HOME GARDENS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 80, 9 August 1950, Page 6

HOME GARDENS

(By J. S. Yeates, Massey Agricultural College) HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS

Some gardeners grow mainly types of flower which they like particularly. Perhaps the best allround display in the garden is obtained when a wide variety, including many herbaceous perennials, is grown. The old idea of the herbaceous border has to a large extent been modified. The practice today is rather to have a bed in which herbaceous perennials may predominate, although some shrubs and annuals are used in addition. The general plan of such a “mixed” border is to have taller shrubs at the back, without keeping them to any fixed line which might give the impression of a hedge." Tlfe shrubs chosen should not be too largegrowing or they will, crowd out the other plants. They should be chosen to act as a background, and it should be remembered that many shrubs can give colour and scent in winter and early spring when most herbaceous plants are rather dull. Chimonanthus, Hamamelis and. Prunus mume are good examples. There is a wide range of evergreen shrubs to choose from, commencing with the low-growing Erica darleyensis at present in flower, to the ornamental manukas which flower over a very long season. The lowgrowing types should be at or near the front of the border, but some of the tariler specimens can be brought well forward also, to break any suggestion of monotony, and to make sheltered bays for taller herbaceous plants like delphiniums, chrysanthemums and dahlias. Some of the taller plants such as lilies are the better for being grown behind lowgrowing shrubs. The desirable feature of shade around their roots is obtained in this way and the rather dull appearance of the stems.-after flowering is at least partially hidden. As for the planting of the actual herbaceous material and the care it needs, this is a good time to attend to the matter because most herbaceous plants excepting bulbs ought to be planted in the next month or so, according to soil and district. The guiding feature is that you should not set out new plants unless the soil is reasonably dry and warm enough for root action to commence soon.

Before planting perennials, consider first of all the problems of feeding and weeding them. There should be no bad perennial weeds like oxalis, couch, convolvulus, or sorrel in the ground. If there are, leave the ground bare for another season and clean it thoroughly over the summer. Few things are more hopeless than these perennial weeds in a mixed border. As for feeding, remember that the easiest time to get organic material really into the soil is before the planting is done. Dig the ground deep or trench it, and work in plenty of compost or other organic material. Even sawdust, plus blood and bone, is not to be despised. In my soil it has proved very good indeed, and there have been some very favourable reports on it recently iin English and American horticultural jour - nals. You will be surprised how easy it is to work in a six-inch layer of sawdust when you are working the soil very deep.