, 287

Roses: 137–49, 211, 226; climbing, 139; growing, under artificial light, 138; rambler, 139; in sink gardens, 138; tea, 137, 139; tree, 139, 143–44

‘Rosie O’Day,’ 282

‘Rosy Dawn,’ 126

‘Rosy Morn,’ 285

‘Rouletti,’ 148

‘Royal Carpet,’ 282

‘Royal Purple,’ 209

‘Ruffles,’ 126

Runners, in self-propagating, 90

Running pine, 224

‘Rusty Red,’ 284

Sakrete, 47, 49

‘Salmon,’ 286

‘Salmon Comet,’ 126–27

‘Salmon Gem,’ 285

Sand: builders’, 78, 195; dollar, 102; sharp, 86, 195, 198, 233, 255–56

Sandhill phlox, 271

Sand phlox, 270

Sansevieria (Snake Plant), 131–32

Sarcococca ruscifolia (Sweet Box), 132

‘Saturn,’ 126

Saxifraga (Rockfoil): 272–73; sarmentosa (Strawberry Begonia, Geranium), 90, 132–33, 273; seedlings, 188

Scale, treating, 232

‘Scarlet Gem,’ 148, 287

Schizocentron (Heeria, Heterocentron) elegans (Spanish Shawl), 132

Schulz, Peggie, 13; garden sold by, 87

Sciadopitys verticillata (Umbrella Pine), 247

Scotch moss, 134

Sea campion, 274

‘Sea Gull,’ 108

Sedum, 107

Seedlings: blue rays of spectrum and, 30; in bonsai, 167; repotting of, 79, 281; woodland, 218

Seeds: 84, 86; and bonsai, 167; effect of red rays of spectrum on, 30; house plants from, 86–87; woodland, 218

Selaginella, 58, 66

Selaginella, 133–34

Semperflorens (“wax”) begonias, 73, 95–96

Sempervivums, 177, 187, 252

Serissa foetida (japonica), 134

Shading, artificial, 70–71, 73

Shamrock Pea, 125

Sheet moss, 47

‘Shell,’ 119

Shining club moss, 224

‘Shippy’s Garland,’ 63

Short-night plants, 30–31

‘Shrew,’ 296

Shrubs: 101, 181, 212, 226–50; in bonsai, 169, 173; “cut-back,” 231; “die-back,” 231; tropical, 93

Silene (Campion, Catchfly), 273–74

‘Silver Beauty,’ 260

‘Silver Hahni,’ 132

‘Silver Heart,’ 129

‘Silver Jewel,’ 99

‘Silver Panamiga,’ 131

‘Silver Star,’ 114

‘Silver Tree,’ 131

‘Sinbad,’ 286

Sink gardens, 138, 150–58, 288

Sinningia, 134–35

Sinningia pusilla, 10, 40, 134–35

“Slips” (See Cuttings)

Slugs, 60, 117, 272

‘Small Fortune,’ 128

Snake Plant, 131–32

Snapdragons, 286

‘Sneezy,’ 128, 297

‘Snowball,’ 285

Snowball, 226, 229, 249

‘Snowdrop,’ 96

Snowdrop, 294

‘Snowflake,’ 267

Snowflake, 295

Snow in summer, 263

‘Snow-White,’ 128, 286

Soil: 60, 74, 230; in greenhouses, 71–72, 92; humusy, 92, 214–16; mixture for miniature gardens, 50, 59, 77–79, 85–86, 92, 140, 142, 170; prepared, 78; “sour,” 59

South, winter planting in, 229

Spanish Shawl, 132

‘Sparkle,’ 128

‘Spaulding,’ 97–98

Speedwell, 275

Sphagnum moss, 44–45, 86, 89, 92, 115–16, 133, 217, 236

Spiraea (Spirea), 247–48

Spleenwort, 219

Spring beauty (See: Claytonia virginica)

‘Spring Charm,’ 262

Spring snowflake, 295

‘Sprite,’ 128

Spruce, 226, 246

Squirrel corn, 155

Squirrels, 290

Star Cactus, 102

Starch, in plant growth, 30

Stephanotis floribunda, 63

Sternbergia lutea (Winter Daffodil), 297–98

Stilt-roots, 63

Stolon, 90, 132, 222, 262, 268

Stone-Cress, 260

Strawberry Begonia (See: Saxifraga)

Streptocarpus, 135

Streptocarpus, 20

String of hearts, 110

Succulents: 49, 51, 64–65, 78, 81, 107–36; containers for, 42–43; garden of, 68; propagating of, 73, 89

Suckers, 95, 116, 231, 240

Sugar, in plant growth, 30

Sulfur, 239, 255; dusting, for roses, 143, 232

Summer snowflake, 295

‘Sunbeam,’ 149

Sun cup, 106

Sundew, 115

Sundrop, 270

Superphosphate (bone meal), 140, 143, 156–57, 175, 254, 289–90

Sweat plant, 134

Sweet Box, 132

‘Sweet Fairy,’ 149

Sweet Peas, 286

Sweet William (See: Dianthus)

Sylvania Electric Products, Inc., 31

Tangerine (Mandarin orange), 113

Tassel hyacinth, 296

Taxus (Yew), 248

‘Tear Drop,’ 119

Teddy-bear plant, 114

‘Telecurl,’ 119

Temperatures: for house plants, 75–76, 92; for miniature bulbs, 291–92; of plants in terrariums, 59

