Hardy and Half-hardy Plants 



47 



gritty soil composed of loam, peat, and sand in cool moist positions in the 

 rock garden. Such kinds as asclepiadea, 1J ft.; cruciata, 9 in.; Pneu- 

 monanthe, 9 in.; and septemfida, 1 ft., all with blue flowers, are fairly 



Fig. 202. Gentiana acaulis 



easy to grow; while G. lutea, 3 ft., with yellow flowers, is the most 

 vigorous of all. 



Geranium (CRANE'S BILL). The geranium proper must not be confused 

 with the florist's Geranium, which is more correctly known as the "Zonal" 

 Pelargonium (which see). The Geraniums are mostly hardy herbaceous 

 perennials, with divided leaves, and bluish or purple flowers. They flourish 

 in any garden soil, and may be increased by seeds or division. The trade 

 in them is restricted to nurserymen. The best kinds are: armenum, 2 ft., 

 bright purple; Endressi, 1 ft., pale rose purple; ibericum, 2 ft., violet blue; 

 pratense, 2-3 ft., blue and violet, with a fine double form; Robertianum, 

 1 ft., the "Herb Robert", bright crimson; macrorhizon, 1 ft., bright purple; 

 sanguineum, 1-2 ft., crimson, or blood red, with a variety lancastriense, 

 having pink purple-veined flowers; grandiflorum, 9 in., a lovely Hima- 

 layan plant, with violet purple flowers; Grevilleanum, 3 ft., pale violet, 

 very fine; and anemoncefolium or Lowi, 2 ft., rose purple, with large 

 leaves that assume beautiful green, gold, and reddish tints in autumn. 



Gerbera Jamesoni. An ornamental South African perennial, hardy only 

 in the milder parts, but worthy of cool greenhouse culture. It has rosettes 

 of lobed rather coarse leaves, and brilliant orange-scarlet Marguerite-like 

 flower heads, 3-4 in. across, on tall stems. There are now a large number 

 of beautiful hybrid forms between this species and G. viridiflora, with 

 orange, scarlet, soft-pink, creamy-yellow, and intermediate shades of colour. 

 If these were grown in quantity they would very likely realize good 

 prices. At present the chief trade is in the plants and seeds. In the 

 open air the plants should be grown in very warm, sheltered, and sunny 

 spots in a compost of loam and peat and well-rotted manure. 



Geum. Pretty rosaceous plants easily grown in any garden soil. They 



