DIANTHUS 37 



D. consolida and not from D. Ajacis. All are fine for beds 

 or borders and look splendid in large groups, the several 

 strains being associated so as to secure a long flowering 

 season. The colour range is from white to intense purple, 

 some of the rosy and carmine shades being especially 

 attractive. 



The species of most value are D. Ajacis^ \\ foot, blue, a 

 native plant, and the progenitor of most of our garden 

 Larkspurs ; D. cardiopetalum, i foot, violet -blue ; and D. 

 consolida, i| foot, flowers blue, produced in a lax spike. 



Autumn sowing is in most cases the best means of raising 

 a fine stock of plants that will flower vigorously the 

 following Summer, but all the Larkspurs are easily raised 

 from a March or April sowing, made either in the open, or 

 in boxes in gentle heat. Blue Butterfly is not, strictly, an 

 Annual, but it is a very useful plant, and will flower well the 

 same season if raised in heat in March. This Larkspur was 

 brought into prominence a few years ago by Messrs. J. Carter 

 and Co., of Raynes Park ; it is about i^ foot high, and has 

 spikes of large, light-blue flowers. 



DIANTHUS 



" Chinese,'' ^^ Japanese " and " Indian " Pinks 



Although Dianthus chinensis {Caryophyllacem) is a Biennial, 

 the varietal or hybrid form so well known as D. Heddewigii 

 (see Plate IV) is to all intents and purposes an Annual, 

 and is so listed in some seed catalogues. This species is 

 illustrated in this work because of the rich beauty of its 

 flowers, and also because it serves to indicate the difficulty 

 that exists in some cases in determining what is an Annual 

 and what a Biennial. For many years the seedsmen have 

 selected and re-selected D. Heddewigii for the purpose of 



