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Gardening for Amateurs 



garden soil there is much to be said in 

 favour of liberal cultivation, particularly 

 for the two fine varieties previously named. 

 A soil deeply tilled and well manured will 

 go a long way towards producing freely- 

 branched plants 5 to 7 feet high. Planting 

 of large roots is done in early autumn for 

 preference, though newly propagated plants 

 are put out in spring. Two or three plants 

 should find a place in the small town and 

 suburban garden, while in larger gardens 



A charming Blue and White Columbine 

 (Aquilegia glandulosa). 



splendid groups may be formed : the plants 

 are remarkably showy when in bloom. The 

 long stems are most useful to cut for indoor 

 decoration, and are most effective when ar- 

 ranged in large vases either alone or in 

 association with Gypsophila paniculata. 

 Tall stems are sometimes unable to support 

 themselves, and to avoid mishaps stakes, 

 about 4 feet long, should be used to support 

 tiie growths. The stakes are placed in 

 position when the plants commence to flower. 

 The best sorts are A. italica, the Italian 

 Alkanet, blue. 3 to 4 feet high ; the two finest 



varieties of this are the Dropmore, intense 

 blue, and Opal, lighter blue. Others are 

 Pride of Dover and LLssadell variety, they 

 vary slightly in shade of colour. A. Barrelieri, 

 blue with white centre, about 2 feet high ; 

 A. niyosotidiflora. 1 foot high, with Forget- 

 me-not blue flowers, and A. sempervirens, 

 3 feet high, light blue, which blooms from 

 May to late July, are others sometimes 

 seen. The Alkanets have a great attraction 

 for bees. 



Anemone (Windflower). There are 

 few more attractive and valuable herba- 

 ceous plants than the Japanese Wind- 

 flowers or Anemones. Flowering in late 

 summer and autumn, they brighten the 

 beds and borders at that season, and 

 for cutting the flowers are much prized. 

 The plants thrive in full sun or in 

 partial shade. The Japanese Windflower 

 must be included in a list of the twelve 

 best hardy perennials for the small town 

 and suburban garden. Here we often 

 find it among hardy ferns, and in vacant 

 spaces along the front of a shrubbery. 

 The plants thrive in most garden soils, 

 though whenever possible a little extra 

 attention should be given to preparing 

 the ground previous to planting, work 

 which w ill be w-ell repaid by vigorous 

 growth and quantities of flowers. The 

 best materials to add to heavy land 

 are leaf-mould and wood ashes. When 

 once planted leave the roots alone as 

 long as growth and flowering are satis- 

 factory. I have in mind a bed which 

 has been planted ten years ; it is now 

 a mass of growths, and produces a 

 profusion of blooms annually. The 

 attention given consists of keeping the 

 bed free from weeds, forking over the soil 

 in spring, mulching with decayed cow-manure 

 in June, and watering during dry weather. 

 Instead of mulching with manure several 

 applications of liquid manure might be 

 given at intervals of a week. March is the 

 best time to plant the roots, though it may 

 be done during late autumn or winter when 

 the weather is favourable. 



The plants are increased by division in 

 spring, or pieces of the thick fleshy roots will 

 grow if placed in a box of light sandy soil in 

 a frame in autumn or planted on a prepared 



