Garden Notes - Pansy to Salpiglossis

Pansy
Variety: Winter Flowering

Hardy perennial. Height: 6 inches. A distinctive new strain of pansies that blooms during the winter. The color range is not so wide as the summer varieties, but useful in the winter beds and borders. Softer colors of white, yellow, pale and dark blue are produced. Sow the seeds in July in a box of soil or in the open ; transplant six inches apart. Keep watered in dry weather. Plant out in the autumn in a sheltered spot such as under the south side of a warm wall or hedge. On sandy soils a half-shady position is most suitable. The plants can be pinched to make them bushy. Remove faded blossoms. Exhausted flower stems will break out again if cut back to a few inches of the base.

Pentstemon
Variety: Hon. Alan Gibbs

Half-hardy perennial. Height: 2 feet. Graceful border plant with bell-shaped flowers on tall stems. Color: cherry scarlet with white throat. Easily raised from seeds sown in gentle heat in February. They are best potted up singly in three-inch pots and to be hardened off before planting out at the end of May. They prefer a rich soil, well-drained, in a sunny position, with plenty of rotted manure worked into it before planting. When the plants are in full bloom they ten to flop over. This can be avoided by pushing in twigs between the younger growths as flower-buds begin to appear. They commence to bloom in June and continue until October.
 

Petunia
Variety: Bedding Mixed

Half-hardy annual. Height: 18 inches. Single petunias with rich red, pink and purple colored flowers, that bloom so profusely as to hide the foliage completely; make an effective bedding-plant; also useful for window-boxes. Too soft for cut bloom but makes a lovely pot-plant. Sow the seeds under glass in February or March, transplant into small pots when large enough to handle. Before planting, dig rotted leaves or manure into the soil and water thoroughly before and after planting. The soft foliage is easily damaged if the plants are allowed to become too dry. Pinch out the faded blooms and give a pinch of fertilizer to continue the flowering period.

Polyanthus
Variety: Superb Mixed

Hardy perennial. Height: 1 foot, in rich soil. A good strain is important in Polyanthus. By selection, this mixed variety now contains a great range of colors varying from cream to deep crimson. Blooms March to May. Sow seeds in boxes and transplant when large enough to handle. At no time should primulas be allowed to suffer from lack of moisture. They thrive best in semi-shady positions with plenty of leaf-mould and rotted manure in the soil, and give the best results when grown in a patch, by themselves. Admirable for planting in open woodland or a corner of the wild garden. A useful cut flower; can be increased by division after blooming.
 

Salpiglossis
Variety: Mixed

Half-hardy annual. Height: 3 feet. Blooms July and August. The funnel-shaped flowers give a wide range of brilliant colors including purple combined with gold, chamois and rose, white with golden throat. Native of Chile. Best used for bedding and garden decoration, or can be grown as pot plants. They are easy to grow in a light soil, well drained. Sow under glass in March and plant out in early June where they are to bloom. To heavy soils add rotted leaves and sand. For pot culture sow the seeds in August. Transplant to small pots in the autumn and grow on in a cool greenhouse. Water carefully until spring; then transplant into larger pots and grow on in the cool greenhouse.