In Scotland, a climate which makes few compromises in Half Hardy 
the matter of heat and cold, the employment of such tender Annuals 
plants as Celosias, Balsams, Cosmos bipinnata, and Zinnias 
is unprofitable, while Dwarf Nasturtiums grow so much to 
leaves and are so painfully deficient of flowers, that a sight 
of them growing in the South of England makes one almost 
envious of their beauty. But there are compensations. The 
Sweet Pea glories in the climate, and it is only in the north 
that Larkspur, Stocks, and many another common annual can 
be seen in gayest array late in autumn. Nor need the fact be 
concealed that plants, which in southern gardens are coddled, 
can conform to the exigencies of northern ones. It thus happens 
that the Swan River Daisy succeeds as a hardy annual, 
Campanula pyramidalis as a hardy biennial, and Celsia 
Arcturus as a half-hardy annual and sometimes as a hardy 
one. On the other hand, failure follows the attempt to sow 
the seeds of Hollyhocks and to flower the plants the same 
year; knowledge of these and other details is essential to success. 
As with other plants, so it is with annuals and biennials; a 
rigid selection is imperative if the greatest pleasure from their use 
is to be looked for. It is not only that the number of species 
which may be hopefully chosen is limited, but that, of the 
species, varieties have to be examined closely before admitting 
them to the garden. The old-fashioned garden-artist delighted 
in variety. He would grow sixty varieties of Stock without a 
qualm, and be rather proud of the achievement. Now it is 
unlikely that we could usefully employ more than six. Of the 
branching Larkspur (De/phinium consolida) the deep blue, rose, 
and white form a sufficient variety; of the Rocket Larkspur 
(D. Ajacis) the rose only. 
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