CHAPTER XIX THE HARDY GARDEN

Is a permanent investment, possible only in the permanent home. It adds dignity and charm attainable¹ from no other form of planting. It is to the outdoor life of the home what the possession of colonial furniture and family heirlooms is to the indoor life, and yet is neither expensive nor tedious in its inception². It may be acquired fully³ grown, as it were, by an order to the florist⁴ for ready grown plants of blossoming size, ready to give seasonal⁵ bloom, or it may be developed in a few months, inexpensively and most interestingly, by procuring⁶ the seeds of as many desirable varieties of hardy⁷ perennials⁸ as one has room or inclination¹⁰ for and planting them in the hotbed in early spring, and transplanting into permanent positions when large enough or, better still, by planting the seed in cold frames in274 August or early September and growing them on until cold weather when they should be protected for the winter and in the spring planted out where they are to bloom. Every hardy perennial⁹ set out in one's garden is an asset that will increase in value each succeeding year. Many have the root formation that admits of divisions—as the Shasta daisy, a single two year old clump¹¹ usually dividing up into from six to ten blooming-size plants. English violets, English daisies, polyanthus, and many other plants may be divided annually¹² until in time one owns large colonies of them, and this is a point well worth understanding,—that a large number of one kind of plant is much more effective and worth while than a large number of kinds of plants, of just one or a few individuals. Many plants which are inconspicuous or ineffective singly or in small groups, surprise one with their beauty when grown in large masses or long rows. The ulmaria—a variety of spir?a of deciduous¹³ growth—is a notable example of this. Planted singly it is merely a rather pretty flower; grown275 in a long row it is a mass of snowy white in late June and July that compels one with its beauty. Its congener, the spir?a fillipendula, a lesser¹⁴ but most graceful¹⁵ growth, also pleases one especially when grown in long rows in front of taller plants. And right here is a point well worth considering in planting a hardy border—the arranging of plants in rising tiers of bloom so that a bank of bloom may be produced. One effective bed that gladdened my heart for several seasons and rose in tier after tier of gracious bloom through several weeks of early summer had an initial planting next the front of tritomas, whose scarlet¹⁶ torches of flame did not come into bloom until late summer, but from then until frost made a brilliant band of color. Back of these was a fine planting of columbine, next a row of scarlet lychnis alternated with white feverfew, and still further back a full planting of the garden spir?a whose feathery heads of pinky-white flowers stood four or five feet high and in turn were topped with fine clumps¹⁷ of physostegias; the whole planting making a beautiful bank276 of bloom and one not commonly seen. This was a permanent planting requiring little care beyond the removal of all weeds and grass in the spring and an occasional thinning out of the plants when they became too crowded. The physostegia increases rapidly by root division and the lychnis, feverfew and aquilegias all self-sow so the bed practically never ran out or needed renewing and the cost, except for the tritomas, was that of a few packets of seeds—probably a total of fifty cents for some one hundred and fifty square feet of loveliness, and there are many, many combinations as happy and as easily acquired as that.

Lacking the convenience of hotbeds and cold frames, the vegetable garden is a most excellent place in which to start hardy perennials for a permanent garden. Flowers planted in rows among vegetables always seem to do better than anywhere else, the reason being that they are not crowded—usually being in single rows with a foot or more of open space at each side through which the hoe and cultivator can work freely, and277 where they will receive regular and constant attention throughout the growing season. In a garden of say fifty feet in width, several varieties of flowers may be grown in short lengths of ten feet or more. They should be covered somewhat more deeply than when sown in the hotbed or cold frame and the ground firmed well above them, especially if the weather is dry at the time of planting; when the seedlings¹⁸ appear they will probably need thinning in order that they may not grow spindling, but will not need the room they will require when in permanent quarters. Many kinds of hardy perennials will give some bloom the first year, though, of course, they will not be at their best, but they will be sufficiently¹⁹ pronounced to make it possible to select those most desirable for cultivation²⁰. Delphiniums, for instance, will give small spikes²¹ of bloom, probably a foot high, the first season and if the Gold Medal Hybrids²² have been planted some very lovely blooms will result. In the fall the plants may be lifted and set in permanent positions, or they may be left in the ground until278 spring and then transplanted; probably this is the better treatment providing the ground is not to be ploughed too early, as some of the perennials die down in the fall and may not appear above the ground in time for very early transplanting.

Evergreen²³ boughs²⁴ make the best winter covering, especially when rested against some support with the tips downward, so as to shed rain. They do not mat down into a sodden²⁵ mass as do leaves which have a tendency to smother²⁶ and rot plants with an evergreen crown of leaves, but protect from sun and cold winds, at the same time admitting sufficient air to the plants to keep them in good condition.

