HAEDY AND HALF-HARDY ANNUALS. 



as border plants and in pots for the conservatory. The 

 seeds are sown in February in a little warmth, and the 

 seedlings intended for the open air are transferred to the 



Fig. 490.— Dianthus chinensis. 



beds in May. In warm situations the seeds may be sown 

 out-of-doors in April. They are useful for front positions 

 on the herbaceous border. 



Collinsia bicolor is a favourite garden flower, and one 

 of the best; it grows to a height of 1^ foot, and has purple 

 and white flowers. O. grandiflora, pink and blue; C. 

 violacea, white and violet; and C vema, blue and white, 

 are worth growing. The seeds of the last-named should 

 be sown as soon as ripe. They do well in any good gar- 

 den soil. 



Coreopsis {Calliopsis) includes some fine showy annuals 

 as well as perennials. C. bicolor, with yellow and brown 

 flowers, is the progenitor of most of the varieties grown. 

 They are rather tall growers, reaching a height of 3 feet. 

 C. Drummondii is of dwarfer growth, and produces 

 bright-yellow blossoms. C. grandiflora is a biennial, but 

 if sown in March in warmth will flower the same season ; 

 it grows to a height of 2| feet and produces large golden- 

 yellow flowers. A dwarf -growing annual race has also 

 been obtained. 



Delphinium. — The annual Larkspurs are divided into 

 two sections, the tall and the dwarf. Some of the former, 

 the Stock-flowered in particular, grow to the height of 3 

 feet, while the Dwarf Rocket, a form of D. Ajacis, scarcely 

 exceed a foot. Large and finely-formed blossoms are 

 produced in handsome spikes ; and the colours vary con- 

 siderably. The tall varieties of D. Consolida branch 

 freely, Emperor being one of the finest. The seeds should 

 be sown in pans, and the young plants transplanted in 

 May in the case of heavy soils; but the seeds can be sown 

 in the open when the soil is light. 



Dianthus chinensis (fig. 490). — The Indian Pink, both 

 single and double forms, and its improved variety Hed- 



dewigii, are easily grown, and well repay good cultivation. 

 In Heddewigii the flowers are considerably enlarged, and 

 in the form known as laeiniaius the petals are fringed. 

 A few fine varieties, such as Brilliant, Crimson Belle, and 

 Eastern Queen, generally come true from seed. Treated 

 generously, the plants flower all through the summer up 

 to November in a favourable season. A section known 

 as Imperialis is taller, with smaller flowers, and is useful 

 for cutting. 



Erysimum Perofskianum (Hedge Mustard) i- one of 

 the commonest of hardy annuals, and produces plenti- 

 fully its trusses of deep-orange blossoms. A dwarf form 

 known as E. arkansanum has bright-yellow blossoms; 

 the seeds of both can be sown in the open ground in 

 spring. These are the only two annual forms found in 

 gardens. The former is sometimes sown in autumn, with 

 the result that the plants bloom earlier. 



Eschscholtzia. — Showy hardy annuals. E. calif omica 

 is represented in gardens by numerous varieties with 

 yellow or orange-flowers. One called maritima is yellow- 

 flowered, but spotted with deep-orange ; there are some 

 very large forms of this. Mandarin, dark bronzy-orange, 

 and Rose Cardinal, pale rosy-pink, are worth special men- 

 tion. The usual practice is to sow the seeds in the open 

 ground in spring, to bloom in the summer. They are. 

 however, much finer when sown in autumn, and as they 

 stand the winter well they grow to a large size and re- 

 quire' ample space. In a sandy soil they root deeply and 

 bloom magnificently. 



Gilia. — A large genus of hardy plants, chiefly an- 

 nuals. The most popular is G. tricolor, 2 feet high, 

 with lavender and white purple-eyed flowers. G. nivalis 

 is snow-white with an orange eye, and is delicately scented, 

 having a marked attraction for bees. The Gilias do best 

 in a fairly light soil. 



Godetia. — Closely allied to (Enothera, indeed it is 

 included in that genus by botanists. G. Whitney i, 



Fig. 491.— Miniature Sunflower. 



introduced from California in 187 0. and its numerous 

 garden progeny, now so widely grown, are very effec- 

 tive free - flowering annuals, with large heads of cup- 



