CO 



THE 



SUMMER FLOWER-GARDEN; 



CONTAINING 



BRIEF DIRECTIONS FOR THE CULTIVATION OF ANNUAL, BIENNIAL, 

 AND PERENNIAL FLOWER-SEEDS. 



NNUAL flowers are not only among the most beautiful ornaments of the 

 summer flower-garden, but the ease with which they are cultivated, and the 

 long time they remain in bloom, give them the highest claim to our 

 attention and care. Without them, however much we may admire the 

 various showy bedding plants, a continuous and uuinteiTupted display of 

 flowers, from spring till frost, cannot well be obtained ; and when we add 

 tlie charm of novelty, and the still greater one of variety, we have only 

 enumerated a few of the claims of these most desirable and effective orna- 

 ments of the gardens of " the million." 



In consequence of their simple culture, and the small amount of trouble 

 they give to the amateur, as well as their comparative inexpensiveness 

 for their rich array of beauty, they are yearly becoming more generally 

 grown. Bedding-plants are charming objects ; but the yearly propagation 

 required for geraniums, verbenas, &c., the labor of potting and watering, 

 and the expense of wintering them, are not vrithin every one's means ; 

 but a few dollars expended in seeds, and a little pleasant labor in the 

 sunny days of early spring, will give an amount of real enjoyment beyond belief The most deso- 

 late garden may be made a scene of beauty in scarcely more than a month's time. Annuals are not 

 what they were in former days. The skill of the hybridizer in the production of new varieties, and 

 the diligence of the enthusiastic florist in the selection of the finest plants, have entirely changed the 

 character of many of these flowers ; and, if to this we add the new acquisitions from Japan, how could 

 we well make up a summer-garden without them ? What should we do without the grand Pceony- 

 flowered Asters, the brilliant double Zinnias, the boldly-marked and rich-colored Petunias, the Double 

 Portulacas, — like miniature roses, — the Heddewiggi pink, the Tropjeolura, &c. ? These give an 

 entire new feature to our annuals, to be cherished by every lover of beautiful flowers. 



We therefore make no apology for giving a few brief hints on the cultivation of these, as well as 

 some of the biennials and perennials, equally important in the decoration of the flower-border. 



ANNUALS. 



Among florists and gardeners, the term " annual " is given to those plants which are sown in 

 the spring, bloom and seed in tlie summer, and soon afterwards perish. A few are included among 

 annuals, like the Marvel of Peru, &c., because they flower the first year ; but they are only annual as 

 regards treatment. By cultivators they have been divided into three classes; viz.. Hardy, Half- 

 hardy, and Tender A finuals, — a very convenient classification ; and as such we shall treat of them 

 here. 



HARDY ANNUALS. 



These are so called because they do not require any artificial heat at any period of their gro\vth, 

 and are capable of enduring any ordinary' weather from April to November ; a frosty morning, not 

 unusual in the tbrmer month, or even in May, doing them no injury, if advanced beyond the seed- 

 leaf Many of them may be sown in autumn ; and the young plants \vill make their appearance early 

 in spring, and flower stronger than when it is deferred till April. 



THE SOIL AND ITS PREPARATION. 



The best soil for annuals, and indeed for most flowering plants, whether biennials or perennials, is a 

 light, rich loam, neither too sandy nor too stiff In such they grow readily, and attain to great per- 

 fection of bloom, with but little care ; but it is hardly necessary to say that few persons have just 

 such a soil, nor is it possible often for the cultivator to have much choice. He must take such soil as 

 he has, and make the most of it ; and, by the application of proper manures, or sand or clay, he can 

 bring it to such a condition as to answer all the purposes of a flower-garden. Moving large 

 masses of soil is very expensive ; and writers who advise the addition of rich loam seem not to be 

 aware of the difficulty of procuring it, or the expense and labor attending the same. For the com- 

 plete garden of the wealthy, this may and should be done ; but the mass of cultivators need not fear 

 of obtaining good results without it. Deep and thorough trenching in the autumn, if possible, and 

 the application of very old decayed manure or leaf-mould, will give the amateur a well-prepared and 





