Timely Topics for Amatexir Plant Lovers 



THE month of February is the month 

 of seed and plant catalogs. Most of 

 them this year are well prepared and 

 illustrated. They are interesting not 

 only for the lists of varieties that they 

 chronicle, but also for the many excel- 

 lent cultural directions that they con- 

 tain. The amateur should not make 

 the mistake of discarding old reliable 

 varieties for new ones of unknown 

 merit. The professional gardener chooses 

 standard varieties, usuallv those with 



in spring is the pretty little dwarf-grow- 

 ing, white-flowering Arabis alpina. It 

 has a bright and effective appearance 

 when flowers are scarce in the garden. 

 No garden should be without one or 

 two plants of Dielyira s peciabilis , bleed- 

 ing heart. It is one of the most useful 

 early-flowering summer plants that we 

 have. The German and Siberian species 

 of iris are a splendid class of plants for 

 planting in the garden. They are of 

 particular value in the lazy man's gar- 



flowered, and easy to succeed with. 

 Gaillardia grandiflora has a free, contin- 

 ous habit of flowering that makes it 

 valuable. A plant or two of Rudbeckia 

 or golden glow always have a place on 

 the lawn or in the flower border. They 

 make either splendid backgrounds or 

 centre plants. 



.\NNUALS 



One of the prettiest of the countless 

 annuals that are mentioned in the seed 



cA Border of Poppies, Sweet Peas and Perennials Worth Imitating 



Grown on the beautiful grounds of R. B. Whyte, Ottawa 



the shortest descriptions in the catalogs. 

 The novice selects the novelties. 



PLANTS FOR THE BORDER 



A list of common border plants for 

 the amateur garden may be of value to 

 our readers. Permanent border plants, 

 spoken of in the catalogs as hardy 

 herbaceous perennials, are a class of 

 plants particularly suited for busy 

 people and their gardens. It is better to 

 purchase plants than to rely on seed, as 

 it takes a long time with many varieties 

 to secure flowering results from seedling 

 plants. When once well established, 

 herbaceous perennials will continue to 

 give splendid results for several years. 

 They require little care and attention. 

 About every second year, some classes 

 may need dividing and transplanting. 



One of the first border plants to flower 



den. They succeed well in almost any 

 kind of soil if not too moist, and can be 

 had in a great variety of colors. They 

 do not require much attention. Japan- 

 ese varieties require proper care and 

 attention for best results. 



Herbaceous peonies should be in- 

 cluded in the list that may be selected. 

 They are almost indispensable for sum- 

 mer decorative purposes. A few plants 

 of the perennial phlox will be useful 

 both for garden decoration and to 

 furnish a supply of cut flowers during 

 the hot summer months. 



The old-fashioned columbine cannot 

 be left out. The fact that they are old- 

 fashioned makes them attractive. 

 Coreopsis grandiflora gives a bountiful 

 supply of yellow, daisy-like flowers in 

 early summer. Cavipavula persicifolia, 

 Canterbury bells, is hardy, showv, blue 



catalogs is the well-known larkspur. 

 It has a place in the mixed border. 

 Among plants of the aster family a 

 packet of mixed colors of Scrapie's 

 laranching aster will give the best results. 

 A good sized border or bed of annuals 

 may be made of a packet each of zinnias, 

 marigold, candytuft, Phlox drummondii, 

 sweet alyssum, scabiosa, salpiglossis, 

 balsam, mignonette, antirrhinum, cos- 

 mos, ten weeks' stock, cornflower, sweet 

 peas, nasturtium and a few castor oil 

 beans. 



THE WINDOW GARDEN 



Plants in the window will feel the 

 increased heat of the sun. This will 

 necessitate a close watch being kept 

 for insect pests. The best way to avoid 

 trouble is to try and prevent the pests 

 from making their appearance. Keep 

 all growing plants, such as fuchsias. 



