GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2764, 6 May 1916, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

[By "Kowhai."]

WINTER-FLOWERING SHRUBS. Besides being one of the earliest of the luntor-flowermg shrubs to put forth its wobsoms, jasininum nudiflorum ■ (jessamine) is also one of the daintiest and most fragrant. The flowers are borne on the naked stems of tho plant, which quickly b.ecomo covored with bright yellow, sweet-scented, star-like blossoms. Jessamines like a rich, loamy soil.

'-•/ GARRYA ELLIPTICA. ' Garrya elliptica is a shrub that is well worth growing for its decorative value I 'j I'hen the branches are covered with, long greenish-yellow catkins. The shrub makes aii attractive picturo in the winter garden, and t|ie catkin-covered branches aro spleudid for filling up bowls in the house..

LAURUSTINUS. sjant laurustinus .(vibu'rimm standishu) is one of the most useful 'shrubs tiiut one can possibly grow. In winter it bears huge bunches of- beautiful snowwhite flowers, which are specially valuable nt a time when white flowers are very scarce. The lauriistinus grows most easily in any good well-dug soil.

RHODODENDRONS. Rhododendrons should be planted as early in the autumn as they can tie obtained, provided tho. .soil, is fairly clamp and likely -to remain so. , As .they aie essentially moisturejoving .plants, it .is a pity to plant them during a very dry spell, as the struggle to establish them, will exhaust the plants, and. exasperate the gardener. Apart from their great beauty, rhododendrons' are most useful 6hrubs. There is sucll 'an endless variety of them, including dwarf-growing kinds, medium-sized kinds, and kinds that can scarcely be called slirubs, for they aro as largo as trees. The foliage is beautiful at all. times, and the gay heads of bloom are, simply magnifi!cent. Another charm of this shrub is that by. choosing various varieties, one may have rhododendrons in bloom for the best , part of the year. Even the tiniest garden may boast -at least one dwarf-growing rhododendron, and those who have room may ,proeuro for themselves infinito joy by planting whole beds, shrubberies, or, banks of rhododendrons. The tallest growing varieties should be grown at the back, mediumsized ones may come next, and in front tho dwarf-growing varieties. the dwarf rhododendrons one may plant ericas, azaleas, and big clumps of lilmnis, A' sloping bank so planted makes a very, beautiful picture. The liliums will grow among rhododendrons and azaleas as they will grow nowhere else: '.They-love the | same soil that the shrubs love, and their roots are kept so cool and moist in the shade cast by the shrubs that they are not forced to suffer .their ■dreaded - enemy—drought.' Rhododeridrpns will grow in any good garden soil provided it is well, due,'.well drained, and free from lime.'. But if you want to see them'at their best,' mis with'- your soil plenty of peat-soil, lenfBoil, and sand. ■ lii planting do not make the mistake of planting them too deep) their topmost roots should not bo more than half an inch below the surface of: the soil. : The roots love to. have the warm air circulating freely among them,' : but they must be so protected that the sun's "rays do not fall directly upon them. The, warmth of tho sun should reach them through 1 the medium of a mulch of decayed leaves, or thoroughly rotted manure,' which,' while admitting warmth and air, prevents the evaporation iof moisture from the soil. When planting . rhododendrons on a clay bank, dig out a wide hole about 2 feet deep, and break rip the-soil in the bottom of the hole with a pick. Pill in tlio hole with peat-soil, sand, and gooq loam. .

. ' CHRYSANTHEMUMS. ; /■Where chrysanthemums are grown In any quantity the gardens are-nop" particularly gay. : The most brilliant shades of crimson, Indian-red, yellow, pink, heliotrope. and purple may be mixed iip in a ' bed with cream and white, ana tfiey so blend that they form a .wonderfully beautiful, and perfectly harmonious blaze of colour. The big tight incurves, the loose, shaggy Japanese, the single, the little pom-poms, and the spiky ones like "Lilian Bird" and "Silver Pins, nil lie grown. Each kind has a distinct charm, but I love them all together, all shapes, and all colours, in one beautiful gorgeous bed. . . Single chrysanthemums are becoming every year ■ mora popular. certainly deserve their popularity, tor they are exceedingly dainty, and ■ t' l " shades are becoming ever more numerous. Already \ye have white, lemon, yellow, various shades of pink, salmon, Indian-red, and crimson. They are easily raised from seed, but care should be taken .to buy good seed from a chrysanthemum specialist. One may depend, then, upon raising some beautiful varieties. Keep the plants well staked. They ata so top-heavy when in flower that a shower of rain will quickly bend them down till their beautiful heads are dragged in U"> mud.

VEGETABLES, As soon as the foliage of asparagus begins to turn yellow it is a sign that its work is done, and it may then bo cut down. In removing tho stems, cut one at a time, taking care not to scatter tho seed more than can be holped. Asparagus sheds its seeds very easily, and if they are allowed to fall among, the roots, tho seedlings, later on, will beconio a perfect nuisance. -Weed the lied thoroughly jjnd give it a good covering of well-rotted manure. Sprinkle salt all over, the bed, and during the next few months - keep Weds well pulled out. ■

BROAD BEANS. A small sowing of broad beans may ba made now. A part ot the garden n-lioro oats or some green crop Jias recently been turned in for manure will do, Sprinkle a little bonedust in tile drills ut the time of sowing. As -soon as the seedlings appear, spread limo along. the' rows to ward off slugs. Draw tlio earth

up io tho stems as {hoy grow, and attend sarly to tho staking. PEAS. The first sowing of peas may l)o made now in a sunny part of the garden, £oak the peas in water for several hours before sowing. Tho ground should bo deeply dug, and should have some decayed garden rubbish buried about a. foot below tho surface'soil. Or peas may'bo sdwn where a green crop lias recently been turned in. Work some linjo info ilie soil, (or peas love lime. Also, the lime helps them to get the full benefit of tho decayed rubbish or green oafs. As soon ns the seed is sown, place sticks along tho rows and make little fences of black cotton. Don't wait till the grew' tips appear above ground, for the sparrows nud slugs -will probably see them beforo you do. As soon as the seedlings are about an inch' high, put little pieces of manuka brush, all along for tliGm to creep into. It is wonderful how quickly tho viues grow if they have even a-little protection. .Stake the peas from .the very beginning. (The vines will not bear pods till spring arrives, but all through the winter they are making strong growth below ground, and building up such a rigorous constitution that as soon as warmer weather arrives tho vines will leap ahead, nnd flowers and strong pods will nuickly appear. SEEDS.,

The. following seeds may be sown in small quantities at regular intervals:— Carrot (shorthorn), onion, cauliflower, cabbage, and lettuce. Many people don't seem to realise that, by sowing a pinch of seed, at Tegular intervals, they may have that most delightful vegetable, tho cauliflower, all tho year round. The ground is ihorouglUy saturated now, and cabbages, lettuce, etc., are taking full advantage of tho moisture, and growing rapidly. . Unfortunately slugs are pretty plentiful; .and quickly find thoit way to tho j nicy young leaves of greens. A visit to tho vegetable garden during the evening with a lantern and a sharp pair of scissors is the surest way ; of getting rid of them. One can snin in halves a great many slugs out on the warpath, in a few minutes, .and oarly in the morning the sparrows clear lip the mess. Sprinkle lime or old soot about, and keep stirring up the soil. The eggs of various insects aro thus exposed to tho weather and destroyed.

Garden Note next week, will contai seasonable notes about:—Paeonies, prepai ing aster, beds, and- vegetables, ■