Your Garden Will Be Judged On The Colour

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31463, 1 September 1967, Page 8

Your Garden Will Be Judged On The Colour

In the final analysis, a garden is going to be judged by the passing world on the amount of colour in it throughout the year. A balanced garden is best, containing both shrubs and flowers, and do not fall into the trap of thinking a garden crammed with flowers is an attractive garden.

This month the flowers that can be planted outdoors include dianthus, larkspur, alyssum, callibpus, balsam, and calendular. Under glass, or in sheltered sunny spots, you can plant arctotis, portulaca, carnations, petunias, phlox, Livingstone daisies, delphiniums, and antirrhinums.

Flowers under glass should be sown in boxes in a good fine soil, which should _be fairly moist. The box should at first be covered with a sheet of glass and a sheet of newspaper untill the seeds germinate.

This will take four days to a week, depending on the type of flower sown. After this time, remove the sheet of newspaper and

chock the glass up a little with a piece of wood to let In the air. After two or three days the glass can be removed.

Before sowing the seeds trench the soil lightly with a stick. Then put the seeds in the trenches and cover them lightly with soil.

Dahlias take only four days to germinate, petunias take up to 10 days, Livingstone daisies about four days, carnations about a week, and arctotis 10 days. Water the soil in the boxes sparingly every day, having planted In a moist soil.

On the open ground dianthus and scabious can be transplanted (the latter should be left until October) but most of the others should be planted and left

Fowers that can be planted outdoors In October Include asters, cadytuft, clarkia, cosmos, mignonette, phlox and zinnias. These require no special care.

Flowers which can be planted under glass in October, and which require no special care, include dahlias, balsam, zinnias, tithonia, mina lobata, salpiglossis and salvia. After late November nearly all the flowers commonly grown in Canterbury can be planted in open gronud. It must be remembered that flowers should not be too close together, but if they are too far apart most

of the display effect will be lost. Use your own judgment, and bear in mind the eventual size of the plant TREES By this stage of the year your fruit trees should be pruned and sprayed with oil, and possibly lime-sulphur as well. At this time, manuring and the application of fertiliser is most useful. If you are in doubt as to what sprays your fruit trees

need, ask an expert. Different fertilisers are needed for pip and stone fruits. Ornamental trees outside Roses should have been pruned and now is the time to spray for aphis and mildew. There are plenty of rose sprays on the market and your seedsman would be able to advise you if you are confused as to the most satisfactory type for particular jobs.