In Scotland, a climate which makes few compromises in Half Hardy 

 the matter of heat and cold, the employment of such tender Annuals 

 plants as Celosias, Balsams, Cosmos bipinnata, and Zinnias 

 is unprofitable, while Dwarf Nasturtiums grow so much to 

 leaves and are so painfully deficient of flowers, that a sight 

 of them growing in the South of England makes one almost 

 envious of their beauty. But there are compensations. The 

 Sweet Pea glories in the climate, and it is only in the north 

 that Larkspur, Stocks, and many another common annual can 

 be seen in gayest array late in autumn. Nor need the fact be 

 concealed that plants, which in southern gardens are coddled, 

 can conform to the exigencies of northern ones. It thus happens 

 that the Swan River Daisy succeeds as a hardy annual, 

 Campanula pyramidalis as a hardy biennial, and Celsia 

 Arcturus as a half-hardy annual and sometimes as a hardy 

 one. On the other hand, failure follows the attempt to sow 

 the seeds of Hollyhocks and to flower the plants the same 

 year ; knowledge of these and other details is essential to success. 



As with other plants, so it is with annuals and biennials ; a 

 rigid selection is imperative if the greatest pleasure from their use 

 is to be looked for. It is not only that the number of species 

 which may be hopefully chosen is limited, but that, of the 

 species, varieties have to be examined closely before admitting 

 them to the garden. The old-fashioned garden-artist delighted 

 in variety. He would grow sixty varieties of Stock without a 

 qualm, and be rather proud of the achievement. Now it is 

 unlikely that we could usefully employ more than six. Of the 

 branching Larkspur (Delphinium consolidd] the deep blue, rose, 

 and white form a sufficient variety; of the Rocket Larkspur 

 (D. Ajac'is] the rose only. 



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