When immediate²⁷ effect is desired from hardy perennials which must be produced from seed, considerable time may be gained by planting the seeds in flats in the house in early February, giving them as light a position as possible, a south window being preferable, and transplanting the little seedlings to the hotbed when that is started in March or early April. This will often force along the blooms and will certainly produce279 strong, well developed plants by fall, plants that should stand the winter and come out in spring in fine condition, ready for a notable season of bloom.

While hardy perennials are generally thought of in connection with such herbaceous plants as die down to the ground in fall, reappearing again in spring, and the few that make a crown of winter foliage²⁸, like the hollyhocks and delphiniums, no perennial garden could be considered complete without an abundance of lilies. These may be planted here and there, singly and in groups among the perennials and shrubbery and will need little attention, increasing in numbers year by year. This is especially true of the candidum or annunciation lily, which once planted continues to increase for many years, but should have the clumps broken up once in three or four years and spread out to give more room. Failure to bloom successfully always calls for investigation²⁹ of the condition of the bulbs. Usually it will be found that decay has set in or that worms or ants have invaded the bulbs. In either280 case the bulbs should be lifted and cleaned and all diseased scales removed, saving the scales for replanting; reset³⁰ in clean soil, packing a handful of clean, sharp sand and a pinch of charcoal³¹ about each bulb. Candidum lilies should not be set more than an inch or two below the surface of the ground, but most other lilies, especially the auratums, speciosums, Brownii, and giganteums should be planted six or more inches deep and well padded with sand. A little pad of sphagnum moss³² under each bulb is excellent as it supplies the necessary drainage. Auratum bulbs and bulbs of the Japanese lilies are not as permanent as the candidums and tiger lilies, usually lasting³³ a maximum of five years, if left undisturbed.

It is not much use to plant lily bulbs, tulips and hyacinths in ground infested³⁴ with moles³⁶. The moles should first be eradicated³⁷, and then bulbs may be planted safely but it is little satisfaction to make an extensive and costly³⁸ planting of bulbs only to have them become food for the moles and ground mice. I have known plantings281 of several hundred tulips to be entirely³⁹ destroyed during a single winter. In one such planting of five hundred bulbs only three appeared above ground the following year. A good mole³⁵ trap is invaluable⁴⁰ where moles are in evidence.

1 attainable   

a.可达到的，可获得的

参考例句：

• They set the limits of performance attainable. 它们确定着可达到的运行限度。
• If objectives are to be meaningful to people, they must be clear, attainable, actionable, and verifiable. 如果目标对人们是具有意义的，则目标必须是清晰的，能达到的，可以行动的，以及可供检验的。

2 inception   

n.开端，开始，取得学位

参考例句：

• The programme has been successful since its inception.这个方案自开始实施以来一直卓有成效。
• Julia's worked for that company from its inception.自从那家公司开办以来，朱莉娅一直在那儿工作。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

4 florist   

n.花商；种花者

参考例句：

• The florist bunched the flowers up.花匠把花捆成花束。
• Could you stop at that florist shop over there?劳驾在那边花店停一下好不好？

5 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

6 procuring   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• He was accused of procuring women for his business associates. 他被指控为其生意合伙人招妓。 来自辞典例句
• She had particular pleasure, in procuring him the proper invitation. 她特别高兴为他争得这份体面的邀请。 来自辞典例句

7 hardy   

adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的

参考例句：

• The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
• He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。

8 perennials   

n.多年生植物( perennial的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Name six perennials and six annuals suitable for indoor flower arrangement. 列出多年生及一年生花朵各六种，它们必须是适合插花的。 来自互联网
• Herbage can be divided into three categories: annuals, biennials, and perennials. 草本植物可分成一年生、二年生和多年生。 来自互联网

9 perennial   

adj.终年的；长久的

参考例句：

• I wonder at her perennial youthfulness.我对她青春常驻感到惊讶。
• There's a perennial shortage of teachers with science qualifications.有理科教学资格的老师一直都很短缺。

10 inclination   

n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好

参考例句：

• She greeted us with a slight inclination of the head.她微微点头向我们致意。
• I did not feel the slightest inclination to hurry.我没有丝毫着急的意思。

11 clump   

n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走

参考例句：

• A stream meandered gently through a clump of trees.一条小溪从树丛中蜿蜒穿过。
• It was as if he had hacked with his thick boots at a clump of bluebells.仿佛他用自己的厚靴子无情地践踏了一丛野风信子。

12 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

13 deciduous   

adj.非永久的；短暂的；脱落的；落叶的

参考例句：

• Overgrown deciduous shrubs can be cut back at this time of year.过于繁茂的落叶灌木可以在每年的这个时候修剪。
• Deciduous trees shed their leaves in autumn.落叶树木在秋天落叶。

