CHAPTER IV_Gardening for Little Girls

Flowers that Live Through Two Years

In all places then, and in all seasons,

Flowers expand their light and soul-like wings,

Teaching us by most persuasive reasons,

How akin they are to human things.

--_Longfellow._

BETWEEN the flowers that we have to plant every year,--the annuals,--and

those that after once being started continue to greet us summer after

summer,--the perennials,--comes a little group of old favorites that has

to be planted one summer (and then generally protected from the cold),

in order to bring them to their full beauty the second year. And as few

of them self-sow, it is necessary to plant and carry over every season.

The biennial seeds are best sown in the seed nursery, where they can be

watched and protected. In the late summer the young plants will be big

and strong enough to set out in the border, although you must give them

a light covering of leaves and litter. The seeds started in July and

August, however, better be left protected in the nursery and moved in

the early spring.

The dainty blue forget-me-not, or myosotis, is one of the best loved of

this class. Some varieties are hardy, and often found growing wild. It

generally does best in a damp, partly shaded location. It grows from 6

to 18 inches high, according to the different kinds, which blossom most

of the summer. The seeds of biennials seldom produce flowers the first

summer, but several--and among them the myosotis,--after being grown a

few years in the same spot, come up like perennials, on account of

sowing themselves.

The foxglove is another of the few biennials that are hardy, and it also

likes a cool, shady spot. If the plants come up thickly, transplant part

of them to any well-prepared, rich ground, and keep moist and well

cultivated until the middle of September, when you should move them

again to their permanent home. Foxgloves, like forget-me-nots, sow

themselves, and the little plants coming up this way should be

transplanted and given plenty of room to grow and become strong before

their time to bloom. Do not forget to cover during the winter!

English daisies (which are tender perennials), and pansies (which

generally are grown as annuals), can both be started in the seed nursery

in August, thinned out and protected before cold weather sets in, and

then moved to where you wish them to bloom, in the early spring.

Canterbury bells do best when the seed is sown the middle of April in

ground that is rich, well prepared, moist, and partly shady. The middle

of July move to a temporary place, and set the plants 6 to 8 inches

apart. Then early in October transplant to where you want them to

blossom the next season. But before the frost comes, protect these

tender little plants with some old berry boxes, then straw or leaves

over the top, and in the spring work a small quantity of fertilizer

around the roots. Tie the stalks as they begin to get tall, to stout

stakes, to prevent their being blown over by storms: and if you will

keep cutting off the old flowers so they will not go to seed, you can

coax your plants to bloom an extra month or six weeks. Properly

treated, they will last from July to the middle of September. But to

enjoy these lovely visitors regularly, it is necessary to plant the seed

every year.

Of the border carnations, the Chabaud and Marguerite types are hardy

enough to stand the winter if slightly covered, and will flower

profusely the second year, but they make off-shoots, which bring to

bloom a few weeks after sowing.

Hollyhocks from seed do not blossom until the second year, but they make

off-shoots, which bring flowers every season thereafter. And as they sow

themselves, people often mistake them for perennials. They come both

single and double, and are especially lovely against a wall or a green

background.

The evening primrose, tall and stately, with large yellow flowers, is

easily grown in almost any soil. It thrives in almost any soil, and

blooms the entire summer.

Of the wallflowers, the biennial variety will blossom most of the summer

if grown in a moist, shady place and not allowed to go to seed. These

come in yellows, reddish brown and purplish brown. They need winter

protection.

The horned poppy, though a biennial, will flower the first year if

started indoors in March. It likes an open, sunny spot, and if old

flowers are kept picked off, will bloom all summer.

Sweet William is another old-fashioned garden favorite that is usually

considered a perennial, but which does its best the second year from

seed. As it self-sows, it goes on forever, like Tennyson's brook, once

it gets started. In protecting, however, do not get fertilizer directly

over the crown, or it will cause decay.

Mullein pink, or Rose Campion as it is often called, is another of our

grandmothers' pets, and if started very early, will flower the first

season.

Now all of the biennials I have described are easily grown, and sure to

bring great pleasure. And really it is worth while to curb one's

impatience, and wait, when necessary, until the second season, for the

sake of these lovely hardy beauties.

FLOWERS THAT LIVE THROUGH TWO YEARS

A GUIDE TO THE COMMON BIENNIALS

NOTE.--English Daisies (a perennial), Forget-me-nots, Hollyhocks and

Pansies are often started about the 1st of August. Most of the biennials

need slight protection during the winter. Remember that in nearly every

case seed must be sown every year in order to secure succession of

bloom.

-----------------+-------+----------+---------+--------+--------+-----+--------

| | | SOW | SOW | | |BLOOMING

-----------------+-------+----------+---------+--------+--------+-----+--------

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

(_Bellis |Pink | Aug. | | | Bed | |May

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|White | | | | |or |

|Yellow | | | | |sun |

| | | | | | |

|Red | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

Horned Poppy |Yellow | 6 in. | |May |Border |Sun |July

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

Wallflower |Yellow | 1 to | |May |Border |Sun | May

(_Cheiranthus |to | 2-1/2 ft. | |June |Rockery | or |

|and | | | | |shad |

| | | | | | |

-----------------+-------+----------+---------+--------+--------+-----+-------

FOOTNOTES:

[C] Will blossom the first year from seed that is sown as early as

possible.

[D] A perennial often started in August, so it will bloom the next

spring.