POPULAR HERBACEOUS PLANTS 167 



this is probably the finest aster grown. The flowers average four to 

 five inches across and there are five or six distinct shades. As a 

 commercial flower it is unsurpassed. 



Browallia. This is also given to blues, shading from sky blue to 

 ultramarine, in other varieties, from sky blue to white. It blooms 

 very freely and grows from a foot upwards. It is less hardy than 

 many others in face of frost and ha*s to be handled with a little 

 circumspection. 



Calceolaria. The small-growing hybrid calceolarias of shades from 

 lemon yellow to brown, have recently become very popular for out- 

 door growth and produce gorgeous effects during the frost-free period. 

 They bloom continually from May to November, and almost the 

 entire year in some places, making large, almost shrub-like plants 

 and lose only their top growth by light frosts. Although they may 

 be crowded for mass-effects, we enjoy more the aspect of a single 

 plant which has room for the branching it delights in. The plants 

 are grown from the seed preferably in hot bed or frame during the 

 winter for spring planting out. The seed is very small and has to be 

 handled as suggested for such seeds in Chapter VII. 



Calliopsis or Coreopsis. For rich yellows, shading to browns and 

 maroons, the calliopsis species are notable. The most popular and 

 serviceable species coreopsis lanceolata has flowers bright yellow, 

 two or three inches in diameter, on long stems, one to three feet high; 

 very desirable for cutting; blooms in great profusion during the whole 

 summer and autumn. The flowers are very durable in decoration and 

 success in handling the plant lies in cutting them very freely near 

 to the ground. When this is done the plant continues to shoot them. 

 If one tries to trellis or stake or otherwise support the blooms he 

 gets into a tangle of new and old which is discouraging. The plant 

 continues to make its flat foliage and to bloom profusely for years. 

 It is readily grown from the seed by ordinary methods. 



Campanula. Campanulas are delightful for low foliage and grace- 

 ful, long-season blue bloom. The old "Canterbury Bells" is much 

 less desirable than the perennial varieties, though very showy for a 

 short time. The perennials have much more grace in their open bells, 

 carried on long stems. The genus campanula is somewhat baffling, 

 as it includes nearly two hundred species, but of these only half a 

 dozen are grown in California and of these the Carpathian is most 

 popular for small gardens, at least while the tall pyramidalis and 

 persicifolia are also very fine the former shooting foliage and bloom 

 as high as the fence and serviceable for screening. The plants are 

 almost continually active if well cared for, and they are grown easily 

 from the seed. 