Tennis ball, 241

Terrariums: 53–54, 65; cider jug as, 54–57; commercial, 65; cultural compatability in, 58; plants for, 93–95, 97, 100, 101, 109–11, 115–17, 124, 128, 131, 134, 219, 221, 223–24

Teucrium chamaedrys (Germander), 249

Texas, 103

Thomas, G. L., Jr., 205, 210

‘Thousand Beauties,’ 96

Three Springs Fisheries, 205

Thuja (Arborvitae), 249

‘Thumbelina,’ 149

Thyme, 187, 252; lemon, 194, 274 (See also: Thymus)

Thymus (Thyme), 187, 252, 274–75

Tibouchina semidecandra, 64

Tiger Jaws, 104

‘Tiger Star,’ 283

Tillandsia, 136

‘Tiny Rubies,’ 266

‘Tiny Tim,’ 128

Titanopsis, 107

Tom Thumb Cactus, 106

‘Tom Thumb’: 105, 286, 294; ‘Double Flowered Dwarf,’ 283; ‘Pure White,’ 283; ‘Purple,’ 283; ‘Rose,’ 283; ‘Scarlet,’ 283; ‘Shell Pink,’ 283

Tradescantia (Spiderwort, Inch Plant, Wandering Jew), 114, 136

Trailing Arbutus, 222

Transplanting “shock,” 50, 80, 166, 175, 281

Trees: 226–50; in bonsai, 164–76; deciduous, 75, 165, 170, 216; miniature fruit, 68–69, 227; roots as plant holders, 45

Trichodiadema densum (Desert Rose), 107

Trillium, 160, 211

Tropical gardens, 49, 62–65, 109, 115; “jungle,” 26–27

Tropical Gardens, 13

Tropical Paradise Greenhouse, 98

Trough gardens (See Sink gardens)

Trout Lily, 222, 288–89

Tsuga canadensis (Hemlock), 166, 249

‘Tubergeni,’ 294

Tubers, 288

Tufa rock, 171, 189; as plant-holder, 44, 57

Tulipa (Tulip), 288, 290, 298

‘Twilight,’ 109

‘Twinkle,’ 10, 128, 285

Umbrella flower, 110

Umbrella Pine, 247

U. S. Department of Agriculture, 31

‘Variegated Kleiner Liebling,’ 128

Vaughn, 281

Venus Fly Trap, 115–16

Verbena, 122, 286

Vermiculite: 77, 78, 81, 93; in indoor bonsai, 161; in indoor greenhouse, 22, 27; in propagating, 86, 233

Veronica (Speedwell), 275

Viburnum (Snowball, European Cranberry Bush), 226, 229, 249

Vigoro, 116

Vine, 63; rosary, 110 (See also: Cissus striata; Clerodendrum thomosoniae; Passiflora coccinea; Manettia bicolor)

Viola (Viola, Violet): 276; African, 20, 25, 51, 63, 90, 93

‘Violacea Semi-Plena,’ 93

‘Violet King,’ 283

‘Violet Queen,’ 283

Violets (See: Viola)

‘Virbob,’ 98

Virginia, 290

Walking Fern, 219

Wall gardens: 183–89, 191–98; design of, 184–89; planting and care of, 193–97

Wandering Jew (See: Tradescantia)

Wardian case, 53, 55, 77

Watering of plants: 80–82, 91, 101, 156, 230; excess, 42, 50, 59–60, 80–81, 180; importance of drainage in, 190, 229–30; with manure water, 60, 80, 109, 123; in propagating, 86; in terrariums, 59–60

Water lilies, 205; miniature, 202, 207–9

Watermelon pilea, 130

Water ‘N’ Watch garden, 87

Water plants, 207–10; floating, 209

Wax Plant, 120

‘Wayside’s Garnet,’ 149

‘Wee Bee,’ 297

‘Wee Red,’ 294

‘Wee Willie’ (‘Sweet William’), 266

‘Wendlinger,’ 109

Westchester, 23

Westcott, Cynthia, 232

Western wild ginger, 219

West Indies, 122

‘Whirlybird,’ 294

White Cedar, 241

White Forsythia, 236

‘White Gem,’ 287

‘White Gossamer,’ 114

White pygmy, 209

‘White Velvet,’ 114

Wilder, Louise Beebe, 197

Wild-flower, mail order houses, 153

Wild ginger, 160, 219

Wild pink, 273

Wild sweet William, 271

Williamsburg, 48, 155

Willow, 166

Windex bottle, for misting plants, 77, 82

Windflower, 261

Window boxes, 20; plants for, 109, 286

Window gardens, 18–22, 97, 117

‘Winkie,’ 96

Winter Aconite, 290, 294

‘Winter Jewel,’ 96

Woodbine, 111–12, 212

Woodland gardens, 211–25

Woolly thyme, 274

Yarrow, 259

‘Yellow Miniature,’ 149

Yellow pygmy, 209

Yew, 248

‘Yindee,’ 296

Zinnias, 286–87

Transcriber’s Notes:

1. Obvious printers’, punctuation and spelling errors have been corrected silently.

2. Some hyphenated and non-hyphenated versions of the same words have been retained as in the original.

3. Italics are shown as xxx.

4. Bold print is shown as =xxx=.