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Gardening for Amateurs 



that it is necessary to sow fairly thickly, so 

 that the thin stems of the plants support 

 each other ; the Linarias, the Red Flax, 

 and the Virginian Stock are examples. The 

 work of thinning the seedlings should not be 

 done all at once ; commence when the young 

 plants are about an inch high, make a second 

 thinning a fortnight later, and a third after 

 about the same interval. The heights given 

 in the following notes are approximately 

 accurate, but the plants grow more freely in 

 some soils and situations than in others, 

 while a dry season will make several inches 

 difference in the height of the taller-growing 

 sorts. 



Acroclinium (Immortelle). A pretty 

 everlasting, useful in the border, where the 

 plants last a long time in flower ; the blooms 

 may be dried for winter decoration ; half- 

 hardy ; height 1 foot. Sow under glass or 

 on a warm border outside during April. A 

 sunny position is necessary. 



Alyssum maritimum (Sweet Alyssum). 

 A fragrant annual with pure white flowers, 

 suitable for edgings to beds and borders or as a 

 groundwork for taller plants ; hardy ; height 

 9 to 12 inches. Little Gem, Little Dorrit, 

 minimum, nanum, Thorburn's New Bouquet, 

 and compactum are names given to a charm- 

 ing dwarf variety about 3 inches high, which 

 is very popular for summer bedding. Sow 

 the seeds under glass or outside in March 

 or April. 



Amaranthus (Love - lies bleeding). 

 The popular name refers to the dark red 

 pendent racemes of Amaranthus caudatus, 

 a hardy annual growing 2 feet high. This 

 may be sown outside in April or under glass 

 in March. The following are half-hardy 

 annuals, and should be sown under glass : 

 A. tricolor and var. splendens, 1| feet to 

 2 feet high, attractive foliage, red, yellow and 

 green ; A. salicifolius, 2 feet or more high, 

 long twisted leaves, highly coloured and very 

 ornamental ; A. melancholicus ruber, 1 foot 

 high, red foliage. These annuals are valuable 

 for summer bedding and warm borders. 



Anagalis (Pimpernel). A free-flowering 

 half-hardy annual, 6 inches high, suitable for 

 sunny positions. A. grandiflora coccinea 

 has scarlet flowers, and A. Philipsii blue 

 flowers. Sow in the rock garden or along 

 the front of the border during April. Sutton's 



large-flowered blue and large-flowered scarlet 

 are selected strains of this Pimpernel. 



Anchusa capensis (Annual Blue 

 Alkanet). A pleasing blue-flowered annual, 

 growing 18 inches high. Sow preferably 

 under glass. 



Arctotis. A pretty South African half- 

 hardy annual. Arctotis breviscapa grows 

 6 inches high and has orange flowers ; A. 

 grandis is a most effective plant with pearly 

 white, blue-centred Marguerite-like flowers; 

 height 1J feet to 2 feet. Sow the seeds under 

 glass and plant out on a warm sunny border. 



Arnebia cornuta. A hardy annual be- 

 longing to the Borage family ; it has yellow 

 flowers spotted with dark brown, height 

 1 foot. Sow in a frame or where the plants 

 are to bloom. 



Asperula azurea setosa (Blue Wood- 

 ruff). A free-flowering, pale blue, fragrant 

 hardy annual ; height 1 foot ; the flowers are 

 in clusters on slender stems. Valuable for 

 small groups in front of the border or as an 

 edging to beds and borders ; useful for 

 cutting. Sow for preference where the plants 

 are to flower. 



Atriplex hortensis rubra (Red Moun- 

 tain Spinach). An attractive hardy annual 

 with red foliage ; height 4 feet ; useful in 

 borders and beds of coloured foliage. Sow 

 under glass for preference. 



Bartonia aurea. Sow the seeds of this 

 lovely yellow hardy annual on a sunny 

 border ; height 12 to 18 inches. Useful for 

 town and suburban gardens. 



Brachycome iberidifolia (Swan River 

 Daisy). This has pretty star-shaped flowers 

 in several shades of colour. Seeds are sold 

 in mixture, or separately in colours, blue 

 (Blue Star), white (White Star), and rose. 

 A half-hardy annual, best sown where the 

 plants are to flower ; height 6 inches to 

 9 inches. 



Galandrinia (Rock Purslane). This 

 pretty half-hardy annual should be sown 

 during April in sunny positions out of doors. 

 C. grandiflora (chromantha), 18 inches high, 

 has rose-coloured, and A. Menziesii (speciosa), 

 9 inches to 1 foot high, has ruby -coloured 

 flowers. 



Calceolaria mexicana (Mexican 

 Slipper- wort). A pretty yellow-flowered 

 hardy annual, that will grow in sun or partial 



