GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3088, 19 May 1917, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhni.")

ANSWUKS TO COBKESrOXDENTS.

"fir,," ll'usterton, writes:-"I ehoM ho very pie* « you wo » u I «f ,T0 T nie 1| * .suggestion for a narrow bed. in using scarlet gomnium for a background, and wanted to put ft white How* l'rorit of it. Could you suggest soiuethwg winch would be a continuous Moomni, and is not too delicate? . „„.„.• The following should suit your P'\' P°= ! - -A dwarf sliasta daisy such as L.wiy Hume Campbell" or. "Mrs. Charles Lowthian Bell," or antirrhinums, pure white dwarf variety. „„ ■ "Bafa," AVangamn, writes:- Hon is it that passion fruit plants winch weie planted in well-prepared soil a year ago are not any higher now than when .hey woro planted? They are certainly a little bushier. As each new leaf or shoot comes out it begins to crinkle and alinvel "without actually seeing the conditions undor which your plants are growing, it is impossiblo for ' me to say definite 3 why tliov make no progress. I can oniv suggest one or two possible reasons: (1) The plans may he suffering from dryness, at the rook tbAY «<? P lan . 1 - ed in a sunny, sheltered position, m sandy soil. (2) They may be exvoseA to withering winds, such as a hot, dry noiwestor or a biting southerly. (3) lbej may bo affected by salt spray. (4) they nia'y be suffering from a fungoid jdisease. Tho ground for passion flower* should bo -trenched deeply, and should consist of -a. mixture of good loam peat and sand. Very.sandy soil should ha e a largo quantity of rich, fresh loam dug into it.

PP.EPARING ASTER BEDS. Tho nstor is one of our most valuable) Into summer and autumn plants, ana most gardeners depend upon it during tno few weeks when the sumnior flowers aro practically over, and tho autumn ones are not out in any quantity, But man} lovore of this beautiful flower have to face. some time or other, an attack ot tho dreaded "aster disease" among thoir cherished plants. The hopoiess tiling about it is that there is do known cure. Tho plants are apparently healthy ulion quite suddenly they begin to die ott rapidly, perhaps just when they are Hearing perfection. As there is no cure lor tho disease, it behoves us to direct our attention to prevention. It is «?u known tuat asters must have root moisture, and in preparing the ground plenty, of decayed rubbish should be- buried. But it is not so well known that asters must not be planted in ground that Jibs held stagnant water during winter. Jo do so, oven though at the time of planting the ground is apparently in nice condition, is to court an attack of w much-dreaded, disease. Asters must.be grown on well-drained land. Ground that is not naturally well drained should bi prepared now. The top-soil should Ik removed. The subsoil should bo broker up to a .depth of at least a foot, ami road grit, cinders, and stable manun should be mixed with it, ai well as some decayed vegetation. Tho top-soil may then be returned. There is no necessity for leaving the ground vaoant until the time for planting the asters arrives. It may bo filled in with early spring-flowering crops, such as wallflowers, forget-me-nots, crocuses, wood or grape hyancihths, ■" or early-flow-ering narcissi. As soon as tho bulbs havo finished flowering they could be lifted and replanted at once in some spare corner to complete their growth, nnd the bed could then be forked over, working in a dressing of bonedust, in readiness for tho aster seedlings. IBIS SIBIRICA. This is a most charming plant for growing along tho edge of a creek or pond. The roots delight in the continual moist condition of tho soil, and tho plants send up, during the flowering season, a mass of tall straight stems, from two to threo feet in height, crowned with numbers..of beautiful lilac or purple flowers. Oneo planted, the only attention necessary is pulling ont weeds from among the plants. | PIttJNUS MUME, Among the lovoliest of the Japaueso flowering shrubs aro the improved varieties of Primus Mume. The variety with double piiik flowers is exceptionally beautiful. Very early in the spring most gardens are rather bare, and the landscape generally has a bleak appearance. It is then that the flower-buds of the Prunus Mume open, nnd in a short time tho trees aro covered with masses of dainty doublo pink flowers. No wonder the Japanese have planted them all over their country! Even one tree in bloom ■is a rarely beautiful sight. What then must bo the effect of hundreds of trees all out in flower together? To obtain the best result trees should be planted in fairly rich soil.

