Cottage gardens are attractive, and they harbour gorgeous as well
us simple flowers. Nowhere do you see better Madonna lilies or liner Crown Imperials, bulbs that flourish from con- tinuance in one place, like peonies, another favourite of the cottage. Yet these little poor gardens miss a virtue they may well cultivate. They are often poor in annuals, and annuals have been improved out of all recognition during the last few years. It is difficult to keep up with the names even of species, Mauch more of varieties ; in one sort after another the colours have been infinitely extended. The Nemesia perhaps still stands at the head of the list, as an example of the breeding of colour ; and to have extracted a light blue out of a yellow- brown remains the most salient of triumphs. The Nemesia. however, is half-hardy at birth, though few, if any annuals, bunch out and grow more hardily when once planted out.
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