POPPIES.
Clarkia.
This annual comes to us from California, and is very pretty and easy to grow. But it likes a good soil. On a dry, starved one we have seen it so poor that we hardly knew it was Clarkia, and yet these miserable dwarfed specimens came from the same packet of seed that had grown into a bed of lovely pink and salmon-pink sprays two feet high in another part of the garden. If your border has been well prepared and is sunny, your Clarkia seed is sure to do well in it. You can sow it either in a large patch or in little drills or trenches ten inches apart, and it should be covered with one inch of fine soil. The centre of the bed would be a good place for it. Sow in April, and thin out the small plants to six inches between each. There are a good many varieties. We recommend Salmon Queen and Carnation Flaked Pink.
Malope.
This annual, if well grown, is about two feet high, and should be in the centre of your border. It has large red, white, or pink trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom at intervals amongst the leaves of the tall stems. It is most useful for cutting, as it lasts in water a long time, and is decorative. It likes good soil, should be sown in April half an inch deep, and patted down firmly when sown. As soon as the seedlings can be handled they must be thinned out; but there will be none to thin if you cannot keep away slugs. Many gardeners recommend you to dust the young plants with soot or lime.
Godetias.
These, too, are useful for cutting, and can be grown in a variety of delicate colours. We think that Sutton’s Double Rose and Crimson King are two of the best. The sprays of the Double Rose are like Oleander flowers. They are not quite as tall as Malope or Clarkia, but should be treated in the same way, and if well grown will be tall enough for the centre of your garden.