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.

NameColorHeightSow
Indoors
Sow
Outdoors
Good forPlaceBlooming
Season
[C]Canterbury Bells (Campanula medium)White
Pink
Blue
Purple
2½ ft.March 1stMay
June
BorderSunJune,
July
[C]Carnation, Border (Dianthus caryophyllus)White
Pink
1 to
2 ft.
MayBorderSunAugust
[D]English Daisy (Bellis perennis)White
Pink
4 to
6 in.
July
Aug.
Border
Bed
SunApril,
May
Evening Primrose (Œnothera biennis)Yellow5 ft.Many varietiesMay
June
BorderSunJune
to Sept.
Forget-me-not (Myosotis)Blue1 to
2 ft.
Self-sowsMay JuneBorderHalf shadeApril
to Sept.
Foxglove (Digitalis)Pinkish
purple
White
Yellow
3 to
5 ft.
April
to June
Border
Clumps
Half shadeJune,
July
Hollyhock (Althæa rosea)White
Pink
Rose
Yellow
Red
4 to
8 ft.
Self-sows
Also makes
offsets
May,
June
or Aug.
Back of
border o
clumps
SunJuly,
Aug.
Horned Poppy (Glaucium luteum)Yellow
Orange
6 in. May JuneBorderSunJuly to Sept.
[C]Mullein Pink (Lychnis coronaria)White to
Crimson
1 to
2½ ft.
May 1stBorder
Rockery
SunJune,
July
Rose Campion, see Mullein Pink
Wallflower (Cheiranthus cheiri)Yellow
to
browns
and
purples
1 to
2½ ft.
May
June
Border
Rockery
Sun or
part
shade
May
Pansy, more easily treated as an annual

FOOTNOTES: