GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 99, 19 January 1918, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.") A LAVENDER GARDEN. There iE such a variety of shades among liiveuder flowers (hat one iiiusL exercise the greatest caro in plaiinuig a lavender garden. There are, of eoursc, several flowers of a pure pale mauve or lavender shade, but to me a garden of flowers of only ono *hade would seem monotonous. It is the arranging and blending of various shade? of one colour that giveß such interest and oliarm to a garden, and when the result iB ono harmonious wholo it is a iplca&urc to all who seo it. Some lavender llowors iia\e a charming tinge of pink, others again have a suggestion of heliotrope or purple. Among flowers that are generally tended pale blue, wo often find some that :iro so lavender-blue in shade that it is difficult to aay definitely which they arc. Among these notably are the Argentine pea, and that lovely little winter ins Stylosa. Among delphiniums, too, many of the pale blue shades might quite easily be put into a lavender bed. Gypsophila 'paniculata is a great addition to almost any garden, but in the lavender one it is indispensable. The lovely softlooking masses of grey-white flowers are never so attractive as when they have pushed their way in among a mass of lavender blooms. Lavender bushes should form the foundation of a lavender bed. for the grev-grecn foliage is always attractive, and makes a charming setting for lavender flowers of every shade. Heginning with early spring, there are primroseß. pale mauve violets, crocuseß, and pale mauve aubrietia. If sweet, peas are sown, about the end of February or the beginning of March, I the plants should flower quite early. Three I good varieties are Lavender George Her- I bert, "R. F. Felton, and Unwin'6 Truo I Lavender. Seed may be sown again at 1 the end of July and again at the end of September_to keep up a succession. Autumn-sown annuals will flower early in October. Among those arc:-Goaetia, Sutton's Double Mauve, an/1 Sutton s Lavender Gem; larkspur, pale mauve; mauve Bohizanthus and schizanthus pinnatus. Among the pale bluo shades of pausies and violas will bo found some that are lavender-blue. If the Feed is sown during February , or March, the .plants will be ready to bed out early iu the spnug. During late spring and early summor the following plants would make «i good show in tho lavender garden;— Argentine pea (Lathyrus Pubesceus), Bweet peas, godetia, larkspur, pansies, violas, sohizanthus, seabiosa CaucaSica-, and. sweet scabious (mauve shades). During November, December, and January Canterbury bells (pale mauve); carnations, Lavender _ Sensation (perpetual flowering carnation), aud Greyhound (border carnation): delphinum; erigeron,. speciosus mid Lavender Lady; eryngium planum; Javcnder; heliotrope, palo shades; pale mauve'vemophila; phlox drummoiidii, Sutton's Mauve Beauty; : scabiosa Oaucasica; sweet scabious; sta--1 tice, einuata (annual) and latifolia (per* ennial); gladioli. Maiaie and Lucy Allen; . and sweet sulta-n. Daring February and March Asters; cactus dahlias, Grespy and Clincher; statice; sweet sultan; perennial phlox, Esclarmonde; spring-sown annuals such as sweet scabious, larkspur, godetia; pansies and violas; coBmos; heliotrope: erigeron. During the end of autumn and early in winter Michaelmas daisies and chrysanthemums would bo added to the list. By careful shading, chrysanthemums may be carried well on into the winter, when irih 6tyiosa and pale mauve violets would ba in flower. Lobelia, Sutton's Azure Blufk is so nearly lavender in shade that it could bo used to make a oharming edgingfor tho laven der garden. . A deeper shade of mauve may be introduced to the garden by using stock, Qnoen Alexandra. The colour is glorious rony lilac, and blends well with many shades of paler mauve. Some of the new dwarf lilacs, too. might, easily bo -added to the bed. One of their great charms is that, unlike the old varieties, they nower the first year they arc sown.

