62 
HERBACEOUS GARDEN 
One of the prettiest gardens in Wales is 
owned by Mrs Flora Annie Steel, and she will 
not have any perennials that she has not grown 
from seed herself. 
Seeds are best sown in April if the soil is 
light, on seed-beds, as for annuals, pricking 
out when large enough ; but if the soil be 
heavy, sow in boxes of sandy soil, placing 
them in a cold frame until the seedlings are 
strong enough to prick out on a border that 
is not burned up by the sun all day. Whether 
sown on open ground and pricked out, or in 
boxes, the plants should be large enough to 
plant out in the autumn, and in many cases 
will flower the next summer. 
Seed of Campanula lactijlora was sown here 
when ripe — about September, — - and some 
plants left in the seed-bed were in bloom 
the next summer, though only a few inches 
high. Some seedlings take time to flower, 
but then the plants are so sturdy and grow 
into such magnificent specimens ! The habit 
of a plant from seed is quite different to that 
of one grown from a cutting, it is so much 
more bushy. With some lavenders this is 
especially noticeable. The foliage of the 
seedling is greener and healthier, and it is 
a splendid bushy little plant, in great con- 
