ON ANNUALS AND BIENNIALS. 



217 



i-^ft. to 3ft. On light sandy soils, it very often assumes a 

 perennial form, but on heavy ground it should be treated as an 

 annual. It does well if seed is sown in the autumn, the plants 

 being kept in a cool house until spring. The variety grandi- 

 Jlorum, with flowers almost twice as large as the type, and 

 much whiter in colour, forms a fine ornamental border plant, 

 and is also much prized for cutting. It grows about 2ft. high, 

 comes true from seed, and is a decided improvement on the 

 species. 



Anchusa affinis, one of the Borage Worts, with cobalt-blue 

 flowers, blossoms all the summer and autumn. It is of bushy 

 habit, growing about ift. high. 



Avena sterilis (Animated Oat) is an elegant plant, growing 

 2ft. high, and producing loose panicles of drooping barren flowers; 

 it belongs to the same genus as the common Oat, and is easily 

 grown. 



Bartonia aurea (Fig. 112) is a very ornamental and deco- 

 rative plant, with large golden-yellow flowers an inch or more 

 , across ; they open in the evening, and are then very fragrant ; 

 as they fade they assume a reddish tinge. ■ It grows to a height 

 of i^ft., and produces flowers 

 about June. It is best sown 

 in April, in the position in 

 which it is intended to 

 flower, the seedlings being 

 thinned out to a distance of 

 4in. The seed should only 

 have the merest sprinkling 

 ■of soil over it, as it is very 

 fine, and if buried too deep 

 it would be impossible for it 

 to push through. It is best 

 grown in patches in the 

 herbaceous border, where its 

 bright flowers are shown off 

 to advantage; it would also 

 do admirably in a prominent 

 position in the rock garden, 

 care being taken that it does 

 not smother any of the 

 dwarf-growing alpines. 



Briza minor (Small Quaking Grass) (Fig. 113), known also as 

 B. gracilis and B. minima, is one of our native grasses, being 

 found occasionally in the southern counties of England. It is 

 very much like the common Quaking Grass, though decidedly 

 smaller, seldom growing more than 8in. or (jin. in height. The 

 seed may be sown in the open border in March, and the plants 



Fig. 112. — Bartonia aurea. 