LIST OF PLANTS. Violets, Marie Louise (double lavender), and May Jackson (single). Sweet, peas, La.vender George Herbert, R. F. Felton, and Unwin's True Lavender. Rodetiu, Sutton's Double Mauve, Sutton's Lavender Gem. Argentine pea. Lnthyrus Fubescens. Carnations. Lavender Sensation; and Greyhound. - Erigeron, spcciosus and Lavender Lady. Phlox drummondil, Sutton's Mauve Beauty. Perennial Phlox, Esclarmonde. Petunia, Lady Beatrice.'.' ~ , „ llliohaclmas daißy, William - Marshall,Diana, and E. G. Lowe. Cnctnd dahlias, Crespy and Olinchcr. Chrysanthemums, C. S. Jubilee, Mrs. Barkley. Statice. sinuata and latifolia. Gladioli. Maisle and Lucy Allen. Stock, On 60 ! 1 Alexandra.

BRTNOIKM ri-AITOM. Eryngium planum ie one of the handsomest of the sea. hollies. The big round flower-heads. and sterns arc . a beautiful shado of pale blue, which is bo nearly lavender that the plant is entitled to a place in the lavender garden. The plants are most showy in the garden, and the glorious blite heads of bloom raako splendid cut flowers. Erynginm planum has two other desirable o.ualities- it is perennial. and it is extremely hardy. VEGETABLES. OEI/EIiY. Celery seedlings may still bQ planted out. The young plants. should be kept shaded from hot sun for a few dgys. They must be watered, every evening, anil should have their leaves sprayed with water both morning .ind evening. Plants that am already established need plenty of water also, and as soon as they begin to grow, very .-weak liquid manure should bo app'ied once ajveek. The strength of the manure may be increased as the plantß grow bigger. Quarter of an ounce of nitrato of soda m one gallon of water and soot water may be used for celery alternately onco a WCek ' ' ONIONS. As soon as the bulbs aro well, grown bend over tho haulm at the neck ana tread it firmly down. This will cause the bulbs to swell still further- and mature In bending down the haulm caro must bo taken to do it thoroughly, as otherwise new growth may set in and Bnoil the onions. Anothor :poi_nt to be considered is tie time for benamg down the haulm. If done too *oon, that is before the onions ale fully grown, new growth will spring up frojji the necks and so ruin the crop. As. soon aB the haulm is withered, the onions may bo lifted and spread out in a coo. dry placo to dry, before being stored away. ■ FRENCH BEANS. TVhere French beans aro being sown during the hot weather of January and February, the ground should be specially •prepaxed. Plenty c£ vegetation, either greon or half-.rottcd, should be buried about a foot beneath the surface of the soil, and it should be thoroughly vatefed before the top soil is returned to place. The plants should be thinned out to about one foot apavt as_ soon as they are up. Steady growth _ should be encouiaged by constant hoeing. As soon as the flowers appeal, give tho ground about the plants a good soaking with clear water, and follow this up with liquid manure (soz. nitrate of soda._m 1 gallon water) As soon as the ground is dry enough, daily hoeing should be continued until the next weekly watering and feeding. Plants so treated will bear fruit freely during the hottest and driest weather' ■ WINTER GREENS. Winter trreens may still be planted out beTween the rows of late potatoes or in ground that has become vacant. If tho ground was well manured in the winter, no more manuring is necessary, but to soil should be well forked over and then made firm again by treading upon it. When planting, the soil should be niade verv firm about the roots, and a good watering should be given. . If kerosene ting are out in half and inverted over newly-planted . oabbages. etc., they will shade them, from th .® nlantß keen the soil moist till the pianxß make a start. If the ■ plants aie being put out on a. piece of unoccupied eronnd it is a good plan, at this time of the'year to plant them in shallow when tho plants are being watered the water can be confined to the trenches, instead of being spread all over the ground. As soon as-tlio dry weather is over the plants can be c "^ cd up ' Cabbapes, broccoli, etc.. tnat are in tended for the winter, mußt not be allowed to suffer from dryness at the roots, or tlicv will bolt. As soon as the young ■plants "begin to mako new growth a very little nitrato of soda may be given to them to give them a good start. Begin with Jo* In 1 gallon water, an* anjjy it n-hsn the soil is thoroughly wet. The nuantity may then be 'gradually increased to loz. in 1 irallnn water. Hoe a- little every day. Garden notes next week will contain seasonable note* about: Roses, routine work, and vegetables.