Hardy and Half-hardy Plants 95 



The best perennial kinds are califomica, 5-6 ft., with large oval leaves 

 and golden-yellow flowers 5 in. across; columnaris, 2-3 ft., with divided 

 leaves and orange-yellow florets; hirta (fig. 241), 1-2 ft, yellow; laciniata, 

 2-15 ft., leaves deeply divided, flowers clear yellow, 3-4 in. across. There 

 is a double-flowered variety, called "Golden Glow", which is particularly 

 handsome; maxima, 4-8 ft, has large ovate blue-green leaves, and bright- 

 yellow flowers 3-4 in. across; purpurea is now known under its old name 

 of Echinacea (see p. 38); speciosa or Newmanni, 2-3 ft., popularly called 

 "Black -eyed Susan", is very free flowering, the rich orange blossoms 

 having a dark centre; subtomentosa, 3-4 ft, is a somewhat downy plant 

 with fine starry yellow flowers scented like new-mown hay; nitida is a 

 rather rare plant, very free in producing its rich-yellow flowers. 



Sagina (Spergula) pilifera. A pretty tufted moss-like plant from Cor- 

 sica, with narrow awl-shaped leaves and small white flowers in summer. 

 The variety aurea, with golden-tinted foliage, is popular for carpet bedding. 



Salpiglossis sinuata. This fine Chilian hardy or half-hardy annual 

 has given rise to many choice varieties remarkable for the beautiful 

 colour and veining of their large tubular flowers. The plants usually 

 grow about 2 ft. high, and have somewhat clammy stems and leaves, and 

 the colour of the blooms varies from orange to salmon, cerise, violet, 

 purple, crimson, &c., all conspicuously veined, as shown in the coloured 

 Plate. Seeds and young plants sell freely in spring. There is nothing 

 to equal a bed of well-grown Salpiglossis in bloom in the open air during 

 the summer months. 



Sang-uinaria canadensis (BLOOD ROOT). A pretty North American 

 Poppywort, 3-6 in. high, with lobed leaves, and beautiful white flowers in 

 April and May. Easily grown in moist sandy peat, or leaf mould and loam, 

 and propagated by division or seeds. 



Sanvitalia procumbens. A good Mexican half-hardy annual with trail- 

 ing stems, and bright-yellow Marguerite-like flowers with a dark-purple 

 disk. The double-flowered form is wholly yellow and more showy. 



Saponaria (SOAPWORT). A genus of annual and perennial herbs useful 

 for beds, borders, and rockeries. S. calabrica is a fine annual, 6-12 in. 

 high, with rosy flowers. There are several varieties, all easily raised 

 from seeds sown in heat or in the open air in spring, and also in early 

 autumn. S. Vaccaria the Cowherb is a European annual, 1-2 ft high, 

 with panicles of red flowers. 



Amongst perennials the best are the Common Soap wort (officinalis), also 

 known as " Bouncing Bet ". It grows 1-2 ft. high, and has white or lilac 

 flowers. The double-flowered pink form is a good plant S. ccespitosa is a 

 good tufted rock plant with pink flowers, and S. ocymoides, with myriads of 

 rose-pink flowers, is a trailing plant for the rockery. It has a white variety. 



Saxifraga. Of the 160 species known, the only one grown in great 

 quantity for market is the Common London Pride or St. Patrick's Cabbage 

 (S. umbrosa), really a native of the Kerry mountains and the Spanish Pen- 

 insula. It has rosettes of spoon-shaped coarsely toothed leaves, and throws 



