(Devil in the bush) (Lady-in-the-green) (Fennel flower) (Jack- in-the-bush)
(Named from Latin for little black, alluding to the seeds)
The fantastic names given to Nigella, which alone tempt anyone to grow it, have reference to the character of the flowers and leaves. The single, or double, blue or white flowers are furnished with a lace collar of green fern like foliage. The common species is Nigella damascena, the favorite variety being Miss Jekyll. The plants grow 1/2 feet tall and usually bloom constantly from early Summer till Fall. The flowers are followed by attractive, inflated and horned seed pods an inch in diameter.
Relative to the name Devil-in-a-bush, Mr. Breck writes that the name is appropriate because “that evil character is supposed to hide himself as much as possible from public view.”
Where to Plant. The airy grace lent by these flowers is delightful in the garden. For cut flowers they are also valuable, for they may be arranged easily in low vases. The more double flowers are preferable to the singles. Planted with California-poppies, Nigella provides a pleasing contrast in colors.
GENERAL. Seeds may be sown in Autumn for these annuals are perfectly hardy and usually self-sow. Spring-sown seeds bloom later and extend the flowering period. There is little need for sowing indoors, however, as the plants bloom when quite small. Thin the plants to stand 8 to 12 inches apart. In saving one’s own seed keep only that from the double flowers
(Named for Joseph Rehmann, physician of Petrograd)
Rehmannias are seldom seen in neither gardens nor even in catalogs and yet they are lovely, long, bell-shaped flowers; as lovely as almost any flower of the garden.Rehmannia angulata is really a perennial but, not hardy enough to survive northern winters, it is raised as an annual. The flowers are rosy-purple, over 3 inches long, rather lipped though bell-shaped, produced on long terminal racemes, or else in the axils of the leaves. The flower stems tower 3 feet above the foliage.
Where to Plant. Good cut flowers, they are equally valued in the garden for planting among low annuals, inasmuch as their flower stems then give an unusual display.
GENERAL. Seed should be sown as early as possible, because the larger the plants, the more flower stems may be expected. In greenhouses, the seeds may be sown in February to bloom in July and August; in hotbeds in March, or if sown in May or June, young plants may be raised which can be carried through the Winter in cold frames to start blooming early the next Summer. All plants may be lifted and stored in protected frames for the Winter, or if a greenhouse is available they may be brought into bloom in February and March. When troubled with whitefly, they should be fumigated.
It has a suckering habit and sends up young plants which may be potted for Winter storage.
(Latin name Reseda means “to calm or appease,” and refers to the fact that the plant was employed by the Romans in treating bruises)
The sweet fragrance of Mignonette, or Little Darling, is a luxury in any garden. “Its sweetness wins all hearts.”
Some of the Mignonettes produce large trusses of bloom 8 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, while other sorts have much smaller trusses. Generally, the smaller flowered sorts are more fragrant than the giant forms. The flowers are brownish-red or white, and individually are odd in form.
Uses. The fragrance of Mignonette suggests many uses, for it renders any bouquet delightful. As a cut flower, some varieties last fully a week in water. Grown in pots in a sunny window, the flowers are a constant delight.
GENERAL. Sow the seed in the open soil and thin the plants to stand 8 inches apart. The Mignonette is intolerant of being transplanted, and if it must be moved, this should only be done when a ball of moist soil is taken with the seedling. If one wishes to encourage long spikes and long stems, the plants should be disbudded so that only a few shoots are allowed to grow. It is often best to give the plants a dressing of bonemeal early in the season, in order that they may have plenty of plant food available. A watering with liquid manure when in bud is beneficial. Sowing seeds several times during the season will prolong the blooming period.The plants grow best during the cool weather of Spring and Fall, and it is from the Fall plants that the best blooms are obtained. On light soils the fragrance is said to be stronger than on heavy soils, but the growth is not as tall nor are the spikes as long.
(Name from Greek for a flame, perhaps first applied to another plant)
The brilliance and clean colors of the annual Phlox, P. drummondi. make it a favorite in the garden. The flowers range from white to pink, primrose, scarlet, crimson, rose, and lavender, some being perfectly clear while others have dark or white eyes. An interesting form known as the Star, Quedlinburg, or Fringed Phlox, is worth growing, not so much for its beauty, as for its curious, pointed petals. The plants grow from 6 to 18 inches tall, there being both tall and dwarf sorts. The flowers bloom throughout the Summer.