BRILLIANT COLOUR.IN AUTUMN. The following are a few trees • and shrubs whose brilliantly coloured foliage gives us so much pleasure during autumn and early 6pring. Rhus Typhina Laciniata, a shrub with fern-like leaves which turn crimson in the autumn; Rhus Cotinus; Liquidamber; Scarlet Oak; Prumis llosserii; Guelder Rose; Euonymus Alatus. These aTe only a few of the many shrubs that have beautiful autumn tints. VEGETABLES. PEAS. The ground for peas should be deeply dug, and should havo some decayed garden rubbish buried about a foot below the surface soil. Or, peas may be sown where a green crop has been recently turned in. Work some lime into tho soil, for peas love lime. Also, the lime helps them to get the full benefit of the decayed Tubbish-or green oats. As soon as the seed is sown place sticks along the rows and make little fences of blackcotton. Don't wait till the green tips appear above ground, for tho sparrows or slugs will probably seo them beforo you do. As soon as the, seedlings are about an inch high, put little, pieces of manuka brush all along. for them to creep into. It is wonderful how quickly the vines 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 winter they are making strong growth below ground, and building up such a vigorous constitution that as soon as warmer weather arrives, tho vinos will leap ahead, and flowers and strong pods will quickly appear. BROAD BEANS. Broad beans liko a deeply-dug soil, and a certain amount of litno and potash aro necessary to their well-being. A good dressing of limo should be mixed with tho soil before sowing tlio seed; wood or rubbish fi.ro ashes can bo used as a top dressing, and will bn hoed into the soil as time, goes on. Spiking should bo attended to early. A row of broad beans well slaked makes a good protection for other vegetables growing in tho garden. SEED-SOWING. Oilier seeds that may bo sown at present are:— Carrot (Short Horn).—Sow thinly in well-worked ground in drills 12 inches apart. Work some soot and a sprinkling bonedust into the soil before sowing t'ho seed. Onions.—Work into the soil plenty of soot, some rubbish fire ash, and a dressing of bQuedust. Mako tho soil very firm by treading on it, but tako care not to tread when it' is very wet. Sow tho socd in drills 12 inches apart. Lettuce.—Sow tluuly in drills 15 niches apart, in a sunny part of tho garden. Tho ground should bo deeply dug, well enriched with well-decayed manure, and mado lirm again. Cabbago ami Cauliflower (early vanetics).—Same 'treatment as for lettuces. Dust soot along tho rows of vegetable seedlings .it every opportunity. Keep a sharp lookout for slugs. Hoe on warm sunny davs. Bend a loaf over broccoli that are maturing. Dig up carrots, beet, pin-snips, ftc. and store them in dry sand. Make the earth firm round cabbnqe, broccoli, etc., plants, after heavy wind. Keep hoeing between the plants and earll'.iiig lliem up. LEAVES. 'Even as I write a strong southerly wind is bringing down showers of tho

beautiful golden leaves of Lombard? poplua-s. i'or two days now tlio leaves liave beon softly and steadily {ailing till the whole garden is carpeted with gold. Hero ami tliorc tlie grass shows through, emerald green. Crimson and bronze chrysanthemums, crimson and (scarlet cactus dahlias, and blazing scarlet salvias are thrown into vivid relief by this pure golden carpet. A Rhus Succedanea that lias beon delighting mo for days with its pink, scarlet, and orange-scarlet tints looks positively ailnmo ■with colour. Guelder roses, hazel nuts, and pear trees are still brilliant with dark red, scarlet, and golden tints, hawthorn, hedges are crimson with their load of berries, and away in the distance the stems of tho basket willows aro already showing the beautiful purple tints that" they wear in winter. Very soon, 'however, the loaves that aro now so vividly tinted will turn brown and 1»eomo a nuisance in the garden. .Then wo must begin to rako them up and store tr/em for they are invaluable for many garden purposes. Dig a hole in some .'out-of-the-way corner, am deposit all the leaves in it as you rako them up. Sprinkle salt or lime over each Hear as it is added to" the hole. As soon as all the leaves are gathered in, cover the hole with a layer of earth and leaveMt ill next autumn. You will then dig out a nice supplv of leaf-mould, and tho same hole ma P y be used for tho freshly-falhns IOaVCS. M, L •„ Garden Notes nest week will contain seasonable notes about: Petunias, routine work, and vegetables. Gladioli are amongst the most fashionable flowers of tho day, and deservedly so. They flower during the driest of the summer mouths, when other blooms aro very scarce. In fact, by planting the bulbs at intervals from now until October, tho season for blooming would last for several months lor earlj bloomiafl the bulbs should be planted this month, and for a continuation plant each month until October. The bulbs keep -quite well stored in a dry place until then. Gladioli are strong, hardy, and easy to grow successfully in this district. They are practically free from insect pests and fungoid diseases. Tho modern varieties aro truly magnificent. Many of them produce spikes two or three feet in length, bearing eighteen to thirty blooms; each four to six inches across. The colourings are most esoursite and varied, ranging from pure white through shades of cream, yellow, rose, pmk, salmon, scarlet, orange, crimson, maroon, lilac, lavender, blue, etc. Tf the spikes of bloom aro cut in an early stage/they will keep fresh in water from ten to eighteen days, and are therefore invaluable as cut.blooms for indoor decoration.