For May, 1921 



569 



Annual and Biennial Plants— Some of Their Uses 



ROBERT CAMERON 



{Continued ) 



ANNUALS are generally divided into two classes, 

 hardy and half hardy. Then we have the green- 

 house classes, but it is not my purpose to mention 

 them now. liardy annuals are the kinds which are sown 

 directly in the ground where they are to grow. Some 

 can be sown in the Fall and wintered over in frames. 

 Half hardy annuals are those which are sown in the 

 greenhouse, frame, or window in jNIarch or April. They 

 need slight protection in the early stages of their growth 

 and some of them do not develop to their full extent if 

 not treated in this way. 



Ageratum conyaoides is the common Agcratitin of 

 gardens. It is a tavorite because of its bright blue flow- 

 ers which are produced all Summer. The tall varieties 

 grow about eighteen inches high, but there are several 

 dwarf varieties which are very useful for massing, edg- 

 ing plants and for ground coverings. These are Swanley 

 Blue: Imperial Dark Blue, this variety is nine inches 

 high ; Little Blue Star, a beauty only six inches high. 

 There is also a dwarf white variety. 



Sweet Alyssum is ^undoubtedly the best low, white, 

 annual plant we have for borders, especially valuable on 

 account of its pleasant fragrance. It is best to sow this 

 seed early out of doors where the plants are to bloom. If 

 the plants begin to run to seed, the flowers can be cut oft' 

 and the plants will soon blossom again and continue to the 

 end of the season. 



The snapdragon, Antirrhinitni majus, is very popular 

 and deserves to be on account of its handsome flowers 

 which are produced very abundantly. It is one of the 

 most useful annuals we have in the garden. Being one of 

 the plants which have been very much improved by horti- 

 culturists, the snapdragon has now a great range of beau- 

 tiful, distmct colors. Not only have the colors of the 

 flowers been improved, but also the habit of the plants. 

 We have them in tall and dwarf forms coming true from 

 seed, with many varieties among the latter. For early 

 flowering, the seeds must be sown in February or March 

 in the greenliouse. The seeds sown out of doors in Alay 

 will flower in July or August. The flowers are especially 

 good for cutting and possess good keeping qualities. In 

 warm sheltered positions this plant occasionally lives over 

 the second year. 



Balsams are beautiful plants when well grown, and by 

 selection and improvement we have a large variety. A 

 good strain will give plants, producing large, double 

 flowers. If sown out of doors in warm sheltered spots 

 about the end of May, they soon germinate and develop 

 into fine specimens, but they must have .Hifficicnt room to 

 grow. 



Browallla data and grandiflora are old-fashioned plants 

 that are easily grown, valuable on account of their fint 

 showing of blue flowers all Summer. They are partic- 

 ular!} useful in the flov.-er garden, where they will bloom 

 from June until October. 



There are few plants that arc more satisfactory than 

 the annual Coreopsis for they will grow and flower in 

 almost any kind of soil or situation. If sown out of doors 

 in May, they quickly begin to flower and will continue 

 blossoming until they are destroyed by frost in the Fall. 

 The best kinds are finetoria and Druiiimnndii. 



The pot marigolds. Calendula, are very valuable for 

 growing in light and dry soils and have many pleasing 

 shades of vellow flowers. They may be sown (|uite earlv 



out of doors, continuing to bloom until Fail. The flowers 

 are good for cutting. The finest varieties are Meteor, 

 Prince of Orange, and Lemon Queen. 



China or Indian pinks are biennials but if sown early 

 they flower the first year from seed. When given a 

 sunny position in the garden they make an excellent dis- 

 ]3lay, flowering from July until frost. Good varieties are 

 Fireball. Purity, Salmon Oueen, Snowdrift and \'esuvius. 



Nasturtiums are general favorites as no soil is too poor 

 to grow them in. The dwarf kinds are best adapted for 

 beds and massing, and the tall Lobianum varieties are the 

 best for picking flowers from. A marvellous range of 

 new colors has been developed in this flower. Some 

 good varieties of the dwarf kinds are Aurora, yellow ; 

 Crystal Palace Gem, yellow and carmine; King of the 

 Tom Thumb, scarlet ; and Ruby King, dark red. Among 

 the tall climbing kinds, Jupiter, gold yellow; Sunlight, 

 light golden yellow; and Vesuvius, salmon colored, are 

 choice varieties to grow. Of the Lobianum varieties, Asa 

 Gray, yellowish white; Fulgens, dark scarlet; Lucifer, 

 very dark scarlet; Spitfire, brilliant scarlet; and Margue- 

 rite, cream white, are the most well liked. 



Ten-week stocks are charming plants for borders and 

 their handsome flowers are excellent for cutting. There 

 are many pleasing shades of these flowers, ranging from 

 dark red to snow white. The "Cut-and-Come-Again" 

 varieties are especially good for cutting, as when the first 

 flowering shoots have been cut, the side branches produce 

 good cutting material. The Autumn and late flowering 

 kinds are not as useful as they bloom too late. 



The candytufts are splendid for edging and massing 

 effects, and' the varieties, Empress, Little Prince, and 

 Giant White Perfection, are among the best. Sow out 

 of doors early in Spring and for succession, sow late in 

 the Summer. 



The cornflowers, Centaurea cyanus, are extremely 

 hardv annuals and will stand out of doors all Winter. 

 The light, airy blue flowers are charming for cutting, as 

 are also the white flowered and pink flowered varieties. 

 The Sweet Sultans are useful for massing, and cutting, 

 and of late years we have had many new varieties which 

 are exceptionally fine garden plants. Centaurea Marga- 

 rita' has pure white flowers which are ven,' fragrant. The 

 dift'erent forms of Centaurea imperialis are very valuable 

 for cutting and they keep well. They are grown by 

 florists a good deal but for general garden use they should 

 be grown much more extensively. 



The Summer-flowering Chrysanthemums are not like 

 our large Autumn-flowering kinds, but they possess 

 a charm of their own and no garden should be 

 without them. They arc of easy culture, coming into 

 flower quite early enough if the seed is sown in May. 

 There are many varieties, some having so-called double 

 flowers. Clirvsantheninin carinatum or tricolor makes a 

 bushy plant from one to two feet high and its flowers are 

 composed of three colors. The best varieties of this 

 species are Burridgeanum and Eclipse. The double 

 forms of Chrvsantliciniim coronarum are the best. The 

 Corn Marigold, C. scgctum grandiftorum, is a taller 

 growing plrmt than the "former kinds, excellent for mass- 

 ing and cutting. Sutton's Star varieties are the finest of 

 all. Morning Star, Evening Star, Eastern Star, and 

 Northern Star. The dwarf Chrysanthemum multicaulc 

 makes a good edging plant. 



In low growing jilants for yellow cft'ecls. we have noth- 