Where to Plant. The annual Phlox is excellent for masses in the border, and for solid beds. The various colored varieties, when planted in the borders, may be so arranged as to form a veritable rainbow of color. The primrose or amber colored variety is an unusual tint for the garden and one highly desired for pleasing combinations. As an undergrowth for the barer-stemmed annuals, a Phlox planting is useful, too. Those who grow Gladiolus in beds often look for a ground cover that will bloom before the Gladiolus. For this purpose, few plants equal the annual Phlox. The clear, lovely colors are especially attractively cut and arranged in clear glass bowls.
GENERAL. As this Phlox is a half-hardy annual it is best to sow the seed in boxes in a sunny window or hotbed in March in order to hasten its blooming. It can, however, be sown outdoors after danger of frost is past. Let the plants stand 8 inches apart. It will be wise to pinch back some of them to encourage branching. Phlox prefers the lighter soils, not greatly enriched, and full sunshine. Be sure to cut the fading flowers promptly so as to develop more bushy plants and lengthen the blooming period.
There are many biennial and perennial Oenotheras but several are rather popular annuals.
Oenothera drummondi. Drummond Evening-primrose. This annual, 1 to 9. feet tall, has bright yellow flowers. Like all Evening primroses it is four-petaled.
Oenothera America is a large-flowered type with white flowers, which turn pinkish.
USE. They are attractive border plants for sunny locations, all though they apparently stand some shade.
GENERAL. Sow the seeds early in the Spring in the open soil. Let the plants stand 8 to 12 inches apart.
Sanvitalia procumbens flowers are much like tiny Zinnias, being golden yellow with very dark purple centers, some of them single and others double. The plants grow only 6 inches tall, or rather they are prostrate and spread over the soil instead of growing upward. They start blooming in June and continue until frost.
USE. They may be used as edging plants or for low masses in a border. They are bright and showy in the rockery.
GENERAL. As the plants are hardy the seed may be sown in early Spring in the open and the seedlings thinned to stand 18 inches apart.
(From lupus-wolf, destroying soil as does the wolf)
Lupines are attractive plants bearing Pea like flowers in whorls upon long, graceful spikes. There are annual and perennial species. The annual varieties are mainly derived from the following species: Lupinus luteus, the European Yellow Lupine, in which the flowers are yellow, and the stems hairy; L. hirsutus, the European Blue Lupine, a blue-flowered sort, very hairy; L. hartwegi, a two-colored species with blue and red, or blue and white flowers, and many other species differing in color and height. The Lupines bloom during the Summer and grow 2 to 3 feet tall. The leaves are seven- to nine-parted, and are a handsome feature of the plants, the perennials have more than nine leafLet’s.
Where to Plant. In many sections of the United States Lupines are not good because of exacting soil or climatic conditions. It is possible that they prefer acid soil and cool weather. They are very poor in Ohio, hardly ever growing more than 8 inches tall. As a border plant the Lupine is quite interesting; cut, its flowers are exquisitely suitable for graceful bowl arrangements.
GENERAL. Do not transplant Lupines. Sow them in small pots in April or in the open border in May. They bloom in eight weeks from seed. Let the plants stand a foot apart. Plant them in partial shade. If the soil is rich, they will grow three feet high, and need staking. Remove the fading flowers to prevent them from going to seed; this will also cause the other buds to open larger.
(From io-the violet; violet-like, referring to the color of the flowers)
Related to Candytuft, lonopsidium acaule is one of the most charming of the diminutive plants. It comes from Portugal. The flowers are violet, small, but borne in great numbers. The plants are not over 8 or 4 inches tall but the flower stems are long. It may not have a long season of bloom, but if the flowers are cut the plants will send up another display.
Where to Plant. The writer first saw this flower in a Columbus rock garden and so bright and truly dainty was it, that he had little rest until he had determined its name. It serves well as a ground cover.
GENERAL. It prefers rather moist and semi-shaded places. Sow the seed where they are to grow, in May.
The flowers of this plant are a delight to those who admire extreme grace, dainty markings, and fantastic forms. Many flowers have been compared by writers to butterflies, but it is only this one that has received the name of Butterfly flower. The Butterfly weed (Asclepias) and the Butterfly bush (Buddleia) is so-called not because they resemble butterflies, but because they attract them.
