20 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



Daisies, and it is an easy matter to raise a good stock of plants 

 by making a sowing out-of-doors in April, or, where the 

 soil is cold or the district a late one, an alternative plan is 

 to sow in gentle heat in March or April, and prick off the 

 seedlings quite early, giving them ample room to develop. 

 Crowded seedlings result in slender plants that will need 

 the support of low twigs at, or soon after, planting time, at 

 the end of May. 



CALANDRINIA 



" Rock Purslane " 



The showy Calandrinia grandifiora {Portulacece) is a useful 

 hardy subject and also a handsome one, flowering finely in 

 the Rock garden or in a sunny border where the soil is fairly 

 dry. On dry walls it is quite at home, and if it does not here 

 attain its full height it blooms with prodigal freedom and is a 

 gem for such a position. In favourable conditions this Rock 

 Purslane grows i^ foot high, and the bright rose-coloured 

 fiowers with their golden anthers show up finely above the 

 grey-green, succulent foliage. C. Menziesii (or C. spcciosa) 

 rarely exceeds 9 inches, and it has purplish-crimson flowers 

 that shine brightly in the Spring and Summer sunshine. Both 

 species may be sown out-of-doors in the Autumn to flower 

 early the following season, or sown in April for later flower- 

 ing. Sometimes seeds are sown in a greenhouse in March 

 and the seedlings are planted out in May or June ; this is a 

 good method, but is not necessary except in cold districts and 

 on heavy soils. As the Calandrinias are all flowers of the 

 sun it is a waste of time to attempt their culture in shady 

 places and cold, wet positions. 



