GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 4, 29 September 1917, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kovhai.") J

DAHLIAS. The soil lor dahlias muni, be jery thoroughly (lug lo a. good depth, and well enriched, with cow tnauure, or -wcll-dccaycd vegetable matter nurt hotiedusl. After pre-paring-1 lie ground Tor dahlias, do not, as in necessary for othor plants, make tho noil firm. ■ Dahlias liko to he planted in loose, rich, deeply-worked soil. Tubers that were liftod and. stored away should bo brought, out oncl sprouted. To do lliis plant, thorn in a spare sunny part of the, garden, so that they arc just covered, with earth, and keep the soil moist, all too time Shoots -will soon appear, and picees of tuber having one, or two strong ones may bo eut away from tho clump, nnd Montcd in the prepared bed. Xeep-Uicm well wntorod till t.uo shoots nppear s-bovo the ground, and I hen, apply a mulch of well-rotted manure . Dahlias ore difficult to grow -woll in very dry, hot districts, because they are- such thirsty plants, but by prepfcnng; tho ground as directed, above, and by attending to mulching, daMias may bo crown almost anywhere with only, flu occasional good watering. Tho flowers./especially cactus dahlias, arc so cifluisttfl >'» 'o™ and colouring that they are worth tho' necessary trouble in thoir cultivation. Foi watorin/thcin tho wishing-day soap-suds cannot oc beaten.■ , „ ~ Single dahlias have always been favourite flowers, both for garden and house dccoi ation. but the collarette dahlia is oven more desirable for both purposes The flowers are very much liko those of the old single dahlia, but tufts or tiny florets, RencwdJ? of a different colour, stand up all 'round the contral disc. , . _ . The plants are oasily raised from seed, and flower tho same year. It .seeds are. sown now in seed-pans, the seedlings will be ready for. planting out as soon as alt danger of frost is over. . The plants should be put out into deeplyworked, well-enriched soil. If animal manure cannot be had, add plenty 01 we Idecayed rubhish. to.the Mil, which suould be worked to a depth of about two feet. Add a handfulof bonedust to the top soil, where csch plant is being put in. . Later on a mulch should ho spread round the plants, and, if plenty of water and occasional doses of liquid manure are supplied all through the hot weather, beautiful flowers on long stems will be produced till frost cuts down the plants. PERENNIALS FOE SHADY GARDENS.-, . Bor a 'shady garden anuilegias are charmine tot late spring, and early summer. flowering. Both aquilegio, chrysantha with its golden yellow flowers, and the newer hybrid aouilcgias, with their dainty flowers of various shades, should be grown. The hybrids flowers a little earlier than aqSilegia chrysantha, Both varieties ore oharming, the dainty flowers being borne ttracefully, yet- in great profusion, upon fong stiff stems which rise from a mass of soft green foliage. . ~ Before ■ planting aquilegios. the soil should be deeply dug, and should have S with it some well-rotted meaure leaf-soil, and sharp river-sand. The plants laat for a number of years >f well treated. As soon as the flowering is over, the flow-, oring stems should be cut. hack, butto leaves left to complete their work. When those die down, however, a good mulch of well decayed vegetable rubbish should be spread right o%er and around the 'tods to 'provide new plants for next spring should be 60wn now. BEGONIAS.' For filling the shady border in summer what could be moro charming than a, mass of begonias? Tubers should be started into gro°Uh now. and may then be planted nut anions the aquilegia plants to .be in readSi to follow them. Begonias do sntendidly out of doors in well-prepared beds! and keep a shady border-very .attrao"ivcthroughout the .summer with their dainty savoured floors. If the soil was prepared, as suggested for amiiloßias? with well-rotted manure, leafZ and sharp sand, no further preparation is needed for tho begonia tubers. ' ARUMS. Arums are splendid rlants for growing Artiina "'° J" 1 p rnT ij e ji , f ro st cannot are planted among the arums, a shady border would be attractive for. tho best n°rt of the year.. An edging of primroses, p P ofyanthui Primroses or snowflakes would add to the charm ct the bed in spring, and could be followed bv- one of pansies for summer and autumn. AGATHAEA QOELESTIS. This is another Hplondid plant for grow-Vhe-a shadrborder." Like most, daisies he flowed are borne pretty weU tJiroughont thTyeor. The flowers, which are daisy-like, are clear azure blue iTcolouit and borne in great profusion Kant's grow into .mall *&».*s* become simply a sheet ,uf Hue during Ptata vrell back early in December. A good watering and a, Luod Sch of weU-rottod manure won Kart Sem into new growth, and by the autumn Uie Plants are beginning to fIC? again. Flowering then .Centura* richt through **» winter a f d , ?■?,- ind until the plants are cut back •pun in December. I JAPANESE ANEMONES. Japanese anemones *re *™dv°C inir plants, and so suited to a bhady I order that one «u hardly imagine one iitwit a few of the plants. ThO col„urs°o ThoTow/rs are wlute,jgnk and mic and the flower stems grow to a height of two or three feet. . Japanese anemones are splendid for associating with Ss ° Both like the same soil Pjepwathey solotT I have already mentioned 'primroses, polyanthus P"mroßes sins in connect on with a shady Doracj. SSfllsM. P*P« end wood hyacinths, are also most suitable. POBTULAGA.. PorLulaca is a charming little plant for growing on small rookeries, 01 m drv. I inny parts of tho garden. The colour* of the flowers are gorgoous. and the SSwctsS-.produced most Xrfloly ■v£l «w« are- given tho conditions they «!;»?? P aU, near by, and flower here P«*»*gThe soil should contain plenty of grit, as tho little plants live to cling to ary crittv material they can nnd. Ordinary |a% soil. then, with plenty of eoane ?ivcr .sand and some leaf soil, is v.ha,t [ho plants require. Jhcy must haift also an open posit on and plenty of sun. lorhilaca makes a charming edging where owSb dsare. edged' with orlarge, pebbles. a«d it makes a, .pretty finish to •i -rockery when, used as an edging, ana iwTu Ktrav from the <;rcvices of the down b (o the pa™,, and all round the J °C l -ed nroteetion from our hot sun, and «• supply of mo at are. as they have such -mall roots As soon ar. the plants begin to snrca.d over the ground, however, the root? receive the protocol, they need, and watel' should he supplied only v-hen il is thought necessary..• As soon as the plants have become llorough T e»U,b, lished, they wiU flow-r bravely allthroughj., the hottest weather. VECETABLtS. Main-crop potatoes may be planted at, anv timo now. provided they arc well sprc-uted It Pars to wait till they are Grouted Two of the Wrongest sprouts shonW then bo left, while the others should be well rubbed out. Tho grouts at the top of the potato are tho bosl. Open out the trenches on a ««.«« morning, and as soon as the soil in thorn sun-warmed plant tho lotato send If some thoroughly decfl.yed manure or some good soil from a, cornet neap can bo laid to the bottom of the irenchos. so much the better. A ™rinkling of wood ashes should also I.e. f.ndod Have the tuber., when planted ' , Li™, iho surface of Ihe soil, and To too opart in trenches. The rows 'sl"o„d b» a" lea,t 18 Inches apart. -Sow to eed-pans seeds nr-.-Toraato. celery, citoumber. Cape BOMBbernoi. cabbage, and Ca pow°in OT ;.he open'ground : -Beet onion, radish, carrot, turnip, peas, Vroad bean, parsnip and lettuce. Plant potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce. rrardon Notes next week v;ill contain seasonable notes I *™- roses. routine work, and vegetable.-.