The Garden Magazine, February, 1922 



315 



Seedling Heliotropes 



TWICE in the Breeze Hill garden cycle we have grown 

 Heliotropes from seed — each time from one packet of pre- 

 sumably select seed as sold by most seedsmen. Each time the 

 experience has been pleasing, and particularly in 192 1. 



The seed was started indoors in late March, and the puny, 

 little transplanted plants sojourned awhile in neglect during my 

 preoccupation with the weary months of the printers' strike. 

 Eventually — in June — 1 planted them in various odd corners, 

 some shady, some half shady, and some not at all shady. 



The harsh heat and drought of the memorable 1921 summer 

 made coddling — or watering — necessary to keep the little plants 

 alive. Once they took root-hold, growth was rapid, and i was 

 surprised one day by coming upon a great head of bloom on one 

 Heliotrope growing in half-shade. It was a full ten inches 

 across, and of a lovely tint, but not as fragrant as the familiar 

 white greenhouse variety, Mme. de Blonay. 



Since, all the plants have bloomed beautifully. Left to 

 themselves, each sends up one strong central shoot on which 

 comes a great cyme of flowers, varying with the individual plant 

 from white or near white to a rather deep blue. Right on to 

 frost these flowers have been freely produced above rich green 

 foliage of good size. I am altogether pleased with the seedling 

 Heliotropes; they will come again at Breeze Hill. 



Two Unusual Annuals 



IT WAS rather by happy accident that in 1921 two pleasing 

 and not ordinary annuals made their first bow at Breeze Hill. 



1 have been fond of Portulaca all my life, and the fondness 

 was accentuated some years ago when I saw how a friend at 

 Eagles Mere had grown them in the crevices of a stone surface 

 drain down her garden walk. For several years we bordered the 

 axis walk at Breeze Hill with them, giving the space eventually 

 to garden Asters. 



This year 1 sowed about thirty feet of deep border in the west 

 garden to Portulaca. Among the packets of seed that came from 

 Burpee was one marked as " Portulaca Parana," which was separ- 

 ately placed. It has produced more and larger flowers than the 

 familiar type, on greener and stronger plants, and all the flowers 

 are of a really rich and refined magenta, or purplish carmine. 



Now I know how magenta hurts some eyes — I remember 

 seeing the real pain evidenced in those of Neltje Blanchan, of 

 fragrant memory, when she came upon a staring vine of Bougain- 

 villea in Nassau — a pain which her family hardly comprehended. 

 But this Parana Portulaca is different, and entirely desirable. 

 I commend it for the odd, sunny, and dry corner needing a flash 

 of summer-long bright color. 



My son chanced upon Gaillardia amblyodon in the spring 

 seed selection, and it proves very desirable as an Annual Gail- 

 lardia. The rabbits that infest Breeze Hill — and we're harden- 



ing our hearts against them now — like it too well, so that not 

 many plants were left after the setting out to take the place of 

 Annual Delphiniums. Those that did escape the chewing de- 

 predators have done well. 



The flowers are freely produced, as with all the Gaillardias, 

 are nearly two inches across, on single stems, and are of a pleas- 

 ing light red, deepening as the petals approach the maroon centre 

 which earmarks the whole family as of the compositae. 



This Gaillardia is a native of Texas, the Cyclopedia tells me, 

 while the other annual form, G. pulchella, is wild in Arkansas. 

 My eyes tell me that it differs radically from the "picta Loren- 

 ziana" type of G. pulchella in that its attractive flowers are in- 

 dividual, like the perennial form, and not in clustered heads. 

 I am intending to know more another year of G. amblyodon. 



The Soil Betterment 



WHEN my son, who sets out in order the things we are to 

 grow for the Breeze Hill table, told me one early March day 

 of last year's abnormal spring that we ought to "take a chance" 

 on planting some Peas two weeks ahead of the record, I assented, 

 and did before-breakfast exercise in spading up the row location 

 assigned. As I drove the Burbank spade, which has a full 

 twelve-inch blade, from point to heel, straight down into the 

 moist earth, and turned it up, 1 observed that only the pointed 

 tip of the tool brought away the yellow shale which was the 

 natural soil of this particular spot four years ago. 



A foot of good, strong, arable soil! To me it is a delight to 

 touch, particularly as it proves what mere man with a little en- 

 ergy may do on the earth's surface. When this East Garden 

 was opened from a very poor lawn, there was a scant four inches 

 of topsoil, and a harsh, heavy depth of shale subsoil. Roots of 

 Potatoes and Corn, of Beans and Peas, have penetrated it; much 

 manure has dressed it, and one good green mantle of Sweet 

 Clover has been folded down into it. 



Most of all, it has been honestly spaded. At first the plow 

 turned down the sod; and a crop was grown. That fall, I put a 

 man at it with a spade, and saw him slouch and slant a good 

 tool into the earth perhaps five inches. Gently but firmly I 

 put upon him the desire I had to have that spade go straight 

 down, all the way down, even if he had to stand on the heel of it. 



Did he grumble? Yes, he did! But also he spaded; not 

 rapidly, to be sure, but honestly. The yellow shale came up, to 

 meet the frost and the rain and the wind; the topsoil went down. 



Each year the same operation has been repeated; and, of 

 course, each time more easily. Now the results begin to be 

 apparent; for twelve inches of strong soil, generously enriched as 

 it is used, do things for me, and do them easily. The good soil 

 is the product of fertilizer and endeavor, but most of all it comes 

 from that honest foot of spade penetration, the best " subsoiling" 

 possible to get. 



• 



LOOKING AT NEXT MONTH ! 



TlflTH March comes Spring; outdoors awakens and the gardener's season of passive interest gives way to action. 



There's so much to be done, and time nor tide will wait. The March Garden Magazine is vibrant to the season's 



thrill. Mr. McFarland in continuing his " Walks and Talks," discusses entertainingly the growing of Roses, and has 



something helpful for the gardener who is Planting Roses This Year. Other appealing articles discuss Varieties of Roses, 



particularly the Recent Introductions of both Bush and Climbing Sorts — and all in time for this year's planting ! 



Equally insistent for the month is Strawberry Planting with which subject Mr. Doan opens a series of detailed dis- 

 cussions of Home Fruits in continuation of the general planting in this issue. Shrubbery Planting for Garden Pictures 

 During the Four Seasons will offer suggestions for the topic of kinds that have attraction in Berry, Fruit, and Fall Color as 

 well as for Bloom in Spring. 



Seeding and Upkeep of the Lawn will surely be welcome to many a reader, especially when new grading or construction 

 work has been done in winter or autumn. 



The home gardener who wants Salads will find his Lettuce Questions Anticipated and Answered; especially " Why 

 They Don't Head !" 



To these features of insistent interest will be added others of wider general appeal and, of course, the usual seasonal 

 departments of practical instruction, together with further instalments of serial features already begun. 



