ON HARDY HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS. 265 



perpetuate any distinct variety, as they do not reproduce 

 themselves entirely true from seeds. A sowing of seeds will, 

 however, yield a fair proportion true to name, or at any rate of 

 good colour and habit, and the inferior ones may be pulled up 

 and thrown away, A. ccerulea (Rocky Mountain Columbine) 

 is one of the best; it grows from i^ft. to 2ft. high, and 

 bears large sky-blue flowers, with white cups and long spurs, 

 from May to July. Numerous others are also grown, including 

 A. chrysaniha^ with bright golden-yellow flowers ; A. glandulosa^ 

 with deep azure-blue flowers and white corollas ; A. pyreiiaica^ 

 with delicate fern-like foliage, and bright lilac or blue flowers; 

 this last is suitable for the rockery ; and the beautiful hybrid, 

 A.\Stuartii (Fig. 148), purple, blue, and white. 



Fig. 149. — Aster Amellus bessarabicus. 



Asters (Michaelmas Daisies) are handsome plants of easy 

 culture, suitable for either borders, shrubberies, or wild gardens ; 



