SOME GOOD HARDY ANNUALS 33 



well-known Catchfly, and Silene pendula compacta double 

 rose, and double crimson. The former is i ft. high, but 

 the other two are only 6 ins. The pendula compacta 

 varieties are useful for a great many purposes, they come 

 readily from seed out of doors, or seed may be sown in a 

 frame in March and the seedlings freely planted out later. 

 They are most useful edging plants, and large patches of 

 them near the front in borders of annuals or perennials 

 look extremely well. 



Sunflower : Opinions differ about the merits of the 

 sunflower. I am not so fond of it. There is no doubt, 

 however, that the dwarf varieties are much better in a 

 small garden than those which grow to a height of 12 ft. 

 All sunflowers may be sown where they are to grow, in 

 April and May, or they may be sown earlier and trans- 

 planted. Three to five feet apart is none too much for the 

 tall sorts and i ft. for the rest. 



Good Varieties. 

 Sunflower 



Tall Double 6-12 ft. 



Dwarf Single and Dwarf Double . . 3 ft. 



Cucumerifolius . . . . . . . . 3 ft. 



New Dwarf Compact . . . . . . i ft. 



Sweet Pea : It is quite out of place for me to say any- 

 thing about the cultivation of sweet peas in these Jottings, 

 for although I am an enthusiast, abler pens than mine 

 have gone into the matter fully. The best I can do is to 

 recommend the amateur to read a good book on the subject 

 or the frequent articles on Sweet Peas in the gardening 

 papers. Let him get " The Modern Culture of Sweet 

 Peas " by Mr. Thomas Stevenson. 



Sweet Sultan : This is a most valuable Hardy Annual 

 and should be grown by everyone. It is easy to cultivate 

 and may be sown out of doors where it is to flower, in April, 

 or earlier in a frame and carefully transplanted. The 

 colours are various shades of pink, purple, lilac, and white. 

 The ordinary varieties grow 2 ft. high, but the hybrids 

 (many named sorts) reach a height of about 36 ins. 



