8 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



early in the year cannot be over-estimated. The commoner sorts are so 

 free in growth and flower that one may suggest a wider use for these 

 little plants in furnishing the soil at the bases of shrubs, in planting 

 ferneries and the drier sites of the bog garden, thus helping to brighten 

 these places in the dull season. They prefer slight shade, and may 

 require to be freely watered in very dry and hot months, otherwise there 

 is no difficulty in their culture. Height 4 inches. All the Anemones of 

 this group may be planted at any time during autumn and winter 

 until leaf -growth recommences. 



Florists' Anemones. These are derived from A. coronaria and 

 forms of fulgens type collectively called A. hortensis, descendants of which 

 are known as Poppy Anemones, Chrysanthemum Anemones, Peacock 

 Anemones, Caen Anemones, St. Brigid Anemones, and Riviera Anemones. 

 There is endless variation in them ; almost every colour is represented, 

 and many types also, ranging from the starry Peacock Anemones to the 

 massive yet refined St. Brigid race. Named varieties of select strains 

 are numerous, but there is no standard nomenclature of sufficient stability 

 to warrant its use here. Regarded solely for their brilliancy as bedding 

 and border plants, or for their great yield of cut flowers, one can only 

 describe them as a variedly beautiful group, in which there are flowers 

 for everyone's tastes. Their cultivation is simplicity itself. A light, 

 rich soil freely dressed with leaf-soil, shade from strong sunshine, and 

 frequent attention as regards water in dry seasons are all they require. 

 If used for spring bedding, roots of various sizes should be planted to- 

 gether, so that the smaller roots may succeed the larger in their season 

 of flowering, and a few should be held in reserve till the others are in 

 growth to carry the display still further. Grown for cut flowers at all 

 possible seasons, one must plant at intervals of six weeks, weather per- 

 mitting, from September till April, and if the earliest planting is top- 

 dressed and a few more seedlings are introduced, and the site shaded, 

 a pretty display may be had ad infinitum, with the exception of the 

 Peacock Anemones. Height 9 inches to 18 inches. 



Antirrhinums (Snapdragons). Although the Snapdragons, as we 

 are pleased to call the flowers that the botanists class as Antirrhinums, 

 have been known in our gardens since the days when Gerard wrote his 

 famous Herbal, it is only during recent years that any great improvements 

 in colour, habit, and form have been effected. 



Fortunately, the cultivation of the ordinary Snapdragons does not 

 call for any special skill or treatment on the part of the gardener. The 

 word " fortunately " is used advisedly, because these flowers are so useful 

 for so many purposes in our schemes of summer and autumn effects that 

 they should find a home in every garden, no matter whether it be the 

 strip of the suburban villa or the demesne of the mansion. For filling 

 beds or borders, for naturalising in the wild garden, the crevices of dry 

 walls, or inaccessible rocks, the Snapdragons are admirably adapted, and 

 in the latter positions they will usually sow and reproduce themselves 

 freely when given a good start. In the gardens at Hopetoun House, 

 Linlithgow, whole borders are devoted to these flowers, large masses of 



