GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 22, 20 October 1917, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(By "KowJifti.")

AKNCALS FOR. SHADY GARDENS. In Jfew Zealand gardens many annuals that are usually grown in sunny gardens will grow equally well in shady ones. In the North Island, llarlboroagh. <md Srison the summer weather Is usually so hot as to be very trying for all eicept really sun-loving annuals. In some districts, summer-time is a season of drought, and annuals,, to be at all successful in a sunny garden, must he planted fairly close in very thoroughly prepared soil, and must be (fiven food mulches from time to time. Otherwise, where water is scarce, the plants are apt to be stunted and shortlived. The majority of yew Zealaad amateur gardeners, too, are either very busy during December and January, or ftre away from home for tho anmmor vacation. The result is that many gardone receive scant attention during these two monthu of hot summer weather. Alas, then, for tho poor annuals! But by diniing plenty of well-decayed vegetable rubbish into a Hhady or somi-ehady garden, and by plants ing the annuals a little closer together than is usual, one can, with the help dt one thorough watering and a good mulch, have a fine display of annuals during the hottest part of the summer—December, January, and February. Another good watering early in February and a fresh mulch will carry to perfection tho autumn flowering annualß such as asters, French and African marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, etc. I make no mention of annuals in thp. spring and. early-summer garden, for that Is when annuals in New Zealand are, I think, at thefr best, and give the least amount of trouble. Seeds sown early in the autumn will give flue young plants that, aro ready to plant out early in the winter, and .by October fine-grown specimens arerendy to burst into (lower. I have grown all the following annuals successfully in a shady garden, though most of them are usually grown in a. sunny one:—Agcratitm, asters, candytuft, cosmos, single dahlias, forgnt-me-uot, pansy, larkspur, linaria, phlox drummondii, Iceland poppies, scabious (Azure Fairy). For-get-mo-not and pansies aro really perennial plants, but I always find that I have hotter roßulls by treating them as annuals. Sweet peas, especially those with scarlet, orange-scarlet, and salmon shades, do well in «, semi-shaded garden.

FLOWERING SHRUBS. There are somo lovely ilowering shrubs in bloom just now. jt'lowcring cherries have been covered with a uuiss of dainly Mowers with lovely crinkled, silky-looking petals. Some of the varieties with piuk flowers arc so exquisite that one longs to havo room lor a whole grove of flowering cherries.

Lilacs, too, seem now to be ot endless variety. Tin; charm of tho newer kinds is that they Bower tho first year they arc planted. In most old gardens are to be found great spreading bushes of the oldfashioned lilac, which am just now covered with innumerable sprays of intensely fragrant flowers. -

IlXucliordn, grandiflora (I'earl Bueli) is n most showy flowering ulirub. Kvcti quite young bushcs:cover Ihemaelvcs completely with purest siiow-whito flowers. Wellgrown older bushes look, from tho distance, like great heaps of enow. Foruythia suspense, is «, elirub that I am particularly fond of. Tho long slender branches aro of "weeping" habit, like a wiH'.piug willowj nnd iti'Epriug, before the leaves conic, every one to tho very tip ia covered' with- tiny 'golden-yellow bells. Duriug summer tho trees are covered with attractito yellowy-green foliage. Snowball trees (Viburnum Opulns) havo for eomo timn now been hanging tiny precii balls all over themselves. Every day the balls have been growing bigger and changing from green k> creamy white, tin now they arc big and soft and very while. The freuh green, beautifully cut leaves make a fine setting for tho elueters of snow-white flowers.

A flowering tree that is of rare beauty when in flower is the laburnum. Unfortunately it in not often aeon iu gardens uowadays. The tree is quite eiiitablo for even small gardens, for the habit of tho tree is to grow tall and slender. ..It Is beautiful at all times, but when, as now, it is covered with hanging chftins of dainty golden-yellow flower?, it is one of tho gems of tho garden.

