XIII 



WHAT TO PLANT 



Many gardeners miss having some of the most delightful 

 plants just because they have got used to limiting their garden- 

 ing to sowing seeds of annuals in the spring and setting out 

 bedding plants a bit later, and the growing of perennials and 

 biennials seems a serious undertaking. Now these are not 

 difficult; the only difference is that they will not be hurried. 

 To borrow a simile from the kitchen, they are to annuals as 

 things made with yeast are to those raised with baking-powder: 

 they must be "set overnight" that is, the seed must be sown 

 one season if the plants are to bloom the next. With many 

 perennials this is best done in July and early August for the 

 simple reason that this is the "natural method," that at this 

 time one may have the freshly ripened seed instead of last year's. 



After the last transplanting is done in June the seed-bed is 

 made ready again, enriched with a little sheep manure, and 

 here are sown in narrow rows perennials and biennials, which 

 in September will be ready for transplanting to their permanent 

 homes. 



BIENNIALS WHICH MAY BE SOWN IN LATE JULY AND EARLY AUGUST 

 FOB NEXT YEAR'S BLOOMING, PREFERABLY BEFORE AUGUST 1 

 THE SMALL PLANTS MAY BE SET OUT IN APRIL OR OCTOBER 



Biennial Evening-Primrose (CEnothera biennis, variety Lamarck- 

 iana) grows to the height of three feet, and in late June and early 

 July bears a profusion of delicate lemon-yellow flowers. It will thrive 

 in any ordinary soil, but needs the sun. 



101 



