224 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



Engehnanni^ with bright yellow flowers, elegant in flower and 

 foliage, I ft. high. 



DiANTHUS. — -Here, again, we have a genus containing several 

 hardy annuals which are amongst the most decorative of border 

 plants, their brilliant colours rendering them indispensable for 

 summer bedding and also for cut-flower purposes. D. chinensis^ 

 (Chinese Pink) is a plant which has given rise to numerous 

 single and double varieties, and although classed as an annual, 

 it will live for two or three years if the winters are mild. The 

 seed should be sown in February in a cool house, pricking off 



the seedlings when 

 large enough into 

 boxes, and transplant- 

 ing to the open border 

 in April. The plants 

 will commence flower- 

 ing about July, and 

 will keep on until late 

 in the autumn ; they 

 grow to a height of 

 I ft., and bear red 

 flowers. The various 

 forms are usually 

 classed under two 

 heads, viz. : 



The Heddeivigii sec- 

 tion, containing Crim- 

 son Belle, with large 

 handsome flowers of a 

 beautiful blood-crimson 

 colour ; height ift. 

 Eastern Queen, with 

 large flowers, marbled 

 rose and white ; height 

 I ft. Heddeivigii {diade- 

 mains) fiore-pleno (Fig, 

 119), a Japanese variety 

 of dwarf and compact habit, with large, very double flowers.. 

 Mixed seed of this section may also be procured. 



The lacijiiatus section comprises Salmon Queen, a new and 

 fine addition to the annual Pinks, with large, single, beautifully- 

 fringed flowers of a soft salmon colour; height ift. Snowflake, 

 with single fringed flowers, varying from pure white to blush ; 

 height ift. Midnight, with deep rich maroon double flowers, 

 shaded with black. Choice mixed seed mav also be obtained of 

 the laciniatus section, from which a batch of plants may be raised, 

 producing flowers of rich and varied colours, with fringed petals. 

 Seeds of the single and double forms may be obtained separately. 



Fig. 119. — DiANTHUS chinensis 

 Heddewigii flore-pleno. 



