BEDDING PLANTS. 99 



green of its foliage. Lobelia gracilis, in its several 

 varieties, is best for rockwork, pots, or hanging baskets. 

 They require a light rich soil. Plants raised from seed 

 in autumn, and kept indoors for the winter, will be ready 

 for planting out when frost is over in the spring. The 

 seed is so minute that it must be very slightly covered 

 with earth. 



The Nasturtiums, with their peculiarly elegant, 

 curious, and brilliant coloured abundant flowers, have 

 most deservedly grown into great favour. Allowed to 

 run on the ground, if of the tall kinds, and planted over 

 the heds if dwarfs, they are good bedding plants. Sow 

 the seed under glass in April, protect the young plants 

 from frost, and plant them out when the frosts are over. 

 Tropceolum lobbianum elegans, the Crystal Palace nas- 

 turtium, is of a good habit of growth for bedding. The 

 double-flowered kinds are curious and pretty. All plants 

 of the family delight in light rich earth, and flower from 

 early in summer till frost interferes with their gay beauty. 



The Cuphea is admired as a bedding plant, remaining 

 in flower for several months. The Cuphea eminens is 

 especially good for the purpose, from its graceful 

 branching habit and immense number of long tubular 

 scarlet, and yellow flowers. The Cuphea platycentra, 

 the flowers of which are a mixture of scarlet, white, and 

 purple, is also a good plant for beds. The seed should 

 be sown in a hot-bed in the spring, and the young plants 

 hardened off by the end of May. They will do for planting 

 out the same season. They may also be grown from cut 

 tings taken in the spring. They require a dry rich soil, 



The Ageratum, of which there are many varieties, 

 keeps many months in bloom, and the greyish blue of 

 its flowers contrasts very well with the more brilliant 

 hues of many others. They are annuals, and grow well 

 in any good garden soil. Cuttings may be taken in 

 autumn, and kept indoors through the winter, but it is 

 better to grow the plants from seed, which should be 

 sown on a hot-bed in February, pricked out, and planted 

 out in the beds in May. They begin to flower in June 

 or July, and flower for a long time. 



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