n6 



Gardening lor Amateurs 



their flowering positions in beds and borders. 

 Failing this such work should be done in 

 October or March. Always, when trans- 

 planting biennials, try and lift each plant 

 with a nice lot of soil attached to the roots, 

 for it is surprising how much better such 

 plants flourish in their new positions. Wall- 

 flowers, especially, make a finer display when 

 transplanted with good " balls " of soil. 

 The ground in which the plants are to bloom 

 may be well manured, previous to planting, 

 in September. When the warm weather 

 comes in spring, they will grow freely. Do 

 not plant in loose, newly-dug ground ; always 

 tread it moderately firm before planting. 



For various reasons it is desirable to sow 

 the seeds of several biennials in a cold frame. 

 The most noteworthy of those needing such 

 treatment are Stocks, Meconopsis, Michauxia, 

 Chinese Pink (Dianthus Chinensis), and 

 Gilia coronopifolia. In many gardens Stocks 

 may be raised from seeds, and grown entirely 

 out of doors, while in others so many losses 

 occur among the plants during winter that 

 it is worth while sowing the seeds and growing 

 the young plants in a cold frame until April, 

 then planting them out where they are to 

 bloom. 



The treatment outlined for biennials may, 

 with advantage, be given to some perennials 

 that are usually short-lived in the borders 

 and readily raised from seeds. Examples 

 are the Hollyhock, Coreopsis grandiflora, 

 some of the Gaillardias, Catananche caerulea 

 and C. bicolor, and Iceland Poppy (Papaver 

 nudicaule). 



Adlumia cirrhosa (Climbing Fumi- 

 tory). This is a climbing biennial, native of 

 North America, with fern-like foliage, and 

 flesh-coloured flowers, which resemble those 

 of Fumitory (Corydalis) ; in fact this plant 

 has been grown under the name of Corydalis 

 fungosa. The plants thrive best in a rather 

 light, warm soil, perhaps the best position 

 being against a wall or fence ; a few pea- 

 sticks are arranged for support, up which the 

 slender growths can twine. Its popular 

 name is the Alleghany Vine. 



Androsace lactiflora (Rock Jasmine). 

 A pretty Siberian Rock Jasmine that 

 grows about 6 inches high, and is best 

 m the rock garden. The flowering season is 

 early summer, when the small white flowers 



are very freely produced. This Androsace 

 seeds freely when in suitable surroundings, 

 and then perpetuates itself from self-sown 

 seeds. Sandy loam and peat wdth plenty 

 of pieces of sandstone intermixed form the 

 best soil. A second name for this Rock 

 Jasmine is Androsace coronopifolia. 



Aster Bigelovii (Star wort). Growing 

 2 feet high this biennial Star wort has attrac- 

 tive violet-blue flower-heads. It comes from 

 the Southern United States. 



Campanula Medium (Canterbury 

 Bell). The large bell-shaped flowers of the 

 Canterbury Bells are very showy in beds 

 and borders during the summer. The plants 

 grow 2| to 3 feet high. The colours com- 

 prise several shades of pink, blue, mauve, 

 and white. There are in cultivation three 

 distinct sections with, respectively, single, 

 double (var. flore pleno), and cup and saucer 

 (var. calycanthema) flowers, the last-named 

 being particularly attractive. To obtain 

 large flowering plants sow the seeds during 

 April or May. Canterbury Bells delight in 

 a deeply dug, rich soil. They flower during 

 June and July, but the season may be 

 prolonged by picking off the earlier flowers 

 as they fade, thus allowing many later buds 

 to develop. The parent of the present race 

 of Canterbury Bells is Campanula medium, 

 which was first introduced to our gardens 

 from South Europe in 1597. If potted up 

 in 6-inch wide (32 size) pots from the open 

 ground in autumn, and kept in a cold frame 

 during the winter, Canterbury Bells make 

 extremely showy plants for the cool green- 

 house and conservatory, where they will 

 flower six weeks or two months in advance 

 of those out of doors. 



Cheiranthus Cheiri (Wallflower). It 

 is hardly necessary to dilate on the beauty 

 and charm of the Wallflowers. Their value 

 for the decoration of the garden in spring 

 and the delightful fragrance of the blooms 

 are familiar to every lover of the garden. 

 Wallflowers will grow in most soils ; one very 

 important point is to plant in firm ground, 

 otherwise the plants make a lot of sappy 

 growth and suffer in winter. So many dis- 

 tinct colours are available, and such a large 

 percentage come true to colour, that most 

 beautiful spring-bedding effects are possible 

 with Wallflowers alone, and they may also be 





