Venus's Looking-Glass (Specularia Speculum)—A pretty hardy annual, bearing a profusion of Campanula-like flowers in July Suitable for beds, pots, hanging baskets, or rock-work It flourishes most in a compost of sandy loam and peat The seeds are best sown in autumn and wintered in a greenhouse, but they may be raised on a hotbed early in spring Cuttings of the young wood planted under glass root freely Height, 9 in.

Peppermint—This may be grown on any damp or marshy soil, and increased by dividing the roots.

Love-lies-Bleeding (Amaranthus Caudatus)—A hardy annual bearing graceful drooping racemes of crimson blossom The seed should be sown in the open at the end of March, and thinned out or transplanted with a good ball of earth Makes a fine border plant Height, 2 ft.

Amaryllis—These plants bear large drooping bell-shaped lily-like blossoms They thrive best in a compost of turfy loam and peat, with a fair quantity of sand The pots must in all cases be well drained Most of the stove and greenhouse species should be turned out of their pots in autumn, and laid by in a dry place until spring, when they should be re-potted and kept liberally supplied with water A Reticulata and A Striatifolia bloom best, however, when undisturbed Discontinue watering when the foliage shows signs of failing, but avoid shrivelling the leaves The hardy varieties should be planted 6 in deep in light, well—drained soil, and allowed to remain undisturbed for two or three years, when they will probably require thinning out They are increased by off-sets from the bulbs.


Abronia—Handsome half-hardy annual trailers Grow in sandy peat and multiply by root division Flowers in April Height, 4 in to 6 in.

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