A YEAR'S GARDENING 



vegetation will flourish they will not tolerate any overshadowing by 

 taller plants; fresh air and sunlight are essential to their welfare. 

 G. verna, the Vernal Gentian, is one of the most familiar, as it is one 

 of the most beautiful of Alpine flowers. It likes a soil of sandy loam 

 but cannot endure much drought, and will benefit, therefore, by a 

 few pieces of broken limestone being so placed as to retard evapora- 

 tion. G. Bavarica, the Bavarian Gentian, with its flowers of irides- 

 cent blue, is another lovely example. It demands a moist peaty 

 soil — as bog-like as possible. G. acaulis and its variety alpina are 

 both excellent for the Rock Garden, and the former will sometimes do 

 well as a border edging. Gentians may be raised from seed by 

 sowing in pans in spring and planting out. 



GERANIUM (CranesUlV). The hardy Geranirun which is a 

 native of this country is a vigorous perennial, and some of its varieties 

 are well worth cultivation in the garden. One of the best is G. 

 armenum, growing from 2 to 3 feet high and flowering abundantly 

 in any ordinary soil. A useful plant for the wild garden or shrubbery. 

 G. ibericum, with its large, dark blossoms, and G. endressi, with its 

 delicately-coloured hght flowers, are also very good. Among the 

 Alpine species G. cinfireum and G. argentum are good varieties for 

 the Rock Garden. AU may be raised from seed. {See also 

 Pelargonium.) 



GERBERA. A perennial recently introduced from South 

 Africa, and called indifferently the Transvaal or Scarlet Daisy, or the 

 Marguerite of the Cape. In this country, except in our southern 

 counties and in a warm situation, it is only half-hardy, but it seems 

 well worthy of a place in our gardens. G. Jamesoni — from which, 

 however, some beautiful hybrids have been raised — is at present 

 the best example and is a wonderfully handsome plant with dark- 

 green leaves and large flowers, some 4 inches across, of brilliant 

 scarlet, while the hybrids have flowers of more deUcate colouring, 

 such as pink, orange, yellow and almost white. They may be raised 

 from seed. 



GERMANDER-SPEEDWELL. See Veronica. 



GESNERA. A tuberous-rooted greenhouse plant with beautiful 

 spikes of pendulous flowers. The hybrids have many shades of 

 colour, scarlet predominating. The Gesnera may be raised from 

 seed without difficulty, and though a perennial may, with advantage, 

 be treated as an annual. Seeds sown in a rich soil and in moderate 



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