8o PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



water is given freely in dry weather, the plants grow very 

 large and produce quantities of their semi-pendulous spike- 

 lets of rosy-purple or white flowers. 



PORTULACA 



^^ Purslane" 



Needing and loving the sunshine, the Portulacas are not 

 a success in a wet or dull season, and, as we cannot expect 

 all our summers to be hot and bright, it is necessary to 

 grow this family of brilliant Annuals on the hottest site in 

 the garden, and in sandy soil. Such a position will suit them 

 at all times, though it is only in the warmest and driest 

 seasons that the Portulacas {Portulacacece) do themselves full 

 justice ; at their best hardly any plants are more gay than they. 

 P. grandiflora, 6 inches, purple and yellow, is the species 

 which seedsmen have worked upon, and now yellow, white, 

 and scarlet strains are offered ; but mixed colours are so 

 good and offer no offensive combinations, that it is hardly 

 worth while to keep the colours distinct unless there is 

 a special end in view. Sow in the open in April and thin 

 to 6 inches apart, or sow in heat in March and plant 6 

 inches apart in May or June. 



RESEDA 



" MigJionette " 



Fragrant and popular as is the Mignonette it is not 

 sufficiently well known that there are a considerable number 

 of distinct varieties of Reseda odorata {Resedacea) differing 

 in colour, in habit, and in height. In most gardens Mig- 

 nonette will grow fairly well, in a few it grows remarkably 

 well, while in others it is with difficulty persuaded to grow 

 at all. Where it is more or less a failure a good appli- 

 cation of lime, or finely crushed mortar rubble, should be 