VEGETABLES. tHinning-out, earfching-up, aud hoeing constituto the main work in the vegetable garden at present, Tho amateur with a well-cafcd-for garden cannot complain of having too much spare time. There is work for every minute of daylight, and tho early part of tho evenins might most profitably be spent in hunting slugs and snails. But hard work in a vegetaole garden seldoms goes unrewarded. Vegetables arc wonderfully responsive, and! Quickly show their appreciation of good treatment. ■ Seedlings that lire well through the ground may have a little superphosphate sprinkled about them. This will be hoed in. and the first shower will carry it to the roots. It is a. quick-acting manure, and gives the plants a good start. Bonedust should be sprinkled in the drills at tho time, of sowing. It is slower in action, aud is therefore a nioro lasting food. Thinning-out should be attended to as soon as the seedliuga aro big enough to handle. Give the rows a good watering as soon as tho thinning-out process is completed. Soot need never be wasted. ' Sprinkled olong the rows of seedlings and hoed iu, it is a valuable fertiliser. Seeds that, may bo sown in tho open, whero necessary, Kadish.—Sow broadcast in rich, firm ground. Carrot.—Short Horn or Intermediate. Sow thinly in drills twelve inches apart. Turnip.—Sow in ground that was richly manured for a previous crop, or iu ground that was manured early in the autumn. Jlako the ground very firm. Sow thinly in drills twelve inches apart. Keep tho ground as moist as possible, and dust soot over the seedlings frequently. Garden Swede.—Same treatment as for turnips. Sow thinly in drills 18 inches apart, and thin out to six or eight inches in the rows. Peas—Sow in drills from two !o three feet apart. Ground should bo trenched aud manured, and should have woodashes mixed with it. Dust bonedust in the drills at the time of sowing. Soak the peas iu warm water for a few hours before sowing. Provide strands of black thread at. the time of sowing, otherwise sparrows will dig ,up and eat the seed. Parsnips.—Sow in ground that was well manured for a previous crop. Work tho soil to a fine tilth for a. depth of 18 inches Any lumps may cause deformed and worthless roots. Work into the soil ashis from a rubbish fire, and bonedust (4oz. to square yard). Onions—Jlako the soil very firm by treading on it before sowing. Do this only when the soil is dry. ■ Sow the Eeed in drills 12 inches apart.

French Beans.—Sow in drills two ' feet apart, and have the seeds six inches apart iu tho rows. Dust boneduet in the drills at the time of sowing, and give a slight dressing of superphosphate as soon as the plants are a couple of inohes high. Beet.—A light sandy soil is tho best for beet. Sow tho seed iu drills 18 inches <ipart in ground that was manured for a previous crop; Fresh manure would bo most harmful to tho roots. The ground should be deeply dug and made firm again before sowing the seed. Dust bouedust iu the drills at the time of sowing. As soon as the seedlings are big enough to handle, thin them out.

Lettuce.—Sow thinly in drills 15 inches apart, and thin out to nine inches in the vows. The ground should be deeply dug and enriched with well-decayed manure. Dust bonedust in the drills at the time of sowing the seed. Vegetables, to be enjoyed, must bo grown auickly. The greatest aids to quick growth are' sufficient moisture and constant hoeing. Wherever soot can be obtained, sprinkle it along the hows and hoe it in. It is one or the finest of fertilisers. Seede of cabbage, savoys, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauiillower should be sown this month. Great care must bo taken to prevent the .seedlings Buffering from drought at any time. I prefer to sow these seeds in seed-pans at all times of the year, as they are then more directly under control and constant supervision. Seeds of pumpkins, .marrows, pie-melons, and encumbers may bo sown in pans ready for planting "out later. If there is no fear of frost iiffeotiiifr the plants, tho seeds may bo put. straight into the beds prepared for them. Keen the hoo at work. Garden Notea'next work will contain seasonable : notes' about:—Routine work, carnations, and vegetables.