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Gardening for Amateurs 



display of colour on a hot, sunny border. 

 It is no use growing the plants elsewhere, 

 as the flowers only open in the sun. Though 

 the seeds may be sown under glass, the seed- 

 lings being planted out later, it is much better 

 to sow late in April where the plants are to 

 flower. Portulacas may be used as an 

 edging to a sunny south border, as a ground- 

 work to a bedding scheme, and in the rock 

 garden. There are varieties with single and 

 double flowers. Though groups of mixed 

 colours are effective in the rock garden, the 

 Purslanes are even more pleasing when 

 grown in distinct colours, of which seeds of 

 at least six are sold separately : alba, aurea, 

 rosea splendens, crimson-purple, Thellusoni 

 (orange-scarlet), and Thorburnii (yellow). 



Salpiglossis. This attractive half-hardy 

 annual, which grows from 2 to 2| feet high, 



Photo : Sutton & Sons. 



The beautiful blue flowers of Phacelia campanularia 



is most useful. The present popular garden 

 strains are described respectively as grand i- 

 flora (large-flowered), Giant Emperor and 

 superbissima. In addition to these mixed 

 colours seeds of the following are sold separ- 

 ately : aurea (golden - yellow), Kermesina 

 (crimson, gold- veined), violacea (rich purple), 

 rosea, coccinea, orange-red, and blue and 

 gold. In addition to their value in the 

 garden the pretty funnel-shaped flowers are 

 prized for cutting. For preference sow the 

 seeds under glass during March and plant 

 outside in a sunny position at the end of 

 May. 



Salvia Horminum (Blue Beard Salvia). 

 This is a splendid hardy annual. It will 

 grow in most soils and positions, and in some 

 gardens self-sown seedlings come up year 

 after year, giving the owner no trouble beyond 

 thinning. Sow outside to- 

 wards the end of March ; 

 transplanting is very easy. 

 The beauty of Salvia 

 Horminum is in the 

 coloured bracts, which are 

 a rich dark blue ; there 

 are also sorts with rose 

 and white bracts. The 

 average height of the plants 

 is 15 to 18 inches. 



Sanvitalia procumbens. 

 For sunny beds and bor- 

 ders this hardy annual 

 makes a nice edging, 

 grows 4 to 6 inches high, 

 and is of spreading or 

 trailing growth. The sin- 

 gle yellow Daisy - like 

 blooms have a dark centre ; 

 there is also a double 

 yellow variety. Sow the 

 seeds outside during March 

 and April. 



Saponaria (Soapwort). 

 S. Vaccaria, growing 2 

 feet high, and having light, 

 graceful sprays of pink 

 blossoms, is much prized 

 for cutting, also for plant- 

 ing in beds and borders. 

 There is a white variety 

 of this. S. calabrica is a 

 dwarf kind, 6 inches high, 



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