NOTEWORTHY PERENNIALS 145 



is a combination of orange and mahogany-red with double flowers. 

 There are a great many varieties, nearly all of which have double 

 flowers. 



Uses. Potentillas are most effective when planted in rock gar- 

 dens where they can grow over large boulders of rock and need not be 

 thinned out every year. They are excellent to plant in bare places 

 where a good ground covering is needed, for these plants grow rapidly 

 and soon form a thick covering. 



Culture. These plants should be set about 18 inches apart in 

 any garden soil, but they do best when planted in rich, hght, loamy 

 soil. They like exposed places and will need to be thinned out every 

 year. There should be a Hght mulch of leaves placed over the plants 

 during Winter. 



Propagation. Potentillas send out roots along the trailing 

 stems; hence, new plants are very easily obtained by thinning out. 

 They are also easily grown from seed. 



Primula — Primrose, English Cowslip, Oxlip, 

 Polyantha 



Hardy Primroses are showy plants which fit in well with any 

 Spring bedding design. The small flowers are graceful and dainty 

 and the varieties can be so chosen that they will be in bloom from 

 April for a month. Primroses grow from 6 inches to 18 inches high and 

 have light green, hairy leaves. The colors of the hardy sorts range 

 from white to the darkest crimson and yellow. Some of the varieties 

 are double, and others present this appearance because the petals are 

 wavy and crinkled. The hardy sorts of Primroses are derived from 

 Primula elatior, P. veris and P. vulgaris. These are much of one type, 

 the flowers being borne in umbels or clusters of six to twelve flowers. 

 There is, however, another interesting species, P. japonica, the Japanese 

 Primrose, which bears the flowers so that one umbel, or cluster, is above 

 another. The colors vary from rich dark crimson through the inter- 

 mediate tints to white. The petals are of a heavy texture and waved. 

 Almost aU the varieties of Primroses are worth growing and wherever 

 planted, they increase in beauty and interest with each succeeding year. 



Uses. Primulas make dehghtful subjects for the rock garden, 

 edging a shady border or against old walls. They naturalize readily 

 along streams, woods or shrubbery and are also suited for growing in 

 porch boxes or in pots. The flowers are fragrant and make splendid 

 cut flowers. 



