70 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



scarlet, crimson, and blue. There are dwarf strains about 8 

 inches hi<»h, the large flowered sorts being about i foot high. 

 Nemesias flower with great freedom and form elegant little 

 bushes. For bedding, or for edging large beds, the Nemesias 

 are splendid, and a mass of one colour or of similar colours 

 in the border is a delight. 



The garden forms of Neniesia stnimosa {ScropJiiilariacecB) 

 are not always the easiest plants to raise from seeds, that is, 

 they germinate freely on one occasion and almost fail on 

 another. An early sowing under glass may not give good 

 results, while a sowing in a shaded border at the end of 

 April may result in a big crop of seedlings. A temperature 

 of about 60" seems to be a most suitable one for germina- 

 tion, provided the seeds are gently pressed into the soil 

 and only just covered with the tine sandy compost. A very 

 important point is to sow thinly and to transplant the tiny 

 seedlings into pans or boxes as early as possible. Harden off 

 and plant out in May. The end of March is usually quite 

 early enough for the first sowing ; this may be followed 

 by a sowing in a frame and anotiier out-of-doors. When 

 planting out set the plants 6 or 8 inches apart, as at this 

 distance the taller strain will meet and form a mass of bright 

 blossom. 



N. bicontis, 2 feet, purple ; N. floribiinda, i foot, white ; and 

 N. versicolor, i foot, lilac and white, are other Half-hardy 

 Annual species. 



NEMOPHILA 



'* Californian Bluebell" 



A very old and popular favourite is Neviophila insignis 

 {Hydrophyllaceic), a plant w^hich was rarely absent from any 

 garden, large or small, in olden days. It is now mostly seen 

 in the gardens of the artisan and the cottager and in the 

 smaller villa gardens, where it gives a bright and plentiful 