The flowers of the Schizanthus pinnatus are white, pink, crimson, yellow, purple, lavender and rose, and are delicately spotted and blotched like the smaller butterflies. The blooms on a well-grown plant are produced in such profusion as to completely cover it. For the garden, the dwarfed varieties should be chosen as the tall sorts grow rather slender and crooked. The leaves are attractive, being deeply cut and fern-like.
There are really four species found in catalogs: S. retusus, S. pinnatus, S. grahami and S. wiselonensis (a hybrid between the last two species). They resemble each other rather closely. Much depends upon the strain purchased. The Dawkins and the Garaway hybrids are considered to be the largest flowered sorts.
The Schizanthus is attractively displayed in small vases in which the flowers appear like small orchids. In the garden, unless the low-growing sorts are used, the plants will require staking, because the stems are weak and become crooked when not trained.
How to grow Schizanthus from Seed
Sow the seeds out of doors in late Spring when the soil is warm. The plants do not transplant as readily as some annuals, and it is, therefore, wisest to move each seedling with a ball of earth. Let the plants stand a foot or 18 inches apart and give them a little shade. The young plants are the better for the support of a stake early in their growth; they need not be strong nor over 2 feet tall.
The plants bloom in two months from seed. Pinching them early in their growth will make them bushier and less straggling, a tendency to the latter form being their fault. Spraying with water daily in Summer will keep them healthy.
Not all annuals can just be planted in the soil and hope for the best. Most annuals have a special purpose and function in the garden environment. Think about your garden and understand how you can use the annual flower. Enclosed are several options you can use for your annual flowers.
Hardy annuals for Autumn Sowing in the open Alyssum, Calendula (pot marigold), Centaurea (cornflower), Clarkia, Delphinium ajacis (larkspur), Eschscholzia (Californian poppy), Godetia, Iberis (candytuft), Lathyrus odoratus (sweet pea), Limnanthes douglasii, Nigella (love-in-a-mist), Papaver nudicaule (Shirley poppy), Saponaria, Scabiosa.
Annuals for Full Sun in Well-drained soil (Hardy and Half-hardy) Arctotis, Brachycome, Calandrinia, Clarkia, Dimorphotheca, Echium, Esthscholzia, Helipterum, Hibiscus, Linum (flax), Mesembryanthemum, Oenothera, Papaver (poppy), Portulaca, Salpiglossis, Sanvitalia, Sedum (stonecrop), Statice (limonium), Tagetes (African and French marigolds), Tropaeolum (nasturtium), Ursinia, Venidium, Zinnia.
(Named for Jean Nicot, French consul to Portugal, who first presented tobacco to the courts of Portugal and France)
The evening fragrance of the flowers of this plant is most delightful. Besides this, the flowers are attractive in form and color, which ranges from pure and creamy white, to deep pink, violet, crimson, and flesh. The shades are of the same soft tones as are found in the best Stocks. The flowers are borne in great profusion upon flower stems at least 3 feet tall. The leaves are usually abundant and form a cluster about the base of the plants.
Species. Jasmine Tobacco. Nicoliana alata var. affinis. This sort has large fragrant flowers open at night but closing in cloudy weather. The leaves extend down to make winged branches.
Nicoliana sylvesfris. The flowers are drooping, in short head-like clusters, corolla entirely white unlike N. alata, which is yellowish outside. They remain open all day.
Sander T. Nicotiana sanderae (N. forgetiana x N. alata) is the red-flowered sort with the five lobes of the corolla rounded, not acutely pointed.
Where to Plant. Few writers can resist advising amateur gardeners to plant masses of these flowers where the evening breezes will blow their fragrance toward a porch. They are slender in growth and are seen to advantage when given a background of taller annuals. Combined with Cosmos, they make a good bed.
GENERAL. The seed is very tiny and should be sown carefully. As the seedlings make a slow growth under cold conditions, it is wise to start them in the hotbed or sunny window. The soil should be finely pulverized and well enriched in order to produce tall plants and large flowers. The plants often self-sow, so that the plants practically become perennials.
Nicotianas grow in sun or partial shade and are not particular as to the soil.
To encourage plants to fill out, the growth bud should be pinched at the end of the stem. For bedding plants, is during the time when you’re planting in the garden. The removal of leggy foliage will help balance the plant and help in the transplanting process.
Simply pinch out or cut off the last inch of the largest growing tip. This will place the plant’s energy from leggy shoot to numerous side buds.
