BIENNIAL FLOWERS. 



31 



CANTERBURY BELL. 



Canterbury Bells {Campanula Medi uni). — These are 

 delightful biennials, thoroughly homely and quaint, the 

 Mowers like cups and saucers in shape, and painted with 

 many colours, some self, others delicately tinted with 

 mauve. This is a Campanula worth using freely in the 

 garden and 

 making a 

 bold group 

 of, especi- 

 ally of the 

 pure white 

 variety. 

 Plant them 

 n.it only in 

 the border 

 or in flower- 

 beds, but on 

 the fringes 

 of shrub- 

 beries, any- 

 where, in- 

 deed, where 

 their free- 

 dom and 

 colour are 

 seen to ad- 

 vantage. 

 Some kinds 

 are almost 

 double, but 

 are not as 

 attractive as 

 the singles, 

 which are 

 in every way 

 bolder, and 

 less coarse. 

 Avoid, 

 too, those 



forms in which the flowers are conspicuously cup and 

 saucer shaped, as they are far from pretty. Blue, rose, 

 mauve, lavender, and white are the leading tones, and 

 some of the soft pink varieties are very delicate in 

 colour, but one cannot always anticipate seedlings coming 

 true, as thsy usually vary in colour somewhat, though 



this is, as a rule, no loss ; nor can one expect double 

 forms to retain their character as singles appear amongst 

 them. If the seed is sown in June out of doors, strong 

 plants will be obtained for planting out in the autumn, 

 and these will flower gaily in the following summer. 

 With such homely flowers as this Campanula one may 

 obtam much culour at little cost, and in rich variety, 

 with self hues of wonderful clearness and beauty. The 

 pure white is very valuable. 



Evening Primrose (CEnothera Lamarckiana). — Few 

 biennial, or, indeed, any garden flowers are more beautiful 

 than this Evening Primrose, which lasts many weeks in 

 beauty, and its soft yellow flowers one never tires ol. 

 This is the kind of plant to naluralise, to make big masses 

 of, and to plant amongst evergreen shrubs, as well as 

 in the border. It is a mistake to put everything into the 

 mixed border or rock garden. Such a plant as this is 

 best seen in the woodland, shrubbery, or in quite the 

 wilder parts of the garden. Seed sown in summer quickly 

 germinates, and young plants may be put out in autumn. 



Foxgloves (Digi/alis). — Charming groups may be formed 

 oi these in gardens, lighting up, perhaps, some woodland 

 walk, or relieving a monotonous mass of evergreen 

 shrubs. It is in such places that the Foxglove reveals its 

 true beauty, and if the best forms are obtained the effect 

 is more pleasurable. Sow or plant them with a free 

 hand — a group is full of colour and beauty, but solitary 

 plants here and there are less imposing. It must be a poor 

 soil in which the Foxglove will not flourish, and in half 

 shade it is at home. The gloxinioeflora strain, so called 

 from the torm of the flowers, reminding one of the 

 Gloxinia, is verv charming, the flowers large, and olten 

 finely blotched, white relieved with deep chocolate 

 blotches, or other colours. Seed may be sown where the 

 seedlings are to remain, and in time Foxgloves sow them- 

 selves ; but in the case of special kinds, raise them in a 

 spare bed, and transfer to the position in which they are 

 to bloom. 



FOXGLOVES. 



Honesty {Lanaria biennis). — A few patches of this are 

 welcome in the border, and tiie silvery seed-pods are 

 pretty in vases in winter. The flowers of the old purple 

 kind and its white variety are pleasing, too, in late 

 spring and summer. Sow the seed in May or Tune, anil 

 in time the Honesty will thoroughly establish itself in 



