GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 117, 9 February 1924, Page 24

GARDEN NOTES

ANEMONES. Although anemones arc generally classed as spring-flowering plants, they are, with us, really winter as well as spring-flowering. In established beds the plants are already sending up their first tender leaves, and, with care, should begin sending up their flower buds towards the end of April. From then until well into the spring, well cared for, well fed plants should produce a constant succession of blooms, and this makes anemones one of tho most important .crops cf the year. Once growth has started, one of the worst tilings that could happen to them is that they should beoome thoroughly dry at the roots, for the check they receive then seriously affects the flowering. It is a safe plan, therefore, tO' thoroughly water the beds now, and then to cover them with a light mulch of well decayed manure or vegetable rubbish. This will protect the plants during any dry weather that wo are likely to have during the autumn. Wherever it is possible use manure for this mulch, hut if vegetable rubbish is to be i sed, first prick in a dressing of Louedust or blood and bonedust mixed. The best soil for anemones is a light rich one, provided the plants are never allowed to suffer from drought during their.growing season. Heavy soils should be very deeply dug, and if'animal manure is obtainable a good, quantity of well rotted stuff may go into the second spit. If animal manure cannot be had, then veil decayed vegetable rubbish must be dug in. To the top soil add decayed horse manure or vegetable rubbish, coarse river sand and bonedust (4oz. to the square ■yard). One of the secrets of success is to plant fresh bulbs ivery year, preferably fiom seed sown in the preceding spring. Anpmones Lave an intense dislike to draughts ami frosts: therefore they should he planted whom trees or shrubs shade and shelter them without overshadowing them. Bulbs and seedling plants should be put in now without delay. WINTER ACONITES. These charming little flowers appear towards the end of the winter. The bulbs should bo planted in drifts or colonies, in shady parts cf the garden, and should be about an inch deep. Give them plenty of sand in tho soil, and some well decayed cegetable rubbish, and they will do. well. The gay little yellow flowers, until their collars of green, brighten up many a shadv spot at a time when we need all the brightness we can get. CHIONODOXA. While the soil is still cold and chilly, early spring winds sweep through tho garden, the lovely blue flowers of glory of the snow (chionodoxa) make wonderfully attractive pictures, whether they aro clustered among rocks in ,the rock garden or massed along the edge of tho herbaceous border. Tho bulbs do equally well in a light or in a heavy soil, but they like to be planted fairly deep, six inches not being too deep in a light soil. The bulbs increase very slowly by offsets, but seeds are freely produced and < asily germinated. They may be sown in the open garden as soon as -they are ripe. FREESIAS. Towards the end of the wintet we begin to look forward to these most fragrant and useful flowers. When the bulbs are given the conditions they like they reward tho grower with a wealth of long-stemmed flowers that are a perfect joy, both for, picking and for tho garden. Tho soil for early flowering must be well drained, for soil that holds too much moisture during tho winter is cold. Therefore the freesia patch should be well and deeply dug, and a good quantity of decayed vegetable rubbish should bo buried about a foot below the surface of the soil. As soon as .the bulbs are planted a thin layer of well rotted manure should be spread over the surface soil. Once growth begins, freesias must not be allowed to suffer ironi ,drought, for though they love welldrained soil, they like sufficient moisture. A certain amount <f shelter also is needed, as exposure to cold wind checks growth and causes the stalks to be short. The hybrid freesias (flower a little later than tho old freesias, refracta alba, but except in very favoured situations I have not found them very satisfactory out of doors. For a cool greenhouse, however, for late winter and early spring decoration nothing can bo more churning than pots of hybrid freesias massed in their separate colours. During the coming week gardeners should attend to two important crops —anemones for winter flowering and freesias for early spring flowering. Both have a long season of flowering,