These are some plants which will benefit from pinching:
Ageratum (Ageratum Houstonianum) Ageratum are small plants grown as annuals with a dense growth habit. Flowers are rounded clusters borne from midsummer until first frost. Leaves are oval, downy and have heart-shaped bases. The cultivar, ‘Blue Mink’, has pale blue flowerheads and a somewhat open growth habit. Excellent bedding, container or houseplant. Contains cumarin, and may irritate mucous membranes..
Browallia Fast growing perennial, often grown as an annual. Large trumpet-shaped blue flowers, oval dark green leaves. Minimum temperature in winter is 39F.
Important Info : Poisonous.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) or Pot-marigold ‘Touch of Red’ takes it’s name from the russet-tones at the edges of each petal. The predonminant colors of each small flower are in the more pale yellow and tangerine tones.Cheery yellow or orange, single or double daisy-like blooms 2 inches to 4 inches across, flower non-stop from late fall through spring in areas with milder winters. A carefree choice for spring and early summer color in colder climates. Bright yellow, double, somewhat branching, leaves are narrow and long, with rounded ends. Long asting cut flowers. Easily sown directly into soil in late summer or early fall (milder climates). Will do fine in moist soil, but requires good drainage.
Chrysanthemum, Annual
Petunia Petunias prefer full sunlight, but will bloom in partial shade. They will thrive in rather dry soil if this is well enriched, and also upon soil either too rich or too poor for most annuals, if the moisture conditions are right. Thus one may see that the Petunia is most adaptable.
Phacelia A unique annual with beautiful blue, upward pointing, bell-shaped flowers. Leaves are coarsely toothed and dark green, up to 2 inches long. Habit is compact, erect and intricately branched. The fragrant flowers on this plant attract bees. Requires well-drained soil and full sun. Deep waterings help extend bloom season. May directly sow seed into soil in late fall or early spring. Can be started in pots too.
(Named for Artemisia, the wife of the mythological Mausolus)
One species of Artemisia, A. sacrorum, is annual. It is also called Russian Wormwood (Summerfir). The plants grow fully 6 feet tall. The leaves are very finely divided, lacy and are either a deep green or gray. The flowers are very minute, but in mass give a greenish yellow appearance.
Where to Plant. These plants serve as hedges, screens, and backgrounds and as specimens in the garden of annuals. The cut branches blend well mixed with cut flowers, inasmuch as the dainty foliage is serviceable for this purpose.
GENERAL. This is a hardy annual and may be sown as early as desired in Spring. Where the plants self-sow, they are apt to become weedy. Each plant to develop properly needs a space of 18 inches.
Closely related to the Evening primroses, the Godetias are deserving of greater attention. The flowers open wide and are of a satiny texture. Varieties may be had in rose and white, scarlet, dark crimson and pure white. Usually a deeper color is found near the center of the flower, as if painted upon the petals.
Two species are common: Godetia amoena, known as Farewell-to spring, grows 1 to 2 feet tall; the flowers are arranged up and down along the stems, and resemble in their double form those of the double Clarkia, but the unopened buds are erect, not drooping, and the stems are erect, not lax. G. grandiflora, the Whitney Godetia, the more popular species, grows only 6 to 12 inches tall, the flowers being in a compact mass, and 3 to 4 inches in diameter. They bloom from June to October.
USE. Godetias are always attractive in the garden and noticeable because of the interesting texture of the flowers. They are adapted to the cooler climates only. They may be grown in pots.
GENERAL. Sowing the seeds in a frame or sunny window will hasten the blooming time. The plants succeed in poor soil and sandy spots; in fact, it is said that they produce leaves instead of flowers when planted in rich soil.
They will also grow in partial shade. Let the plants stand at least a foot apart, for if too crowded they grow leggy, and are weakened. They self-sow in the warmer climates.
When Shakespeare mentioned the Marygold he meant Calendula officinalis, which for wealth of bloom, is without a rival. As the plants self-sow, many persons have them in their gardens year after year. Flowers from such chance seedlings are often small and single so that some persons have tired of them, but were they to purchase seed of some of the better varieties they would experience a distinct surprise, for these double, pure gold, lemon and sulfur-colored varieties are most attractive. Especially commendable is a bed of Orange King; Lemon Queen is a soft yellow; Nankeen is a variegated sort with a dark center. The stems are long`, and strong so that a few plants will furnish a vase of flowers every day” The plants start to bloom when small and continue even after the first frosts, but in order that they shall do this the fading flowers and seed heads must be removed promptly. Few flowers pick as easily as the Calendula, the stems breaking off readily when pulled.
