134 



Gardening for Amateurs 



bed of soil outside. Seeds may be sown in 

 a box of sandy soil in a cold frame as soon 

 as ripe or in spring. 



A large number of improved sorts have 

 been obtained during recent years. They 

 grow usually 3 or 3J feet high. Some of 

 the best white varieties are Lady Ardilaun, 

 Lord Ardilaun, and Whirlwind, semi -double, 

 lasting long in bloom. Other good whites 

 are alba, the old favourite in cottage gardens, 

 Coupe d' Argent, having three or four rows 

 of petals, and Collarette, double. 2 to 2J feet 

 high. A useful selection of the coloured 

 varieties is elegantissima, having large semi- 

 double flowers of a delicate pink shade ; 

 Hybrida, rich rose ; Mont Rose, semi-double 

 rose-pink ; Prince Heinrich, dwarf compact 

 habit, 1 to 2 feet high, deep rosy -red, 

 semi-double flower, one of the richest colours ; 

 Queen Charlotte, an old favourite, 3 feet high, 

 rose-pink, semi-double flowers ; rubra, 2 feet 

 high, rosy-crimson. 



Several other Anemones sometimes find 

 a place along the front of the perennial and 

 shrubbery borders, but more often they are 

 grown in the rock garden. The Alpine 

 Anemone (A. alpina), 1| feet high, with 



white, mauve-tinted flowers, should be given 

 a little peat soil, flowers end of April and 

 Ma3 r ; the Narcissus-flowered Anemone (A. 

 narcissiflora), 1 to 1| feet high, bears umbels 

 of snow-white flowers in April and May. 

 The Pasque Flower (A. Pulsatilla) is a lovely 

 plant for half-shaded spots amongst shrubs 

 and hardy ferns ; it is 9 inches high, and 

 has purple flowers m April and May (there is 

 also a white variety, alba) ; the seed-heads 

 are silvery and attract attention in summer. 

 The Wood or Snowdrop Anemone (A. 

 sylvestris), 1 foot high, has large, pure white 

 drooping flowers, which open during April 

 and May. The usual method of increasing 

 these Anemones is by division ; seeds may 

 also be purchased of most of them, these 

 being sown as soon as ripe. 



Aquilegia (Columbine). The Colum- 

 bines are beautiful hardy perennials, flower- 

 ing in spring and early summer ; their ele- 

 gant growth and graceful leafage render them 

 additionally attractive. The plants will be 

 found to grow and thrive in most positions, 

 except where very dry. In sunny borders, 

 shady nooks, among hardy ferns, in the 

 shrubbery border, or in the rock garden 



Late summer flowers, Japanese Anemones are seen in the background. 



