228 THE NEW GARDENING 



is a beautiful old variety which only grows about two 

 feet high, and covers itself with brilliant lavender- 

 coloured flowers in October. These plants should be 

 split up every other year in order to prevent the clumps 

 getting too large and impoverishing the soil all around, 

 which they will certainly do if left undisturbed. 



The Columbine is a beautiful plant blooming between 

 the spring bulbs and the Carnations, and may be used 

 in suburban gardens. As mentioned in another chapter, 

 the long-spurred hybrids which can be raised in quantity 

 from seed in early summer for flowering the following 

 year are very beautiful. 



A little plant called Portulaca should be kept in mind 

 by those suburban gardeners who turn to annual plants 

 for some of their floral beauty. It will flower splendidly 

 among stones in rock beds or borders when once started, 

 but it is not safe to drop seeds among rough soil in crevices, 

 as they rarely germinate. They should have fine moist 

 soil for a start. This plant will do for setting between 

 the stones of a " flagged " path in or near a rockery, 

 where it will form brilliant patches of bloom a few inches 

 high. The Night-scented Stock is a most useful annual 

 for dropping about among or near stones. After sowing 

 patches of seed in a border one often finds little plants 

 springing up here and there, perhaps in the crevices of 

 a stone edging ; they bloom at six inches high or so and 

 are deliciously sweet. The tiny Violet Cress, lonopsidium 

 acaule, is another dainty plant for a rock border. Patches 

 may be sown at the edges of the stones, and they will 

 flower at about two inches high. The three annuals 

 named Portulaca, Night-scented Stock and Violet Cress 

 are all cheap plants, and will thrive in suburban 

 gardens. 



The method of supporting the soil in a border which 