GENERAL. Sow the seed in the open soil in early Spring whenever it can be worked. Allow 12 inches to 15 inches between the plants. The seedlings transplant readily.
They are adapted to adverse soils but, like other flowers, copious watering is appreciated. They even tolerate some shade
CALENDULA Pot-marigold
(From calendae, the first day of the month; refers to fact that flowers open every month of the year)
Provided is a list of annuals and perennials that grow well in very poor soil. If addtional infromation is required about the plant, please use the search feature on the page.
Bartonia (Mentzelia aurea) Were it not for the straggling growth, Barlonia aurea (Menlzelia lindleyi) would be a much more popular annual. The glistening, Poppy-like flowers are golden and are furnished with countless stamens at the center. The petals have an abrupt, sharp point. The flowers are fragrant at night. The foliage is gray, hairy, and deeply lobed and sometimes appears almost like compound leaves. The plants grow 1 to 4 feet tall.
California Poppy (Eschscholtzia californica) Eschscholzia californica has basal leaves, to 8 inches long, that are very finely divided and pale bluish-green. Funnel-shaped, single flowers are satiny and cheerful, to 2 inches wide. Sow seeds in place, not a good transplant. In mild winter areas, sow in the fall, in colder regions sow in early spring.
Calliopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) Generally, the seed of Calliopsis is sown in the Fall or earliest Spring where the plants are to bloom and the seedlings thinned to stand 8 inches to 12 inches apart. They prefer a sunny spot. The plants often self-sow so that a constant supply of Calliopsis is assured if given a light protection through the Winter. They are apt to bloom themselves to death, generally becoming unsightly in mid-July. It is too much of a task to remove the seedheads of such tiny flower. If worms attack these plants at the crown, it is wise to grow them in another spot the next year.
Corn Poppy (Papaver Rhceas) There are Poppies and Poppies, old-fashioned ones and new varieties, and it would almost seem that they grow more dazzling and more gorgeous each year. Perhaps they are grown in a greater number of gardens and we see their brilliant colors everywhere during the early Summer months, or perhaps, we too have learned the secret of growing these delicate silken flowers which constantly command attention. What more startling effect could be gained than by having a mass of Giant Oriental Poppies (Papaver orientale) stand out boldly against. a dense background of dark evergreens?
Feather Cockscomb (Celosia plumosa) Sow the seeds either in a hotbed or window in March or April, or else sow in the open ground in May. Good soil should be used in planting Celosias for, unlike Amaranths, they respond to feeding. Farmers’ Bulletin notes that transplanting into rich soil as the combs begin to form, makes the flower heads larger. The plants of the larger growing Feather Cockscombs should stand at least 2 feet apart. In some greenhouse these are grown as pot plants, in which culture they should be grown in a warm house.
(From Greek cuon-dog; glossa-tongue, refers to papillae on seeds, which gives the texture of a tongue)
Recently a lovely blue Forget-me-not-like flower has been introduced to our gardens known as Cynoglossum amabile and cataloged as the Chinese Forget-me-not. It may be described as a columnar Forget-me-not, growing 2 feet tall, with long sprays of deep, clear blue flowers produced for a rather short season in early Summer.
Some authors list this as a variety of C. furcalum, a perennial sort from the Himalayas.
Where to Plant. It makes a splendid blue border plant, and is a rather good cut flower. Some florists have advised forcing it in the greenhouse.
GENERAL. Seed may be sown indoors in March for early bloom and in April in the garden. Cover the seeds about 1/4 inch. When the plants are in their permanent beds they may stand 6 inches apart. This species shows a tendency toward being biennial, at least the plants live over Winter. The seed often self-sows and the plants may become too plentiful unless controlled. The seeds are in the nature of “sticktites.” One writer says, “Beware of the seeds; I find them indoors, in my car and everywhere because my dog acts as a carrier.”
Raising plants from seed is a most economical means of providing a long-lasting display for the cool greenhouse. Where a minimum night temperature of about 45°F (7°C) can be maintained the choice of flowering and of decorative foliage plants is considerable. Many plants that we normally grow as annuals in the open may prove to be perennial when grown under glass, as they are in their native conditions.
