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Gardening for Amateurs 



tember ; even better than this is the double 

 white variety, similar in habit, but with 

 larger, double flowers these are valuable 

 for drying for winter decoration. G. Roke- 

 jeka, blush-white, taller and later flowering 

 than G. paniculata ; G. Stevenii, white, 

 1 to 2 feet high, flowering from June to 

 August, are other sorts. 



Helenium (Sneezewort). Not only 

 are Heleniums very showy in the garden 

 when in flower, but the long stems render the 

 blooms valuable for cutting. The season 

 of flowering is summer and autumn. The 



A brilliant yellow-flowered perennial (Helenium 

 pumilum). 



plants thrive in most garden soils, particularly 

 those which are thoroughly worked and 

 liberally manured. For large beds or borders 

 where there is ample space, the taller-growing 

 kinds provide a wealth of colour in autumn. 

 The dwarf varieties are suitable for the 

 small garden, and it is generally possible 

 to plant a root or two of the tall Helenium 

 autumnale in the shrubbery border or along 

 the back of the mixed border to foUow the 

 Sweet Peas, Delphiniums, and Hollyhocks. 

 The best time to propagate by dividing the 

 clumps is late October and the end of 

 February or March, though it may be done 

 whenever the weather is mild throughout 

 the winter. Cuttings made of the young 



shoots when they push up in April root 

 freely in light sandy soil under a bell-glass. 

 A third method of propagation, though not 

 much favoured, is to sow seeds in a cold 

 frame between April and July. The most 

 important sort is H. autumnale, which 

 grows to a height of 5 to 6 feet, has yellow 

 flowers, and blooms during September and 

 October : varieties of this are grandiflorum, 

 6 feet, yellow, very floriferous, September 

 and October ; pumilum, 2 feet high, golden- 

 yellow, summer and early autumn ; pumilum 

 magnificum, 3 feet, pale yellow, very free 

 and continuous blooming during summer 

 and autumn ; cupreum, 2 feet high, crimson 

 flowers shot with gold, summer and early 

 autumn ; super bum, 5 to 6 feet, golden- 

 yellow, September and October ; Riverton 

 Gem, 4 to 5 feet high, a lovely plant flowering 

 from August to October, old gold, terra-cotta, 

 and crimson ; Riverton Beauty, 4 to 5 feet 

 high, a companion plant, has lemon yellow 

 flowers, with prominent purplish-black centre, 

 from August to October ; striatum, a tall 

 grower, 5 to 6 feet high, has orange flowers, 

 striped red, September. H. Bigelovii is a 

 tall growing kind, 4 feet high, with rich 

 yellow petals surrounding a brown disc, 

 August and September. H. Bolanderi, 

 2 to 2^ feet, yellow with black centre, is 

 fine for cutting, flowers 2 to 3 inches across, 

 July to September : two forms of this plant 

 are Golden Gem, with richer yellow flowers, 

 and sulphurea, pale yellow. H. Hoopesii, 

 2$ to 3 feet, is the first of the Heleniums 

 to flower, opening at midsummer, rich orange 

 yellow. 



Helianthus (Sunflower). The Peren- 

 nial Sunflowers are among our showiest 

 late summer and autumn-flowering border 

 plants ; all have yellow flowers. The plants 

 vary considerably in height from about 

 3| to 8 feet ; some have single, others semi- 

 double, and a few double flowers ; all bloom 

 very freely. The flowers, when cut, last in 

 water for a long time ; this quality, together 

 with their long stalks, ensures their being 

 in constant demand. Sunflowers thrive in 

 almost any soil, though they are, of course, 

 finer in ground that is well tilled and manured. 

 As is only to be expected from the name, 

 the Perennial Sunflowers delight in plenty 

 of sunshine, but they will also thrive in 



