Gardeners
often made the mistake of planting sunflowers in groups,
but Hibberd argued strongly that the Victorian garden
should have them only as individual specimens, and liberally
cultivated so that it obtained a huge size.
In
America they were cultivated largely for their oil,
and Hibberd remarks that the housewife could do well
to cultivate some for her poultry. For the cottage gardener,
the best way to grow them was to sow the seed in April
in open ground. Any light, rich soil would do for the
purpose. Hibberd then advised to prick the tiny seedlings
out into pots for planting back into the garden again
in mid-May when they were to be protected from frosts
and snails and keen winds.