For example, the fast-growing Mexican cup-and-saucer-vine, Cobaea scandens, has large purple and green cup-and-saucer flowers over a long period. This evergreen plant which clings by means of tendrils can make as much as 20 ft. of growth in a season, so it is too rampant for a small greenhouse but most decorative for a sunny wall in a large conservatory.
The popular morning glory (ipomoea or pharbitis) requires much less space, twining up supports to a height of about to ft. and bearing a succession of large sky-blue funnel-shaped flowers, as will the Chilean glory flower, Eccremocarpus scaber, which bears clusters of bright orange flowers for many months. Even in the open, in milder parts of the country, the last named will sometimes seed itself when grown in a sheltered sunny corner, so it is easy enough to raise from seed. All these flowering climbers can be grown in a sunny greenhouse border or will flower happily when grown in pots or other containers.
Seeds of these plants, in common with many others, will germinate readily if sown under glass in March when the days are beginning to lengthen and to get warmer. An ideal temperature for germinating most seeds of this type is 65°F (18°C) and to maintain this as well as a moist atmosphere it will be found economical to have a propagating frame within the greenhouse. This need not be a costly affair, just four sides of a flat and a sheet of glass will suffice. Such a frame heated by electrical soil-warming cable is convenient and economical in that the whole greenhouse does not have to be maintained at this temperature.
With an electrically heated frame the thermostat can be set at a slightly higher temperature to encourage germination and when this has taken place the temperature can gradually be lowered. Whatever means of heating a greenhouse or frame is used the aim should be to keep the temperature as constant as possible and to avoid wide fluctuations of day and night temperatures.
Most seeds germinate best in the dark and it is wise therefore to shade the frame or the pots and flats in which the seeds are sown, with brown paper. This will provide sufficient shade and at the same time reduce the amount of watering that may be necessary. The soil should be kept just moist in the early stages after sowing, but as germination takes place a little more watering will be required, and as soon as the seed has germinated the shading should be removed. However, should germination coincide with a spell of really bright sunny weather it is as well to shade the tiny seedlings from the midday sun?
These days seed-sowing and potting composts, based on loam, or of the soilless, peat-moss and sand type, are readily obtainable at garden shops in various sized polyethylene bags or cartons and are usually moist ready for use, which makes life easy in this respect.
While cyclamen are perennial tuberous-rooted plants they are often treated as biennials. They are easily raised from seed sown under glass in summer and will flower within about 15 months, that is by Christmas the following year when an individual plant will be quite an expensive item. Seed germinates readily in a temperature of 60°F (16°C), which means that the house or frame will need shading to keep the temperature down in August, and the atmosphere should be kept moist in hot weather by spraying water around the pathway in the greenhouse. When the seedlings have made two leaves prick them out in seed trays, or singly in small pots, and grow them on in gentle warmth. Put the little corms into larger pots when necessary, but do not bury the corm when potting, merely making it firm in the surface potting compost. There are various excellent large-flowering varieties in shades of salmon, crimson, mauve and white, also a new double-flowered `Kimono’ strain of Japanese origin, in a pleasing range of mixed colors. After flowering, the corms can be discarded, or treated as perennials. The dainty Cyclamen persicum, the parent of modern hybrids, has charming white or pink, sweetly fragrant flowers and is normally spring flowering.
Obviously one wants color in the cool greenhouse during the winter and early spring and cyclamen will help to provide this for a long period. Other decorative plants that are easily raised from seed include Primula malacoides with candelabrum like flowers on strong stems in shades of pink, lilac and mauve; the drum-head Himalayan Primrose, which is in fact a hardy perennial but easily raised from seed, will flower from February onwards under glass. The long-lasting heads of flower are in shades of purple, mauve or white. And don’t forget fragrant polyanthus and primroses in many colors. These flower for months in cool conditions.
Cinerarias sown in June should provide bold splashes of color from February onwards. At this time the little Limnanthes douglasii should be a mass of yellow and white fragrant flowers and the sky-blue nemophila which also makes a charming pot plant for a partially shaded place in the cool house, should be in full flower. Schizanthus, butterfly flower, are available in an astonishing range of glorious colors — salmon, apricot, pink, yellow, mauve and purple. Many of the flowers have attractive markings. They thrive in cool house conditions as do calceolarias, but the latter do not usually start to flower until June, from seed sown the previous May.
