io8 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



connexion with Rock-gardening, as they are of lowly traihng 

 habit and have large, bright, bell-shaped flowers. Sow in 

 March, out-of-doors, in light gritty soil containing leaf- 

 mould, and thin out to 6 inches apart. The best are N. 

 atriplicifolia, 4 inches, blue, with white and yellow throat; 

 N. lanceolata, blue, white, and green ; N. paradoxa, i foot, blue ; 

 and N. prostrata, 3 inches, blue. The latter is an old garden 

 plant and a charming one. 



PLATYSTEMON 

 " Califomian Poppy " 



Platystemon californicum {Papaveracea) has considerable 

 merit as a Hardy Annual because of its spreading habit, light 

 glaucous green leaves, and pale, creamy-yellow flowers. Being 

 only about 9 inches high it is suitable for the Rock garden, 

 but it is also useful for massing in a border, especially in 

 light soil and a sunny position. Sow where it is to flower, 

 and thin out to 4 or 5 inches apart. In many gardens this 

 Poppywort sows itself regularly from seeds ; it used to do 

 so in the old Chiswick gardens of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society. 



PODOLEPIS 



Possibilities of improvement seem latent in the small 

 genus of Australian Composites named Podolepis. Two species 

 are Hardy Annuals, about i foot high, with yellow flower 

 heads, borne on graceful stems. P. acuminata is slightly 

 taller than P. aristata, but the latter species is very graceful and 

 is worth growing in pots. Sow under glass in April, or out- 

 of-doors in May, and thin out to i foot apart. 



SANVITALIA 



Sanvitalia procumbens {Composites) is a very pretty, trailing, 

 Hardy Annual from Mexico. The small, yellow, dark-centred 

 flowers are like those of a Rudbeckia in miniature, and as 



