WHAT, WHY, and HOW MUCH 

 among the ACCOMMODATING ANNUALS ** 



ADOLPH KRUHM 

 Where Positive Results are the Goal it is Folly to Waste Energy on Uncertain Kinds 



Editors' Note: An article dealing similarly with Table Vegetables appeared in the January issue. 



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JURN over the pages of the average flower seed catalogue! 

 Two to six pages devoted to Asters alone — and all 

 jU| the varieties or strains are "free flowering," all are 

 "fine for cutting," all "bloom for a long time!" And 

 the same thing among Zinnias, Marigolds, Verbenas, etc., etc. 

 It is hard for the ordinary man to assure himself that he knows 

 how to unravel the tangle; yet the fact that many varieties in 

 many classes are offered year after year would signify that there 

 are differences among which choice must be exercised. Now it 

 is really not difficult to make this choice among the manifold 

 offerings if you approach your problem in terms of objectives. 

 First of all, ask yourself: "What do 1 really want?" 

 Here's what you may have: 

 i , Flowers in Beds to Beautify the Home Grounds 

 Flowers for Cutting to Beautify the Indoors 

 Flowers that Grow Very Tall and Screen the House 

 Flowers that Climb and Provide Shade 

 all these purposes there are accommodating Annuals 

 available in many types and colors, in variety so bewildering as 

 to discourage the beginner when trying to make out a seed 

 order. But from my own experience I will try to chart a course 

 through which any one may steer. 



The term Annual as used here, designates a plant easily 

 grown from seed to bloom within a few months. 



SOME years ago it was my duty to sow annually from 500 

 to 1,000 distinct trials of Annuals and I recall the dread 

 with which I sowed certain kinds because of their fickleness of 

 germination, never knowing whether such and such rows would 

 show up. Again there were seeds which would, I knew, sprout 

 all right, but heaven alone knew whether they would ever 

 survive the many ailments of their childhood and grow into 

 plants big enough to bloom. None such will be mentioned here! 



Finally, there were the other kinds which would grow and 

 bloom, but whose flowering season was apt to be very uncertain. 

 The plants might bloom before an early frost, or might not; they 

 might bear one or a dozen flowers; the flowers might be single 

 or they might be double. Those lessons I have never forgotten 

 and Garden Magazine readers are to get the benefit thereof. 



Seeds for general use must sprout readily and strongly; plants 

 must be sturdy and naturally healthy, free from liability to 

 disease, and immune from insect attacks; above all they must 

 bloom freely over a long period — as long as their nature and 

 the conditions of the garden permit. 



Flowers in an All-Season Border 



IN A border 3 ft. wide and 50 ft. long there is space for a great 

 variety of size, height, etc. You might grow, for example, 

 tall flowers, like Celosias, Marigolds, or Zinnias, in the back- 

 ground; and, intermingled with them, some early Asters, Cen- 

 taureas and Phloxes, while the entire border may be edged with 

 either white Alyssum or the dwarf form of Ageratum. 



Arranged in order of their relative heights, here is a selection 

 suitable for the all-year Annual beds: 



From 2 to 4 ft. tall, suitable for medium backgrounds: Balsams, 

 Ostrich Plume, Celosias, African Marigolds, Cosmos, 

 Helichrysum or Strawflower, Nicotiana affinis, and Zinnias. 

 All are valuable chiefly for their foliage effect, the plants 

 forming dense, symmetrical masses. In the case of the Bal- 

 sams, Cosmos, and Helichrysum, the foliage predominates early 



in the season. The Celosias, Marigolds, Nicotiana, and Zinnias 

 also serve truly as flowers almost from the start; and, among the 

 many Annuals available, none others will quite as well serve this 

 purpose of providing foliage plus flowers at a certain height. 

 Yet while any one, or any combination of these will quickly 

 produce effects, they are at their best only if combined with 

 dwarf er kinds in the foreground, such as the following: 



1-2 ft. tall suitable for individual borders (or in connection with 

 taller or dwarf er kinds, for edging): Asters, early and late 

 branching type, in many colors. Calliopsis Drummondi, 

 for yellow mass effect. Centaurea Cyanus, for a true blue. 

 Centaurea suaveolens, for soft lavenders and pinks. Lark- 

 spur, hyacinth-flowered, for a stately upright blue. 

 Mirabilis, or Four o'Clock, for a lively show on sunny days. 

 Phlox, for mass effects in pink and red. Pinks (Dianthus 

 mirabilis), for grotesque shapes. 

 In front of such Annuals as these may be planted the real 

 dwarfs to serve as edging for the entire border or for any bed: 

 From 6 to 12 inches tall. White: Alyssum Little Gem; 

 Candytuft Empress; Petunia Snow Ball; Phlox Dwarf 

 White; Vinca (Periwinkle) alba. Blue and Purple: Agera- 

 tum; Brachycome; Verbena; Petunia Giants of California. 

 Pink and Rose: Petunia Rosy Morn; Portulaca; Phlox; 

 Vinca rosea. Red and Scarlet: Dianthus Fireball; Phlox 

 Fireball; Zinnia Dwarf Fireball; Verbena. Yellow and 

 Orange: Eschscholtzia or California Poppy; Dimorphotheca 

 or Golden Daisy; Marigold Dwarf French; Zinnia mexicana. 



What to Grow for Cut Flowers 



IF THE chief desire be a supply of attractive flowers for home 

 decoration, there is wide opportunity for the sway of individ- 

 ual taste. Fondness for particular colors, for instance, may be 

 gratified to any extent. But before specific color recommenda- 

 tions, let us consider the necessary factors that particularly fit 

 an Annual for cut flower purposes. 



First of all, the stem; a flower must be carried upright yet 

 gracefully on a strong, stiff stem or it cannot be displayed ad- 

 vantageously. Secondly, color; a harmonious combination of 

 colors must prevail, and the choice of colors in any one class must 

 be wide enough to accommodate any desire within reason. 

 Thirdly, it is desirable that the flowers be of pleasing shape and 

 form. Fourthly, fragrance; although there is a distinct dearth 

 of really fragrant Annuals suitable for cutting, yet, by careful 

 selection, pleasant odors may be made to prevail. 



The one Annual combining all desirable characteristics of a 

 cut flower in the highest degree, the Sweet-pea, is curiously 

 enough entirely unfit to be grown for any other purpose. 



Because of the wide choice possible, the selection of specific 

 varieties is left to the reader, who can pick colors to please his 

 personal fancy. The most easily grown Annuals that meet the 

 standard and provide flowers from early June until late fall are: 



Antirrhinum 



Centaurea suaveolens 



Gaillardia 



Salpiglossis 



Aster 



Cosmos 



Gypsophila 



Scabiosa 



Calendula 



Dianthus 



Lupine 



Sweet William 



Calliopsis 







Sunflower 



The first to bloom are Calendula, Calliopsis and Centaurea, 

 followed by Dianthus, Gaillardia and Gypsophila. The mid- 

 summer supply is provided by Asters, Lupines, Helianthus and 

 Annual Sweet William; while Cosmos, Salpiglossis, Scabiosa and 

 Snapdragon round out the season in the fall. Excepting the 



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