Gardening for Amateurs 



429 



shade. Sow under glass or out of doors 

 where the plants are to flower. When once 

 introduced to a garden this Slipper-wort 

 usually comes up year after year from self- 

 sown seeds. 



Calendula officinalis (Pot Marigold). 

 This hardy annual should find a place in every 

 garden. Sow outside where 

 the plants are to flower. The 

 several sorts thrive in the 

 town garden, and remain in 

 flower for a long season. C. 

 officinalis has single rich 

 orange flowers ; Orange King, 

 bears deep orange double 

 blooms (if space can only be 

 found for one sort this should 

 be the one grown) ; Lemon 

 Queen is double lemon- 

 yellow, a pleasing contrast 

 to Orange King ; Meteor has 

 prettily-striped flowers. The 

 average height of the plants 

 is 12 inches. 



Gallistephus (China 

 Aster). Nearly everyone 

 grows the annual Asters ; they 

 are indispensable for the 

 garden and for cutting in 

 late summer and autumn. 

 The numerous and varied 

 sorts in cultivation to-day 

 have been obtained from the 

 wild Chinese Aster Calliste- 

 phus Hortensis or Aster Sinen- 

 sis. The different sections or 

 types vary considerably in 

 size and form of flower and 

 in vigour of growth ; the 

 dwarf bedding sorts are only 

 8 inches or 9 inches, while 

 the mammoth or Chrysanthe- 

 mum-flowered varieties are 30 

 inches high. From six to a 

 dozen shades of colour are represented in 

 most of the sections, including white, shell- 

 pink, rose-pink, salmon-pink, old rose, deep 

 rose, light blue, dark blue, silver-grey, 

 mauve, lilac, scarlet, crimson and primrose, 

 Mention must also be made of two pleasing 

 bicolors, blue and white and rose and white, 

 notably in the Comet and Paeony-flowered 

 classes. 



Of the numerous sections into which Asters 

 are divided the following are the most im- 

 portant : Victoria, height 18 inches, the 

 petals are flat and regularly overlap each 

 other, forming large attractive blooms, valu- 

 able in the garden and for cutting, and one of 

 the best for exhibition ; Comet, height 15 



Acroclinium, one of the most popular of annual Everlasting 

 Flowers. 



inches to 18 inches, and Ostrich Plume, height 

 18 inches, both have large fluffy or feathery 

 blooms of surpassing beauty for garden 

 decoration and cutting. In contrast to these 

 we have the incurving petals forming ball- 

 like blooms of the Paeony-flowered, 2 feet 

 high, together with Truff ant's French, 2 feet ; 

 Globe, 18 inches ; and Jewel, 18 inches. 

 There is also a dwarf French strain with 



