The peony is the most long-lived of all perennials and the easiest to grow, unless of course you are looking at flower garden statuary. Its few main requirements are a deeply dug soil, well drained and well enriched with manure, compost or peatmoss mixed with dried cow manure, and a generous application of bone meal. They like a little lime, too. Give them full sun for best flowers. Peonies are usually planted in autumn—September, October or November; in the northern regions, the earlier the better.

Try and only plant peonies that have at least 3 to 5 eyes or buds. These are just on top of the roots. After firming the soil, set the plants so that the eyes arc about one inch below the soil level. In the northern regions, they are usually covered with hay or leaves after they are frozen; not before. This is removed in the spring. Besides the large double types, there are the single, Japanese, and anemone types. They flower during the season in that order.

The large double types are the last to flower. With iris, the three principal types grown are Siberian, bearded or German, and Japanese. Bearded iris are grown most extensively. Flowering in early summer, they have colors including every shade of blue, lavender, pink, yellow and white. They have a flattish root called a rhizome. This is usually found on the ground surface, not under. In planting, it is placed at the same level.

Unlike peonies, iris must be dug up and divided every three to four years or they become overcrowded and cease to flower. Dividing is done after flowering or about July. Plants can be set out in autumn, too, for bloom next spring. Siberian iris has smaller flowers. They bloom ahead of the bearded type. The Japanese iris has very large flowers and blooms some time after the bearded. It needs plenty of humus and lots of water in order to give large blooms.

Planting is done after flowering, and again in autumn. Delphiniums have stately tall spikes of blue, lavender and white flowers; they are the aristocrats of the garden. Unlike iris and peonies which must be bought as plants, delphiniums can be grown from seed. Sown in early spring, some will bloom in autumn. Sown in summer or autumn, the plants will bloom the following year. If they flower in June or early July, they will flower again in autumn.

In many parts of the country they do not endure very long, but the plants are easily grown. Give delphiniums well drained, deeply dug soil and fertilizer. They like lime, too, and full sun. When the flowers fade, cut out the old stalk at the crown to start the new shoots for more flowers. Roses are part of the flower garden. Usually they are given a place by themselves, not mixed with other flowers. This is partly due to their shrubby nature, also because they do require a culture different from the rest of the flowers.

However, on the small place, there is an increasing tendency to include them in flower borders. There is no reason why there should be any objection to this. Roses, like many garden plants, are changing and the methods of using them will change too. If you can accommodate only a few it is necessary that you choose the type carefully. There are three main types of bush roses: hybrid teas, hybrid polyanthas, and floribundas—exclusive of the climbers.

These flower pretty well through the season, depending on the region. Where summers are hot, the heat of late July and August tends to slow up flowering, though growth still continues. As the heat abates, flowering begins again and continues until late autumn. How much they flower depends upon the care in watering, fertilizing and pest control given during the summer. Hybrid teas are set 2 feet apart, as are floribundas. The polyanthas should be 18 inches apart, very dwarf polyanthas 12 inches.