76 STUDIES IN GARDENING 



scarcely worth while to buy the named varieties, many 

 of which differ but little from each other. A packet 

 of seed selected from the newer sorts will usually pro- 

 duce plants of all sorts of colours, from deep purple 

 through pale purple to pink and almost deep crim- 

 son. The plants vary in quaHty of course from seed, 

 some having small and washy-coloured flowers; but 

 these can be dug up if the seedlings are planted fairly 

 close the first year, and the better plants will soon 

 cover the blank spaces. No plant is more easily raised 

 from seed than Aubrietia. If it is sown in boxes in 

 April, hundreds of good-sized plants will be ready to 

 plant out in the autumn. When the plants grow 

 straggly they should be cut back, and they will spring 

 up with renewed vigour. The spring Phloxes are just 

 coming into bloom. These beautiful plants are still 

 much less grown than they should be, although they 

 are most of them very easy to manage. Of Phlox 

 subulata there are now many varieties, some with 

 long trailing branches, some closely tirfted. These 

 latter are apt to be a little more difficult than the 

 former. Phlox Nelsoni, for instance, shoidd be dis- 

 turbed as little as possible, and grows best on a flat 

 piece of ground in full sun. Its white flowers make a 

 beautiful contrast with the bright pink ones of Phlox 

 Vivid. The Trailing Phloxes, of which Phlox G. F. 

 Wilson with very pale lavender flowers is one of the 

 best, are very easy to propagate, as long-rooted trailers 

 can be detached in the autumn and all quickly grow 

 into strong plants. The tufted kinds are a little more 



