4 8 



Gardening for Amateurs 



cuttings. Plenty of old mortar rubble mixed 

 in the soil improves Gypsophila, especially if 

 the ground is inclined to be heavy. 



Sea Holly. The Eryngium or Sea Holly 

 is among the most distinct and striking 

 perennials it is possible to plant in the 

 herbaceous border. The plants have the 

 additional value of providing valuable mate- 

 rial when cut for indoor decoration in winter. 

 The beautiful silvery grey or blue sheen of 

 the stems, leaves, and bracts remains fresh 

 during winter, provided care is exercised in 

 the cutting and drying. A selection of the 

 best kinds should include the Alpine Sea 

 Holly, E. alpinum, growing 2 to 3 feet 

 high ; the Ivory Thistle, E. giganteum, 3 

 to 4 feet high ; Oliver's Sea Holly, E. 

 Oliverianum, 3 to 5 feet high ; E. amethys- 

 tinum, 1 foot to 2 feet ; and E. planum, 1 

 foot to 2 feet. The Sea Hollies thrive in 

 most soils and situations, provided the 

 ground is well drained. They may be in- 

 creased by seeds, division of the roots, and 

 root cuttings. 



Globe Thistle. The Echinops or Globe 

 Thistle is not exactly a true Everlasting 

 Flower, but the pretty spherical thistle- 

 like heads of flowers last in good condition 

 most of the winter if cut at the right time 

 and carefully dried. When left on the 

 plants too long the flower heads fall to 

 pieces a few weeks after gathering. E. 

 bannaticus, 4 feet ; E. Ritro, 3 feet ; E. 

 giganteus, and E. spaerocephalus are all 

 excellent for cutting and border decoration. 



ANNUAL EVERLASTING FLOWERS 

 Helichrysum. The best known and most 

 popular of all the Everlasting Flowers is 

 Helichrysum bracteatum, a hardy annual, 

 native of Australia. Growing about 3 feet 

 in height, the Helichrysums are showy 

 plants for borders and beds. When cut and 

 dried they are unsurpassed for winter 

 decoration in vases. A selection of colours 

 may be purchased separately or a mixed 

 packet of seeds will furnish a wide range of 

 colours. The most distinct are Silver Globe 

 or Silver Ball, silvery white ; Golden Globe, 

 or luteum, yellow ; Fireball or coccineum', 

 crimson. Sow the seeds during March, 

 preferably in a heated greenhouse. Prick 

 off the seedlings into boxes when large 



enough, and transfer to a cold frame to 

 harden off early in May. Plant out 9 to 

 12 inches apart at the end of May in a sunny 

 position. Groups of six to twelve plants 

 are effective in the herbaceous border. 



Fairy Immortelles. The dainty flowers 

 of Helipterum, Rhodanthe, and Acroclinium 

 have been most fittingly named the Fairy 

 Immortelles. Whether growing in the 

 border or cut and used for indoor decora- 

 tion in winter, the charming everlasting 

 blossoms seldom fail to attract attention. 

 Of Acroclinium roseum there are four 

 varieties rose, white, double rose, and 

 double white ; the average height is 12 

 inches. Helipterum Humboldtianum (San- 

 fordii) has bright yellow heads of flowers, 

 borne on plants 15 to 18 inches in height. 

 The blooms of Rhodanthe Manglesii are 

 rosy-pink, with yellow centre ; varieties of 

 this are offered in distinct colours : car- 

 mine, rose, crimson, and white. They grow 

 about 12 inches high. Seed may be sown 

 thinly in boxes in a cold frame from the 

 end of March onwards, the seedlings being 

 planted out in May where they are to bloom, 

 or sown in groups on a warm, sunny border 

 during April. Similar treatment is suitable 

 for Xeranthemum. This grows 2 feet in 

 height. There are varieties bearing flowers 

 of different colours. They belong to the 

 Daisy Order (Compositae), and are forms of 

 Xeranthemum annuum, a South European 

 plant. 



GREENHOUSE EVERLASTING FLOWERS 

 Sea Lavender. The Statice, or Sea 

 Lavender, is one of the most important of 

 the greenhouse Everlastings. Most of the 

 kinds cultivated under glass grow wild in 

 the Canary Isles. It will be readily under- 

 stood by readers familiar with that locality 

 that the Sea Lavenders do not require 

 much heat in winter. Only just sufficient 

 to keep out frost will suffice. In the 

 extreme southern and south-western counties 

 Statices that are grown under glass in the 

 London district may be safely planted out- 

 side at the foot of a sunny wall. The 

 greenhouse Sea Lavenders are usually de- 

 scribed as shrubs, because they never die 

 down. In fact, when they once commence 

 to flower, the plants are nearly always more 



