STATICE

Sea Lavender. Hardy and half-hardy annuals and hardy perennial



It would be difficult to decide whether the Sea Lavenders are more

highly valued as border flowers or as cut material for use indoors.

Certain it is that the light and graceful sprays of delicately coloured

flowers are indispensable for house decoration, either when freshly cut

or when dried for mixing with Helichrysums and other everlastings in

winter. Yet Statice are very attractive when growing in the border, the

varieties of branching habit giving a long-continued display of

beautiful flowers.



The half-hardy varieties should be sown from January to March in pans

placed on bottom heat. When large enough prick off the seedlings into

boxes of good light soil, and gradually harden off in readiness for

planting out in May. The hardy annual kinds also answer best when

started in pans during March or April and transferred to the open in due

course. Seed of the hardy perennial varieties should be sown in a nice

light compost any time from April to July. Put out the plants into

flowering positions when they have attained a suitable size.



When grown on in pots, the half-hardy sorts make exceedingly pretty

subjects for house or conservatory decoration.