GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2938, 25 November 1916, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Ivowhai.")

HELIOTROPE. ■ Heliotrope is a plant that should be In every garden, for it is one that seems to he specially adapted to our fine New Zealand climato. , Even one plant will, when in flower, scent quite a large area of the garden. The flowers are intensely fragrant, with a fragrance that delights everyone. Heliotrope is most easily grown, and if given a position where frost cannot harm it, will continue to flower throughout the whole year. I have seen plants flowering and looking perfectly happy in the depth of winter, as far south as Port Chalmers. They were growing iu a corner, sheltered from the south wind, and seemed to revol in the sidt-sea breezes. Strong young plants may be obtained from nurserymen at any time .now. As soon as tho young plants are about nine inches high the tops of the shoots should be pinched off to induce bushy growth. Old-established plants should have a mulch of well-rotted manure spread round them. Cuttings may be taken from them, and these -will root very quickly if planted firmly in sandy soil in a shady position. Keep dead flowers cut off, and keep the plants clean and free from dust. , SALVIA. Salvia is another plant that may > he put out in the borders at the present time. Heliotrope we grow for its fragrance, but salvia;we.grow for the gorge-, ous display of colour it makes in the autumn garden. Salvia Bonfire has brilliant scarlet flowers, which are produced so freely that, the bush becomes simply a blaze of colour. To be effec-' tive salvias should be planted in groups of two or three plants. - Or if single plants are planted at intervals • of two or three feet along a long mixed border, they look very well. The blue salvia (Salvia; Patens) lasts from year to year. When cut by frost early in the winter the roots should be covered with wellrotted manure or decayed vegetable rubbish, and in the spring strong shoots will come up and flower during the summer and autumn. ROUTINE WORK. Double wallflower. —Plants of double wallflower make a • fine display in . the garden early in the spring. The cream and yellow shades are very dainty and showy, while the brown shades are very rich, in tone! ■' Seeds may still bo sown to provide (lowering plants for nest season. Oriental Poppies.-Oriental popples aro already .making flaming patches of colour in . the", garden. A good soaking of soot-water. now and again will stimulate the plants, and keep up. tlie colour fu the succeeding flowers.' Oriental poppies are easily raised frohi seed, and many beautiful colours may be obtained by sowing, a packet of salmon shades. 1 The seeds may be sown-either in seed-pans or in a sheltered part of tho garden, and if the seedlings aro well spaced out they may remain in the seed-bed till the end of the autumn. By that time many of the sumnier bedding plants will have been pulled out,"arid'tho Oriental poppy plants may be: put into their permanent positions. Oriental poppies are exceedingly showy plants to .have in a mixed herbaceous border, and they are most easily grown; '. . Gladiolus: The Bride.—From the flnmiii" scarlet and'bright salmon of -the Oriental poppies one passes to the pure white flowers of. this early-flowering gladiolus—The Bride. The frequent wet weather has' certainly agreed with it, for every clump,of conns has 6ent up a wealth of long stems, covered with their beautiful pure .white flowers. Large clumps of this gladiolus, planted ,nt regular intervals along a long border, enables one to' blend cjost successfully flaming Oriental: poppies, brilliant Tilled delphiniums, bright yellow daisies, and antirrhinums in every shade of pink, orange, and ornnge-scarlet. All of these aro in flower at present, and «i border'of them. is a great .sight. • Without tho' big clumps of the pure white flowers of the gladioli the mixture of brilliant colours might possibly look gaudy, but with a good supply of white flowers .intermixed the effect is wholly charming. , Canations.— I The flower-buds of carnations are fast showing colour. Plants fihould ; lje well staked to keep the flowerstems up off the ground. Some of , the smaller buds should be removed to give the remaining buds every chance. A. little bonedust may be pricked in round the plants, and soot-water and very weak liquid manure may be given at intervals. New varieties of carnations are easily raised from seed. If a packet of good seed is obtained half of it may be sown now, and the other half saved for an autumn sowing. Doronieuriis.—'The pretty daisy-like flowers are now over, and plants may be lifted, divided up, and the pieces replanted in a shady part of the garden. In the autumn these pieces may be put back into their flowering quarters. Doronicums flofrer all the better for being broken-up each year, and as the plants flower so early in the spring,. it is better to divifle the old roots now instead of in the autumn. Keep the young plants supplied with water. Primroses and Polyanthus Primroses.— Borders of these beautiful flowers should now receive attention. The leaves should be cut right off level with the ground. Thoroughly stir the soil about the plants, prick in a little bonedustj give 'them a good watering, and then spread a layer of decayed leaves or vegetable rubbish, mixed with coarse sand, about the plants,. VEGETABLES. The weather during the past few weeks lias been splendid for planting-out. The amateur gardener has not had to wait for many days at a stretch before the all-desirable showery weather would arrive. In some places it has arrived too frequently, delaying necessary work in tho garden. But at least" it gives winter greens, pumpkins, etc., a better start in"life than would a 'spell of dry-weather arid north-west .winds. ' Push on with tho planting-out of cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, and savoys whenever possible.' Do not plant when t'lie ground is very wet. Make the ground very firm about tho roots, and seo that-the young plants do not suffer from dryness at the roots at any time. The encouragement of vigorous growth from the start in winter greens is necessary to bring them safely through the summer. Thin out carrots, onions, parsnips, etc., as soon as the plants are big enough to handle. Do not thin out too drastically the first time. It is better to do the work gradually. The thinkings of carrots and onions can be used in the kitchen. Make the soil Svm about the remaining seedlings as the work proceeds. Clefir away at once all seedlings that have been puilefT OTt, and 'also & caying cabbage or lettuce leaves. They only harbour pests if left about. Continue, planting out tomato plants, where neessary, in well-dug, not over-rich ground. Celery may be planted in prepared trenches. For gardeners with small families it is better to buy a few plants at intervals during the summer, thus having two or three 6mall trenches with a succession of plants. Some people use up all their space in one big planting,- and then have no room for successive crops. Hbo frequently between the rows of all growing crops. Tho following seeds mav be sown where necessary :—Celoriac (turnip-rooted celery). Sow in rows two feet apart, In well-worked, woll-enriclied ground. Thin out seedlings to 6 inches apart in the rows. Celeriac does not need earthingup like celery. It is grown for its root. Scarlet runner beans: Sow in ground that has been trenched and manured; Sow the seeds from G to 8 inches apart, and about 2 inches deep. French beans: Sow in drills 2 feet apart, and have tile seeds G inches apart in the rows. Dust bonedust in tho drills nt the time M' sowing the seed, and give a slight dressing of superphosphate as soon as the seedlings are a couple of inches S'gTi. Radish: Sow broadcast ill rich, firm ground. Provide an abundance of «rter for the growing crop. Carrot /Wort Horn or Intermediate): Sow thinly in drills 12 inches apart. Peas; Sow in drills from 2 to ;i l'oet apart. Ground should be trenched and manured, and should have wnodnshes mixed with it. Dust bonedust in the drills when sowing. Lettuce: Sow. thinlv in drills 15 inches apart, and 111 in "on? *0 !? inches in the rows. The ground should be deep-

ly dug, and enriched with well-decayed manure. Dust Tiontrlust in tho <TrITB when sowing. Garden Notes, next week will contain seasonable notes about Michaelmas daisies, ana l *."?getaoiGs?