136 GARDEN FLOWERS. 



sive genus of hardy plants, chiefly perennials, but containing 

 some annuals and biennials. Mostly plants of considerable 

 beauty, and favorites in gardens. The perennials are in- 

 creased by dividing the roots in spring, and need not be 

 disturbed oftener than once in three years, to part the roots. 

 The double variety of D. grandiflorum has beautiful flow- 

 ers of an intense blue color. The best of the annuals, 

 D. consolida and Ajaris, should be sown where they are 

 to bloom, and thinned to three or four inches apart. They 

 ought to be grown in every garden, and require only good 

 garden soil. The branching Larkspur is often hardy enough 

 to stand the winter if sown in autumn. 



D. aconiti (aconite-like) ; hardy annual ; I foot ; flowers pur- 

 plish, in June ; Levant ; 1801. D. Ajacis (rocket) ; hardy 

 annual ; 18 inches ; flowers pink, blue, or white, in June ; 

 Switzerland, 1573. D. anuznum (pleasing); hardy perennial; 

 3 feet ; flowers light-blue, in July ; Siberia; 1818. D.aznreitm 

 (azure) ; hardy perennial ; 5 feet ; flowers light-blue, in July ; 

 Carolina; 1805. D. Barlowi (Barlow's); hardy perennial; 3 

 feet ; flowers deep-blue, double, in June ; gardens. D. cheilan- 

 thum (lip-flowered) ; hardy perennial ; 3 feet ; flowers dark-blue, 

 in June ; Siberia; 1819. D. Chinense (Chinese) ; hardy peren- 

 nial ; 2 feet ; flowers deep-blue, in July ; Tartary ; 1818. D. 

 consolida (branching) ; hardy annual ; 2^ feet ; flowers blue, 

 pink, or white, in June ; England. D. divaricatum (straggling) ; 

 hardy annual ; 18 inches ; flowers purple, in July ; Asia ; 1836. 

 D. grandiflorum (large-flowered) ; hardy perennial ; 2 feet ; 

 flowers deep-blue, in July ; Siberia ; 1816. D. grandiflorum 

 flore-pleno ; hardy perennial ; 2 feet; flowers deep-blue, double, 

 in July ; gardens. D. speciosum (showy) ; hardy perennial ; 4 

 feet; flowers blue, in July ; Caucasus ; 1816. 



There are numerous other showy species, among which 

 D. Hendersoni and formosum, garden varieties, are conspicu- 

 ous. For common cultivation, we should select as the best, 

 D. formosum, sinense (white, light, and deep blue), sinense 



