HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS 115 



borders, but should be arranged in small groups in positions at 

 the back, where they can develop to their heart's content. They 

 may soar to ten or even twelve feet high, and they will certainly 

 make a brave show, which will last for a considerable time in late 

 summer and early autumn. The double perennial forms are 

 particularly lasting. Both the annuals and perennials love a 

 deep, cool, moist soil, but they are not fastidious. They will 

 need staking, or the first gale will spoil them. 



The common annual Sunflower, Helianthus annuus, has several 

 varieties, both single and double. Of 

 the former, giganteus and Munstead 

 Primrose may be mentioned. Of the 

 latter, globosus fistulosus is excellent. 

 There is a dwarfer, more bushy annual 

 Sunflower named cucumerifolius (cu- 

 cumber-leaved), and this, together with 

 its variety Stella, is well worth grow- 

 ing. It flowers very abundantly. There 

 is also an annual Sunflower with silvery 

 leaves, called argophyllus, which is 

 greatly liked by many. As respects 



J J J 



the perennials, decapatalus may be 

 mentioned first. It grows about six feet high, and has small, 

 single, yellow flowers, which it bears very freely. The best- 

 known species is multiflorus (many-flowered) single, of which 

 there are several varieties, both single and double. It grows 

 about four feet high, is bushy, and blooms very profusely. 

 The variety maximus is much finer than the parent species. 

 It grows taller, and has larger flowers. There is an excellent 

 double variety called Soleil d'or. The species orgyalis (a soft 

 pronunciation of the "g" lends a distinctly bacchanalian sound 

 to this name) is a very useful Sunflower, partly because it has 

 exceptionally handsome leaves, and partly because it flowers 



AN ERROR IN PLANTING 



? f ' he latt " , r b the L^"" 5 f food - A - 



herbaceous plants ; B, tree roots. 



