70 THE NEW GARDENING 



plants. The sorts differ a good deal in vigour, and 

 named sorts which it is desired to perpetuate by cuttings 

 often cause embarrassment by refusing to make growth 

 from the base and restricting themselves to their flowering 

 stems. A notable exception is that splendid variety 

 Countess of Hopetoun, one of the most beautiful of all 

 Pentstemons, and also one of the most luxuriant ; it 

 makes lovely masses, with its abundance of foliage and 

 multitude of pale pink flowers ; there are always plenty 

 of shoots for cuttings on it. In a dry year one who 

 wants to propagate Pentstemons by cuttings should get 

 shoots at the first opportunity, because if he waits 

 until autumn there may be no suitable growth. Many 

 gardeners are satisfied with a mixed bed or clump, and 

 the material for this can be raised from seed easily and 

 inexpensively. The seed should be sown in a box of 

 gritty soil in a cold frame in autumn, and the seedlings 

 pricked out in spring. They will be ready for planting 

 out in May. Or the seed may be sown in heat in January, 

 and the seedlings hardened in a cool greenhouse or frame 

 before being planted out. Lovers of Pentstemons should 

 not overlook Newbury Gem, for with no pretensions 

 to comparison with the giant varieties it remains a 

 valuable plant, whether for bed, border or rockery. 

 It grows a foot to eighteen inches high, and, coming 

 into bloom early in summer, remains in flower many 

 weeks. The flowers are. bright scarlet. Southgate Gem 

 is considered by some to be an improvement on it. 

 Either will please. 



PHLOX. Even when we leave out of account the 

 beautiful dwarf species suitable for the adornment 

 of the rockery, and consider only the tall herbaceous 

 varieties, the Phlox stands out as one of our most im- 



