THE GARDEN 33 



Ing, there is something so utterly and indescribably lovely and ethereal 

 about the silky short-lived tissue-like blossoms, the restful shade of the 

 leaves, surely nothing can compare to them. 



Then the seedpods are truly decorative in themselves. 



PRIMROSES. 



One could no more think of an English springtime without primroses 

 than we Canadians could think of a Canadian spring with maple syrup! 



And yet the English primrose will grow here in our own Canada, and, 

 moreover, will grow well, too. It is not the Canadian winter that is so 

 hard on the tittle plant as to render its life here difficult; it is the intense 

 heat of our August and September! This being guarded against, the 

 English primrose will grow here quite contentedly. 



In Canada, two varieties of primroses are cultivated; polyanthus and 

 the common primrose. Polyanthus is in some respects a little the hardier of 

 the two. Given a moist location, with some little protection from the 

 intense heat of the sun, and these two old-world plants will flourish and 

 blossom away, year after year, as contented as they were at home, across 

 -the sea. Blooming at the same time as the moss pink, and the forget-me- 

 not, the beaatiful. coarse leaves are not less attractive than the delight- 

 ful flowers. 



Polyanthus produces tall, erect flower shapes of a velvet reddish- 

 brown, with bright yellow centre and golden border, someticaes with one 

 corolla inside, the other, like a double flower-head. A good, well established 

 ■ clump will have from ten to fifteen splendid flow-scapes, forming grand, 

 glowing trusses of color. 



Primrose vulgaris is the true English plant, a low, tufted plant, some 

 six inches tail, very free blooming and very early, with the most delight- 

 ful elusive fragrance that only a true English primrose can produce; the 

 colors range frum palest ytjilow to pinkish purple and lilac. 



Seedlings should be started in May and June for flowering the follow- 

 ing season. The stock may be increased by division of Toor, after the 

 Qrst year. 



There are some fine rock plants among the Chinese primroses. These 

 are obtained from seed planted in open ground in May. By fall the planta 

 will be ready to transplant into beds for the next spring's blooming, and 

 should be carefully wintered for early blooming. 



Primrose growing is not by any means as difficult as most people think.' 

 One needs but to buy a packet of seed, sow in open ground, and wait re- 

 sults for transplanting. Proceed as usual in such cases, with all perennials, 

 and the delightful surprise received the following season :s well worth 

 working for. 



ANNUAL PHLOX 



Those who desire profusion of flowers and variety of coloring, atiain- 

 • ed with the least amount of labor possible, may arrive at their desire by 

 sowing phlox in mixed varieties in the early spring. 



Now, do not confuse this "phlox" with those tall-growing perennial 

 phlox, the delight and standby of the herbaceous borders in so many gar- 

 dens. 



This phlox is quite a different plant — an annual — needing to be sown 

 every year — and a rich addition to every garden. 



And, by the way, do not confuse this annual variety with the very 

 •early phlox sublata, an early alpine, or ground pink. 



This phlox is the "phlox drummondi," or dwarf summer phlox, grow- 

 ing from ten inches to perhaps twelve. 