14 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

15 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

16 scarlet   

n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的

参考例句：

• The scarlet leaves of the maples contrast well with the dark green of the pines.深红的枫叶和暗绿的松树形成了明显的对比。
• The glowing clouds are growing slowly pale,scarlet,bright red,and then light red.天空的霞光渐渐地淡下去了，深红的颜色变成了绯红，绯红又变为浅红。

17 clumps   

n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声

参考例句：

• These plants quickly form dense clumps. 这些植物很快形成了浓密的树丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The bulbs were over. All that remained of them were clumps of brown leaves. 这些鳞茎死了，剩下的只是一丛丛的黃叶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 seedlings   

n.刚出芽的幼苗( seedling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Ninety-five per cent of the new seedlings have survived. 新栽的树苗95%都已成活。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• In such wet weather we must prevent the seedlings from rotting. 这样的阴雨天要防止烂秧。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

19 sufficiently   

adv.足够地，充分地

参考例句：

• It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
• The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

20 cultivation   

n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成

参考例句：

• The cultivation in good taste is our main objective.培养高雅情趣是我们的主要目标。
• The land is not fertile enough to repay cultivation.这块土地不够肥沃，不值得耕种。

21 spikes   

n.穗( spike的名词复数 )；跑鞋；（防滑）鞋钉；尖状物v.加烈酒于( spike的第三人称单数 )；偷偷地给某人的饮料加入（更多）酒精（ 或药物）；把尖状物钉入；打乱某人的计划

参考例句：

• a row of iron spikes on a wall 墙头的一排尖铁
• There is a row of spikes on top of the prison wall to prevent the prisoners escaping. 监狱墙头装有一排尖钉，以防犯人逃跑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 hybrids   

n.杂交生成的生物体( hybrid的名词复数 )；杂交植物（或动物）；杂种；（不同事物的）混合物

参考例句：

• All these brightly coloured hybrids are so lovely in the garden. 花园里所有这些色彩鲜艳的杂交花真美丽。 来自辞典例句
• The notion that interspecific hybrids are rare is ill-founded. 有一种看法认为种间杂种是罕见的，这种看法是无根据的。 来自辞典例句

23 evergreen   

n.常青树；adj.四季常青的

参考例句：

• Some trees are evergreen;they are called evergreen.有的树是常青的，被叫做常青树。
• There is a small evergreen shrub on the hillside.山腰上有一小块常绿灌木丛。

24 boughs   

大树枝( bough的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The green boughs glittered with all their pearls of dew. 绿枝上闪烁着露珠的光彩。
• A breeze sighed in the higher boughs. 微风在高高的树枝上叹息着。

25 sodden   

adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑

参考例句：

• We stripped off our sodden clothes.我们扒下了湿透的衣服。
• The cardboard was sodden and fell apart in his hands.纸板潮得都发酥了，手一捏就碎。

26 smother   

vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息

参考例句：

• They tried to smother the flames with a damp blanket.他们试图用一条湿毯子去灭火。
• We tried to smother our laughter.我们强忍住笑。

27 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

28 foliage   

n.叶子，树叶，簇叶

参考例句：

• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage.小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
• Dark foliage clothes the hills.浓密的树叶覆盖着群山。

29 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

30 reset   

v.重新安排，复位；n.重新放置；重放之物

参考例句：

• As soon as you arrive at your destination,step out of the aircraft and reset your wristwatch.你一到达目的地，就走出飞机并重新设置手表时间。
• He is recovering from an operation to reset his arm.他做了一个手臂复位手术，正在恢复。

31 charcoal   

n.炭，木炭，生物炭

参考例句：

• We need to get some more charcoal for the barbecue.我们烧烤需要更多的碳。
• Charcoal is used to filter water.木炭是用来过滤水的。

32 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

33 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

34 infested   

adj.为患的，大批滋生的（常与with搭配）v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的过去式和过去分词 )；遍布于

参考例句：

• The kitchen was infested with ants. 厨房里到处是蚂蚁。
• The apartments were infested with rats and roaches. 公寓里面到处都是老鼠和蟑螂。

35 mole   

n.胎块；痣；克分子

参考例句：

• She had a tiny mole on her cheek.她的面颊上有一颗小黑痣。
• The young girl felt very self- conscious about the large mole on her chin.那位年轻姑娘对自己下巴上的一颗大痣感到很不自在。

36 moles   

防波堤( mole的名词复数 )； 鼹鼠； 痣； 间谍

参考例句：

• Unsightly moles can be removed surgically. 不雅观的痣可以手术去除。
• Two moles of epoxy react with one mole of A-1100. 两个克分子环氧与一个克分子A－1100反应。

37 eradicated   

画着根的

参考例句：

• Polio has been virtually eradicated in Brazil. 在巴西脊髓灰质炎实际上已经根除。
• The disease has been eradicated from the world. 这种疾病已在全世界得到根除。

38 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

39 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

40 invaluable   

adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的

参考例句：

• A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
• This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。