Gardening for Amateurs 



69 



flowers are produced in autumn, and they 

 are most valuable for borders and cutting. 



Dahlia. This is a very popular half- 

 hardy perennial, being raised in increasing 

 quantity year by year from seeds. Many 

 amateurs derive far more interest from 

 Dahlias they raise from seeds than those 

 grown from cuttings or roots. In the latter 

 case one knows exactly what kind 

 of flower to expect, but seedlings 

 vary remarkably. All the types, 

 Single, Double, Cactus, Collarette, 

 and Paeony-flowered, may be raised 

 from seeds. They furnish a con- 

 stant supply of flowers for cut- 

 ting from July to October. The 

 tubers of plants with particularly 

 good flowers may be retained to 

 grow another season. Sow in 

 January and February in the 

 warm greenhouse. 



Delphinium (Larkspur). The 

 Delphinium or Perennial Larkspur 

 holds pride of place as the best 

 tall blue-flowered perennial that 

 brightens our borders in summer. 

 By raising plants in early spring 

 each year from seeds the flower- 

 ing season may be prolonged from 

 July to October. The tall varieties 

 range from 4 to 6 feet high. 

 Several of the dwarf sorts, Butter- 

 fly, Azure Blue, Dwarf Branching 

 Blue, and Queen of the Blues, for 

 instance, are excellent for beds, 

 making a delightful show in late 

 summer and autumn. 



Gaillardia. Seedlings from 

 what is known as the grandiflora 

 strain furnish a good selection of 

 colours, equal in some instances 

 to the flowers of named sorts. 

 Primrose-yellow, orange-yellow and crimson 

 are the most pleasing shades. A bed of 

 seedling Gaillardias is very showy, and they 

 provide plenty of material for cutting. 



Gaura Lindheimeri. This plant belongs 

 to the Evening Primrose family. It has 

 slender spikes of white flowers, the buds 

 being tinged with pink ; it grows 2| to 3 

 feet high. Perhaps the most effective way 

 to plant it is in a flower bed associated with a 

 low plant, the Tuberous Begonia, for instance. 



Hollyhock. The fact that losses from 

 the Hollyhock disease are so frequent among 

 plants propagated from division, or cuttings, 

 has given an incentive to the raising of 

 plants from seeds. Seeds may be had in 

 separate colours, and with very few excep- 

 tions the seedlings come true. Formerly 

 the double-flowered Hollyhocks were the 



A splendid golden yellow hardy flower (Coreopsis 

 grandiflora). 



most favoured in gardens, but at the present 

 time the beautiful single-flowered sorts find 

 many admirers ; one of the best is the single, 

 Fig-leaved yellow, Althaea ficifolia. 



Lobelia. The herbaceous Lobelias 

 brighten up many gardens in late summer 

 and autumn. The rather moist soil and half- 

 shade of many suburban gardens suit the 

 plants well. In addition to the old favourites 

 Lobelia fulgens, L. cardinal is, and ite variety 

 Queen Victoria, a very beautiful strain of 



