FAMILIAR ANNUALS

Even as early as March you can start in the boxes in this way any of the following annuals, which will bloom at the time mentioned or even earlier:—

Ageratum, blue, good for edging; blooms for three months during summer.
Asters, white, pink, red, purple; early in the fall.
Alyssum, sweet, white; from May to November.
Amethyst, blue, violet, white; flowers all summer.
Balsam, white, red, yellow; from July to middle of September.
Chrysanthemum, tricolor; August to middle of October.
Cosmos, white, pink, crimson; August to November.
Cypress vine, red, and white starry blossoms; June and July.
Godetia, red, white; July to October.
Moonflower (Japanese morning-glory), white, a vine; August to September.
Pansy, all shades and combinations, of white, yellow, purple; July on.
Chinese pink, white, rose, maroon; May to August.
Salvia, red; August to frost.
Ten Weeks' Stock, white, pink, purple; June and July.
Zinnia, red, yellow, magenta; July to November.

EASILY GROWN PERENNIALS

Both the perennials and the biennials following should all blossom the first year if started in the house in March:—

Gaillardia, red, yellow.
Forget-me-not, lovely blue.
Larkspur, blue.
Snapdragon, white, red, purple, yellow, pink.
Sweet William, white, pink, red, maroon, plain, varigated.
Coreopsis, yellow.
Cupid's Dart, blue.
Iceland Poppy, yellow, white, scarlet.

Get as many as you can—and your space will permit,—of all the lovely old perennials and the bulbs that come up every season with little or no care. One of the oldest,—now deserted—farmhouses on Long Island, still carries in its dooryard the impress of some gentle flower-lover long since passed away, in its annual spring beauty of daffodils and lilies-of-the-valley. And the few bulbs and pips transplanted from there to my own garden, have thrived and spread so profusely that I, too, can pass them on to others.

HARDY FLOWERS ALL SUMMER

With carefully chosen bulbs and perennials alone, it is possible to have a succession of lovely blooms. In March your heart will be made happy with snowdrop and crocus; in April with violet, daffodil, narcissus, hyacinth and tulip; in May and June with spirea, peony, iris, forget-me-not, columbine, baby's breath, bleeding heart, mountain pink, candytuft, Chinese pink; in July and August, golden glow, hollyhock, larkspur, hardy phlox, snap-dragon; September and October, sunflower, dahlia, gladiolus and aster, with November closing the season with all kinds of beautiful chrysanthemums. And many of these often come earlier than expected, or stay later. How easily raised are they by the person with little time!