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Gardening for Amateurs 



strains is the Shirley Poppy in many deli- 

 cate and pleasing colours. This is the best 

 annual Poppy for cutting. The plants grow 

 about 2 feet high. The scarlet and 

 black flowers of Papaver commutatum 

 (umbrosum) make quite a gorgeous display. 

 The Opium Poppy (P. somniferum) is the 

 parent of most of the fine double Poppies, 

 for example the Giant Double and Double 



Photo : Sutton r S: 



Godetia (Oenothera) Afterglow. 



Paeony-flowered varieties. Others are White 

 Swan, double white, 2 feet ; the Mikado, 

 double white, fringed with rose, 2 feet ; 

 Cardinal (Scarlet King), brilliant double 

 scarlet, 2 feet ; Double Carnation-flowered, 

 prettily fringed blooms, 2 feet high. The 

 Tulip Poppy (P. glaucum), scarlet, 1J feet, 

 and the Peacock Poppy (P. pavoninum), 

 scarlet and black, 1 feet, are two other 

 brilliant annual Poppies. Those who here- 

 tofore have not grown annual Poppies to any 



extent because they leave gaps in the borders 

 when the flowers fade should grow seedling 

 Michaelmas Daisies and seedling Border 

 Chrysanthemums, to be planted out when the 

 Poppy plants are pulled up. 



Perilla Nankinensis. A half-hardy 

 annual with mulberry-red foliage which is 

 most effective for bedding. The plants grow 

 1 to 3 feet high. There is a variety lacini- 

 ata, with finely cut purple 

 leaves, and a dwarf sort, 

 Dwarf Curled, growing I 

 foot high. Sow the seeds 

 in a heated greenhouse 

 during March and plant 

 outside late in May or 

 early in June in a warm, 

 sunny position. 



Petunia. The parents 

 of the garden Petunia are 

 perennials, but the sorts 

 so popular for summer 

 bedding are invariably 

 treated as half-hardy 

 annuals. Some idea of 

 the extent to which they 

 are grown in gardens for 

 bedding may be gauged 

 from the fact that in the 

 catalogue of one seed firm 

 no less than thirty - five 

 sorts of Petunias are 

 offered in separate packets. 

 There are single and double- 

 flowered sorts, fringed and 

 plain - edged flowers, and 

 a strain with striped 

 blooms. In addition to 

 these kinds being sold in 

 mixed colours, seeds of 

 numerous colours are cata- 

 logued separately. They 

 include white, pink, rose, violet, purple, pink 

 and white, scarlet and white, etc. Petunias 

 vary from 1 foot to 2 feet in height ; there 

 is also a dwarf strain, compact in habit, 7 

 to 9 inches high, suitable for edging. Sow 

 Petunia seeds in a heated greenhouse or on 

 a hotbed during February and March. 

 When large enough prick off the seedlings 

 into shallow boxes, and later pot off singly in 

 small pots preparatory to planting out ia 

 beds, borders, and window-boxes. 