The Chilean salpiglossis is remarkably beautiful, with a richness of color and splendid veinings on the trumpet-shaped elegant flowers. The color range includes rose, crimson, purple, cream and many blends. There are dwarf forms about 1 ft. in height and also large-flowered hybrids up to 3 ft. Seed sown under glass in August or September will make delightful flowering plants the following May.
There are numerous varieties of Coleus blumei which are grown for their decorative foliage. As they are natives of Java and Central Africa they like a warm, moist atmosphere which may make them a little difficult to accommodate in a cool greenhouse. Seed sown in warm conditions in February will provide large plants later in the year. While coleus are in fact perennial shrubby plants, given sufficient heat, they are more often treated as annuals. The leaves are in various shades of red-bronze, yellow, green and maroon. The spikes of blue flowers are best pinched out to encourage bushy, leafy plants.
Seed of Celosia plumosa sown under glass in March will provide summer-flowering annual pot plants of striking appearance with bright red, feathery tassels in summer. There is also a golden form. These fast-growing plants require a rich soil and plenty of light.
Some annuals which do not transplant easily may be sown thinly in pots in which they are to flower. After germination, the seedlings should be thinned out to five or six plants to a pot, according to the size of the pot. It is as simple as that. Plants that can be treated in this way are the Californian poppy (eschscholzia), in shades of orange, copper, yellow, carmine and ivory; linaria, viscaria and the charming long-lasting mignonette (reseda), which is uniquely fragrant. Many other annuals can be sown in the normal way and will transplant quite readily when large enough to handle. A few pots of such plants will come in very useful to fill gaps in the sequence of flowering.
Other plants that will give a good display in a cool greenhouse are antirrhinum, brachycome, Campanula isophylla, of trailing habit and useful for growing over the edge of a shelf or in a hanging basket; Campanula pyramidalis, the chimney bellflower, with wide-open pale blue flowers borne on erect stems from 5-6 ft. in height, and clarkia sown in the fall will flower freely the following spring. There are annual and biennial stocks (matthiola) which may be sown at different times of the year to provide color and delicious fragrance for many weeks.
There is a wide range of hybrid petunias which are admirable as pot plants, in tubs or in hanging baskets. They are outstandingly colorful and long lasting large flowered singles and doubles, compact bedding varieties, pendulous hybrids suitable for window boxes, some with fringed and ruffled flowers, bicolors and many self-colors.
These are but a few of the flowering plants easily raised from seed which is so welcome in the cool greenhouse throughout the year.
There are some annuals with showy fruits and among them none is so much admired as the Chinese Lantern plant, which produces large, inflated, orange-red, lantern-like pods containing small, fleshy fruits much like Tomatoes. The flowers are inconspicuous, being borne in the axils of the leaves, and it is after the leaves have fallen that the fruit is most showy. The plants grow 2 feet high and form dense bushes. Two sorts are cataloged: Physalis francheti which has large, deep red pods, and P. alkekengi, which bears deep orange pods smaller than those of the former species.
Where to Plant. These plants are attractive in vases, for when cut, the fruits retain their color all Winter. In drying these fruits upon the stems, place the latter in a horizontal position, allowing the lanterns to droop sideways; otherwise, some of the graceful appearance is lost. As garden subjects they are less valuable because the fruits are produced late in the Summer, and are more or less hidden.
GENERAL. These plants often prove perennial, but one had best sow seed each year. Started in the open ground in early Spring they grow nicely. They prefer warmth and sunshine and enjoy frequent watering. They self-sow and in some places are so prolific as to become almost wild. They are often riddled with flea-beetles which may be controlled by spraying with arsenate of lead.
PHYSALIS Ground cherry (Chinese Lantern plant)
(Bladder herb) (Winter cherry)
(From physa, a bladder; an allusion to the inflated calyx)
(From the Greek to adorn, refers to the beautiful flowers)
A dainty, little annual, Diascia barberae, is not a very showy flower, but one which will appeal to the true flower lover. The flowers are rosy pink with yellow-green spots in the throat. The flowers are lipped, being related to the Snapdragons, but have two spurs on the lower lips, and are arranged in clustered racemes. It grows one foot tall and resembles Alonsoa, but that genus is not spurred.
USE. M Case writes, “It is a dainty flower for my lady’s finger bowl or to color a vase of white Gypsophila.” It is ideal for the rockery, tiny and there will be a place for it in most gardens.
GENERAL. Sow seeds in September if one can bloom this in the greenhouse, other wise sow in March in a sunny window or hotbed.
