354 



How to Make a Flower Garden 



Plant in masses for distant observation, since 

 the flowers are rather unkempt. Divide 

 frequently, because the plants spread rapidly 

 from their underground stems. 



Balsam {Impatiens). Sow seed in mild 

 hotbed in early spring or when spring opens 

 in the garden. Transplant the seedlings 

 when about two inches high, the early ones 

 to small pots, the later ones to the beds, which 

 should be good garden soil in sunny places. 

 For winter, cuttings may be made in late 

 summer or early autumn and the plants kept 

 in rather warm quarters. Cuttings may also 

 be made of the greenhouse plants for out- 

 door use. 



Bartonia. See Poppy, Mexican. 



Bean, Hyacinth (Dolichos). Sow like 

 morning-glory (which see) , but provide a 

 taller and stronger trellis, since the twining 

 vines often grow more than fifteen feet. 



Beard-tongue {Pentstemon). Sow seeds 

 in a mild hotbed or greenhouse in early 

 spring; transplant to flats or small pots, and 

 when the weather becomes settled set in the 

 garden. Some species do best in partial 

 shade, but most can stand the sun. All need 

 moist soil, but are not partial to quality of 

 soil. Many are grown as annuals, but the 

 perennial kinds may be propagated by 

 division. 



Bee-balm. See Balm, Fragrant. 



Begonia (shrubby or fibrous-rooted kinds). 

 Easily grown from cuttings of firm green 

 wood, which, when rooted, may be planted 

 in ordinary potting soil. Frequent changes 

 of pots and additions of fresh soil are necessary, 

 and so are light and fresh air. Cuttings take'n 

 in February and kept growing vigorously 

 should become fine plants by the following 

 winter, during the latter part of which they 

 should blossom freely. 



Blazing-star {Liatris). Plant seeds in 

 ordinary soil in the autumn, and in the 

 spring thin or transplant the seedlings to 

 stand from one to two feet apart, according 

 to variety. Though doing best upon good 

 soil, the plants will yield well upon soil too 

 poor for most garden flowers. When once 

 established, they may be increased by means 

 of offsets. See also Montbretia. 



Bleeding-heart {Dicentra). Plant roots 

 when the ground can be worked in spring, 

 choosing rather good soil. The plants d"o 

 well for years without further attention than 

 an annual manuring and the removal of 

 weeds. 



Bluebells {Mertensia). Sow seed as 

 soon as ripe, where the plants are to remain 

 in rich loamy soil sheltered from the wind, 

 but exposed to the sun. Do not disturb. 

 Leaves die after the plants flower. Plants 

 do not propagate well by division. 



Bluebottle. See Cornflower. 



Bluet. See Cornflower. 



Bocconia. See Poppy, Plume. 



Bugbane {Ciinicifuga). Sow seeds in fall 

 or spring where the plants are to stand, 

 choosing the rear of borders and places 

 where the bad smell of the plants will not be 

 noticed, and where the attractive foliage and 

 flowers will show off well. Thin the plants 

 to stand from two to four feet apart. Estab- 

 lished plants may be divided in fall or spring. 



Bugleweed. Easily propagated by divi- 

 sion or by seeds. Ajuga re plans succeeds well 

 in shady places, but may spread too fast. 



Bulbocodium. Plant the bulbs m early 

 autumn, choosing rather light, fairly rich 

 soil and sinking the bulbs two inches deep. 

 Allow the foliage to die naturally each spring 

 after flowering. Every second or third 

 year dig up, clean, store in a cool, airy place 

 until planting time. Does well m lawns, 

 since the foliage usually dies before the lawn 

 needs mowing. It should bloom a week 

 before the crocuses. 



BuRNiNG-BUSH. See Gas-plant. 



Butterfly-flower {Schizanthus) . Sow 

 seeds in a mild hotbed or greenhouse in early 

 spring, transplant the seedlings when about 

 two inches tall to small pots, and when the 

 weather becomes settled place in the garden 

 in any good soil. They may also be sown 

 in the open ground if desired. Allow about 

 a foot between plants. For winter bloom 

 sow seed in midsummer and transplant 

 frequentl}^ as the plants need more pot space. 

 They should flower from mid-winter till 

 spring. 



Butterfly Pea. See Centrosema. 



Caladium. See Elephant's Ear. 



Calceolaria. The hybrid kinds may be 

 grown from seed sown in the greenhouse in 

 late winter, the seedlings being transferred 

 to pots as soon as they are large enough to 

 handle, and set in rather shady locations 

 when the weather becomes settled. The 

 plants are usually grown as greenhouse 

 specimens, the seeds being sown in mid- 

 summer in partial shade. For best results 

 they should receive no check, but be given 

 rather frequent changes of pots until near 

 flowering time, when they may be allowed 

 to become pot-bound. 



Calliopsis. a popular name for certain 

 kinds of Coreopsis, which see. 



Callirhoe. See Poppy-mallow. 



Campion. See Lychnis. 



Candytuft, Annual {Alyssuw). Sow seeds 

 in greenhouse or hotbed, and when about 

 two inches high transplant from six to twelve 

 inches apart in good garden soil; for later blos- 

 soms sow when the soil becomes warm; for 

 winter, sow in August. Biennial and perennial 

 species and varieties are also propagated as 

 above, but the latter are more frequently 

 reproduced by stem cuttings in the green- 

 house or bv division. 



