100 FLOWEKS AND THE FLOWEH GAEDEN. 



The Gazanea elegans, with its leaves of deep shining 

 green above, and cottony white beneath, and profusion 

 of large brilliant orange flowers, with yellow and dark 

 chocolate centre, studded with clear white, like pearls, 

 has but one fault it shuts up close whenever the sun is 

 not shining on it. It grows quite close to the ground, 

 keeps long in flower, and will grow in any good garden 

 soil. It is propagated by cuttings, which may be taken 

 at the sides of the plant in August, more sparingly in 

 the spring, and raised under a hand glass, in sandy soil. 

 From its low growth and brilliant flowers, it would make 

 a gorgeous border for a centre of more sober colour. 

 The Gazanea splendens is, I believe, newer. 



The Heliotrope, from its delicious fragrance, and the 

 sweet unobtrusive grey of its pretty flowers, should find 

 a place in every flower garden, and the plants may be 

 kept to the desired form by pegging down. It looks 

 nice when contrasted with gayer colours. It grows in a 

 Hch light soil, and the plants must be housed in winter, 

 and may be planted out in May, Those with the very 

 dark flowers are handsome. It is increased by cuttings 

 struck with a little heat in spring, or under a hand glass 

 in autumn. 



The Salvias are quite first-rate, rather tall bedding 

 plants. Either Salvia splendens, or Salvia patens, 

 mingled with the rich green of the broad-leaved myrtle, 

 forms beds something very near perfection. Salvia xplen- 

 dens has fine large scarlet flowers. Salvia patens is 

 the brightest and purest of all blue-flowered plants. 

 Salvia splendens compacta is said to be the finest salvia 

 grown, and is literally covered with bloom, and grows 

 only a foot and a half high ; and Salvia cocdnea is an- 

 other universal favourite, also bearing scarlet flowers. 

 The salvias want a light, very rich soil, and are propa- 

 gated by cuttings inserted firmly in the ground in autumn 

 or spring. They bloom in summer, and keep in beauty 

 a long time. 



African and French Marigolds, Tagetes erecta and T. 

 patula, also T. lucida and T. punrila, are all bright 

 coloured, and useful for beds where plants of their 



