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THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



365 





Zinnias are most easily grown almost anywhere. 

 Oome in very many colors 



Ageratxjii is the most easily grown, blue 

 dwarf bedding flower in cultivation. It is 

 nearly ideal, as all the points mentioned 

 above are found in it. It contains sorts of 

 various heights, all of which are of soft, 

 harmonious colors that "blend" well with 

 nearly all colors. A. Mexicanum is the 

 parent type, growing about a foot tall. It 

 comes in lavender, blue and white. Blue 

 Perfection grows not over nine inches tall 

 and its deep blue, tassel-shaped flowers are 

 borne in semi-round clusters, which trans- 

 form the plants into symmetrical half 

 globes. Little Blue Star averages five inches 

 tall and is ideal for edging and for very 

 dwarf borders. Combine it with Alyssum 

 Benthami, var. procumbens, Carpet of 

 Snow — and you have a beautiful, low 

 carpet bed that will find much favorable 

 attention. 



Alyssum is in a class of its own in con- 

 nection with bedding. In addition to all 

 the essential points, it will stand trimming 

 and if toward the end of the first blooming 

 period, you will cut off the flower spikes, 

 it will make a new growth and bear another 

 crop of bloom. Nor is that all. Seeds 

 form at the lower end of the spikes while 

 the tips are still in full bloom. These 

 seeds drop, promptly start to grow and give 

 a rapid succession of seedlings which 

 furnish sweet alyssum flowers until hard 

 frost. Alyssum maritimum is the common 

 form that everybody knows. It self sows 

 freely, the seeds are very hardy, and it will 

 thrive on the same spot for years without 

 any attention. Height, nine inches. 

 Alyssum compactum, var. Little Gem grows 

 about six inches tall and is of decidedly 

 compact growth. When you plan a bed 

 within well defined limits, this is the one 

 to use. Carpet of Snow is a little beauty. 

 Not over four inches tall, the plants spread 

 considerably, each "carpeting" in time, a 

 square foot. All alyssums are most de- 

 pendable and faithful bedding annuals. 



Asters are principally grown for cutting. 



However some of the dwarfer kinds make 

 excellent bedding plants. Foremost among 

 these are the Queen of the Market 

 types, which are of compact growth, not 

 over eight inches tall, and so free-flowering 

 that each plant is transformed into a 

 miniature pillar of color. Dwarf Pyra- 

 midal Bouquet, Shakespeare, Waldersee 

 and the dwarf types of Comet aster are 

 all ideal bedding plants according to the 

 definitions offered above. No other annuals 

 equal these for the massive effect obtained 

 with even a limited number of plants and 

 they bloom faithfully during their season. 

 Asters are the exception to the statement 

 made in the introduction as to the soil. 

 They must have rich soil to do their best 

 and great care should be exercised to grow 

 them without permitting their growth to 

 be checked at any time. Read Mr. G. 

 W. Kerr's article in April Garden Maga- 

 zine. It cannot be improved upon. 



Candytuft is not unlike sweet alyssum 

 in its character of growth and may there- 

 fore be used in the same manner. It 

 goes alyssum one better in having an 

 assortment of colors. Dwarf Hybrids, 

 six inches tall, and the common type, 

 eight to twelve inches tall put at the 

 planter's disposal a good choice of height. 

 However, candytuft has one drawback 

 which should be emphasized with fairness 

 to the planter — It must always have 

 sufficient moisture, either a natural supply 

 or by irrigation or by the middle of July 

 the plants will be a disappointment. No 

 other annual I have ever studied "burns 

 up" as easily and its dry stalks present a 

 sad sight in the flower garden. Successive 

 sowings and abundant irrigation will over- 

 come this deficiency, however. Candytuft 

 comes in some unique carmine, purple, and 

 lilac shades, not possessed by other plants 

 of like character. 



Dimorphotheca or Golden Orange Daisy 

 is apt to earn me the title of a repeater 

 (See April issue). But any one familiar 

 with the merits of this unique annual will 

 agree with me that it is one of the finest 

 "bedders" in cultivation to-day. Its com- 

 pact growing plants average a foot high 

 by a foot across. The unique light yellow- 

 ish green foliage contrasts handsomely 

 with the brilliant orange flowers and for 

 duration of bloom, even under trying con- 

 ditions, it is in a class of its own. Try 

 two dozen plants (from a ten cent packet), 

 surrounded bya single rowof sweet alyssum, 

 in a round bed with full exposure to the 

 sun. 



Eschscholzia or California poppy is the 

 brightest yellow annual in the collection. 

 Plants are of compact, symmetrical growth, 

 not over twelve inches tall. The delicate 

 feathery bluish-green foliage contrasts 

 handsomely with the bright yellow or 

 orange flowers which do not extend very 

 high above the foliage. It is one of those 

 flowers that never tires the eye and its 

 faithfulness in blooming should cause it 

 to be a great deal more popular than it is 

 at present. Burbank's New Crimson is of 

 unique color and comes true, which cannot 



Drummond phlox grows rapidly and flowers freely. 

 Keep in masses 



be said of the latest introductions in this 

 class. 



Marigolds contain extremely tall and 

 very dwarf types. The best of the tall 

 types are found among the African mari- 

 golds, in Lemon Queen, Orange Prince, 

 Eldorado, etc. The dwarfer sorts are 

 mostly French Marigolds (also called 

 Tagetes). A most pleasing combination 

 is suggested in a solid bed of Orange Prince 

 marigold, surrounded by a border of 

 Legion of Honor or Little Brownie tagetes. 

 Here we have an ideal combination in 

 color, season of blooming, relation of heights 

 and uniform length of blooming season. 

 Little Brownie is an ideal little border 

 plant in connection with any plants, the 

 colors of which blend well with yellow and 

 dark red. Become acquainted with this 

 little 6-inch annual; it is adapted to many 

 uses in the garden. 



Petunias would be better appreciated 

 and more extensively grown if nature 

 had provided coarser seeds. It seems that 

 this feature is responsible for the fact that 

 these otherwise ideal annual plants are not 

 found in more gardens. The almost dust- 

 like seeds should be sown on the top of 

 the ground and covered very sparingly. 

 Water carefully and, after your seedling 

 plants are transplanted, they will thrive 

 and bloom like weeds. For bedding, the 

 single sorts are my preference, because of 

 their luxuriant foliage and freedom of 

 bloom. Howard Star, Baby Blue, Countess 

 of Ellesmere and sorts of a like character 

 are easily grown and are ideal for informal 

 beds. Do not attempt to curb the growth 

 of petunias or to restrict them to certain 

 limits. For best results let them make a 

 rampant growth and do not mix them with 

 other flowers. 



Drummond Phlox is the one annual 

 next to sweet peas and nasturtiums that 

 everybody should know and grow. Only 

 one feature is lacking to make it an ideal 

 all-round flower — it is devoid of fragrance. 

 But nobody cares particularly for this in a 

 bedding flower and as such, phloxes have 

 no rivals. From the small 4-inch Cecily 



