ANNUALS 93 



as well as from its pretty sky-blue colour. It is 

 very low-growing, and flowers in June if sown in 

 April, or it can be sown later for succession; thin 

 the plants to five or six inches apart. 



Pharcelia. Pharcelid campanularia is a cousin, 

 or at all events some relation, of the last-named 

 annual, and very valuable from its brilliant gentian- 

 blue flowers in July ; plants should be four or five 

 inches apart. 



Portulaccas Portulaccas are most interesting 

 little plants, with tiny fleshy leaves spreading over 

 the ground like a carpet ; the flowers are like small 

 single roses, in every possible shade of red, pink, 

 crimson, yellow and white, with quantities of 

 yellow stamens. Portulaccas only open in the sun 

 and like the hardest, driest and most sunny situa- 

 tion that you can give them. A border of these 

 flowers on a sunny morning is a beautiful thing ; 

 but if the summer should prove wet and cloudy, 

 your Portulaccas will not make any show. There 

 is a double variety, but they are not nearly so pretty 

 or effective ; they transplant easily, and should be 

 thinned out to leave six inches between them. 



Salpiglossis. In Salpiglossis sinuata you have 

 one of the choicest of annuals. There is no other 



