March Sowing and Planting 



some 4 feet only ; Stenanthium robustum, bearing white- 

 blossomed plumes 5 feet or more high; Liiiaria dalmatica, 

 with an abundance of light yellow blossom ; Spiraea 

 gigantea, a white-flowered kind, 6 feet high ; Eupatorium 

 purpureum, Cimicifuga racemosa, Scabiosa lutea, Eryn- 

 gium giganteum, one of the Sea Hollies, and Echinops 

 exaltatus, a giant Globe Thistle. All these are hardy 

 plants of vigorous growth and bold, distinct appearance, 

 and can scarcely fail to give character and welcome variety 

 to the border arranged only with more familiar kinds. 



Other beautiful hardy plants that occur to one as 

 being unworthily neglected are Campanula lactiflora, and 

 its white variety, two very delightful free-blossoming 

 plants growing some 4 feet high ; Campanula latifolia 

 macrantha, of similar stature, with big, handsome purple 

 blooms; the newer Astilbes or Spiraeas, with lovely 

 plumes in various shades of pink and rose; Artemisia 

 lactiflora, a most graceful plant, some 5 feet high, and 

 bearing in August and September sprays of creamy-white 

 blossom in profusion. Further, one might mention Salvia 

 virgata nemorosa, a valuable purple-blue border flower, 

 blooming throughout a long summer season, and looking 

 always neat; the exquisite blue Salvia patens, having 

 tuberous roots, that need to be stored during winter ; 

 Achillea Kelwayi, a fine yellow-flowered perennial ; the 

 rose-coloured Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium rosea) ; 

 Veronica spicata, a good blue flower, virginica, blush- 

 white, subsessilis, violet-blue, gentianoides, pale blue, and 

 incana, a pretty grey-leaved dwarf plant suitable for the 

 margin of a border or walk. 



Completion of Planting. Now is the time to com- 

 plete the planting of the mixed border ; the longer the 

 work is delayed the fewer are the chances of a fine 

 display next summer. There is no preparation so good 

 as digging the soil 2 feet deep, for this provides the 

 roots with a " good run," and enables them to make quick 

 progress ; if farmyard manure is difficult to obtain, bone- 



