All who care for flowers will desire to raise verbenas, as they blossom
all summer. If you wish to raise them from seed they should be sown
in February or first of March, though even the last of the month will
do. One secret in raising verbenas is change of soil. It would be bet-
ter to plant them every year in a different location, but if you renew the
soil it will do to plant them twice in the same bed, but never three years
in succession. All flowers, as well as vegetables, need constant change
of soil for they soon exhaust the earth. Seeds are better that are raised
in locations distant from the place where they are to be sown. Flowers
soon deteriorate if you continue to plant over and over from seed raised
in the same spot ; that is one of the reasons why seeds from Europe
are generally preferred by florists. Japan pink seed should be planted
in March in order to have them flower the first year ; they are hardy,
and blossom also the second year.
Pansy seed should be planted as early as verbenas ; ten weeks' stock,
phlox Drummondii, double zinnias, lobelia, petunias, portulaca, salpi-
glossis, candytuft and larkspur should be planted in April. If you desire
to raise picotee carnation pinks for the next year, and Canterbury bells
and fox-gloves, sow in April. Sow asters of all kinds the last of April
or first of May. Sweet peas should be sown in the open soil, about
three inches deep, early in April. It is better to soak the seed in warm
water before sowing. When they have germinated, and as they begin
DESIGNS FOR FLO WER BEDS. 93
to climb, fill in earth around them, and water now and then thoroughly
with soap-suds. Mignonette should not be transplanted ; sow the seed
in the open soil the first of May: Candytuft and sweet alyssum are
hardy, and the seed can be sown out of doors ; but if you once have
had them, they will come up self sown. Look over your beds in the
spring, and take up such plants, when you have the soil prepared and
beds made, then you can plant them back again where you desire.
Some of the climbers, such as maurandia, Barclayana, Thunbergia,
need transplanting, and had better be sown early. Joseph's Coat is a
very brilliant plant, its leaves are all shades of green, red and yellow ;
the seed can be sown either in or out of doors by the first of May.
Balsams will grow better if the seeds are not planted till the second
week in May out of doors. It is desirable to have some flowers raised
by slips or brought from some greenhouse, such as fuchsias, double
feverfews, scarlet geraniums, heliotropes, rose geraniums, lemon ver-
benas, monthly roses and hardy perpetuals. Hardy perpetual roses are
desirable in every garden, they grow so thrifty and blossom all summer,
and with a little covering will live out all winter. If you have a shady
moist place in your garden, there you can plant your lily of the valley,
double blue English violet, forget-me-not and pansy.
DESIGNS FOR FLOWER BEDS.
If possible, preparations for making a flower garden should commence
in the autumn, so that hardy bulbs and shrubs may be planted before
January. In the North this is essential, and in the South doubly so, as
the beauty of nearly all our finest, hardy annuals depends on their being
sown in the fall.
Page 82
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
All who care for flowers will desire to raise verbenas, as they blossom all summer. If you wish to raise them from seed they should be sown in February or first of March, though even the last of the month will do. One secret in raising verbenas is change of soil. It would be better to plant them every year in a different location, but if you renew the soil it will do to plant them twice in the same bed, but never three years in succession. All flowers, as well as vegetables, need constant change of soil for they soon exhaust the earth. Seeds are better that are raised in locations distant from the place where they are to be sown. Flowers soon deteriorate if you continue to plant over and over from seed raised in the same spot ; that is one of the reasons why seeds from Europe are generally preferred by florists. Japan pink seed should be planted in March in order to have them flower the first year ; they are hardy, and blossom also the second year.
Pansy seed should be planted as early as verbenas ; ten weeks' stock, phlox Drummondii, double zinnias, lobelia, petunias, portulaca, salpiglossis, candytuft and larkspur should be planted in April. If you desire to raise picotee carnation pinks for the next year, and Canterbury bells and fox-gloves, sow in April. Sow asters of all kinds the last of April or first of May. Sweet peas should be sown in the open soil, about three inches deep, early in April. It is better to soak the seed in warm water before sowing. When they have germinated, and as they begin
[illustration: DESIGNS FOR FLOWER BEDS. 93]
to climb, fill in earth around them, and water now and then thoroughly with soap-suds. Mignonette should not be transplanted ; sow the seed in the open soil the first of May: Candytuft and sweet alyssum are hardy, and the seed can be sown out of doors ; but if you once have had them, they will come up self sown. Look over your beds in the spring, and take up such plants, when you have the soil prepared and beds made, then you can plant them back again where you desire. Some of the climbers, such as maurandia, Barclayana, Thunbergia, need transplanting, and had better be sown early. Joseph's Coat is a very brilliant plant, its leaves are all shades of green, red and yellow ; the seed can be sown either in or out of doors by the first of May. Balsams will grow better if the seeds are not planted till the second week in May out of doors. It is desirable to have some flowers raised by slips or brought from some greenhouse, such as fuchsias, double feverfews, scarlet geraniums, heliotropes, rose geraniums, lemon verbenas, monthly roses and hardy perpetuals. Hardy perpetual roses are desirable in every garden, they grow so thrifty and blossom all summer, and with a little covering will live out all winter. If you have a shady moist place in your garden, there you can plant your lily of the valley, double blue English violet, forget-me-not and pansy.
DESIGNS FOR FLOWER BEDS.
If possible, preparations for making a flower garden should commence in the autumn, so that hardy bulbs and shrubs may be planted before January. In the North this is essential, and in the South doubly so, as the beauty of nearly all our finest, hardy annuals depends on their being sown in the fall.