HEBBA.CEOUS FLOWEES 



99 



bedding-plants. Perhaps the prettiest of these is Phlox 

 Drummondi, an annual with a twiggy stem and somewhat 

 downv foliage, whose lower leaves are oval and the upper 

 lanceolate. It produces its pink flowers, which are 

 darker in the centre, all summer long. It varies into 

 numerous shades of rose and crimson. Propagate by 

 seed in light rich loam. Admired kinds may be perpetu- 

 ated by cuttings for a longer or shorter lapse of time. 

 Phlox, i.e. Flame, is scarcely an appropriate name for the 

 genus, as its prevailing colours are white, lilac, blue, 

 blush, and pink. P. ox: at a and nitida are exceptions, as 

 having bright-red and violet-red flowers. All the species 

 belong to the temperate regions of Xorth America : one 

 only, P. Sibirica, is found in the north of Asia. The 

 Phioxes are in general robust plants which thrive in ordi- 

 nary garden-soil, and are increased by cuttings, stool- 

 division, and seed : the latter mode has originated many 

 varieties, especially from P. acuminata. P. suaveolens, 

 itself a variety of P. maculata, has produced striped 

 flowers that have been much admired. But it is possible 

 that, with the exception of Drummond's, the beauty of 

 the Phloxes has been over-vaunted. 

 Picotee. — See Carnation. 



Pimpernel — AnayaUis arvensis. — A red-flowered native, 

 which would be admired were it rare and difficult of cul- 

 ture ; but it is only a weed. A. Monelli has an abun- 

 dance of deep-blue flowers all summer long, but is tender 

 in winter. Strike from cuttings, in heath-mould, undei 

 a bell-glass. Other less-known Pimpernels deserve 

 patronage; superba, Philipsi. grandijiora, and rosea. 

 There are shrubby Pimpernels with double flowers : all 

 greenhouse plants. 



Pink — Diantlius plumarius. — A florists' flower, in great 

 variety ; is, however, more generally looked upon as a 

 | border than a bedding plant : most acceptable in bouquets 

 for its rich, yet delicate perfume. In any light warm 

 garden-soil it only requires piping or lavering every 

 second year to prevent it from getting weedy and shabby 

 in foliage and inferior in bloom. — See Carnation. The 



