GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 52, 24 November 1928, Page 32

GARDEN NOTES

By

Kowhal.

BEARDED IRISES. The November garden has always been ■well supplied with irises, for English, 'Spanish, and Dutch irises all open their flowers early In the month, and the lovely patches of blue, yellow, and bronze are familiar sights in the herbaceous borders. Water irises, blue, yellow, and white, are out at the same time, and towards the end of the month Japanese irises are in full bloom.

And now, in addition, bearded Irises are becoming so popular that bold groups and long sweeps of these wonderful flowers are becoming a feature- of every well-stocked garden. The old blue flag iris has always been popular, but the newer varieties are every shade of blue from the palest to the richest and deepest, heliotrope, soft pink, yellow, wine, and crimson-maroon. Some are selfs; others have standards of one colour and falls’ of another., AU are absolutely lovely. Anyone who can give them a sunny place fairly sheltered from wind, can grow bearded irises well. The soil should be deeply dug and well-drained, but not over rich. A good dressing of lime should be given in the autumn, and a little superphosphate may be pricked in in the spring. The < varieties: are so many, and all are so beautiful that it is difficult to make a choice. But from the great mass in the nursery, the following are a few that are beautiful and within the reach of every gardener: Alcazar, a strong grower and good bloomer, has light bronzy violet standards, and deep velvety purple falls. Blue Jay has intense bright blue flowers, and is wonderful when massed.

Caprice has rosy-claret flowers. Crusader has very large flowers, with clear blue standards, and deep violet blue falls.

Ed. Michel has deep wine-red flowers. Eldorado-is a striking colour. The standards are yellowish-bronze, shaded with heliotrope, and the fails bright violet purple. Fro has bright yellow standards, and bright reddish brown falls. Iris King has old gold standards and rich velvety crimson-maroon falls. Mrs. Cowley has coppery-buff standards and rieh rosy-purple falls. Romany has pale yellow standards, and bright red falls. For those who care to pay a higher price, the following are splendid: Ann Page, Aurelle. Citronella, Dominion, Imperator. J. B. Dumas. Souvenir de Madame Gaudichan, Susan Bliss, Boarded irises, with their wonderfully rich and varied colourings lend themselves so readily to grouping that, with a nursery full to choose from, and. I took the chance of arranging a few groups. In each group the tallest varieties are named first. 1. Monsignor, Quaker Lady, Mrs. Cowley.

2. Quaker Lady, Mithras. 3. Souvenir de Madame Gaudichau, Lady Foster.

4. Suvenir de Madame Gaudiehau, Sieminole, Mrs. Cowley. 5. Isolene, Mrs.- Cowley. 6. Rodney, Canary Bird.

7. J. B. Dumas, Lady Foster. 8. Neptune, J. B. Dumas. 9. Mrs. Cowley, Iris King. 10. Rodney, Diadem, Harmony. 11. Harmony, Eldorado. 12. Rodney, Susan Bliss, Harmony, Mrs. Cowley. Unfortunately there is not room tn this article'for a description of the colours of the flowers of the groups, but this may be bad from a catalogue. It Is well worth the while of anyone who is keenly interested,- too, to visit during this month a nursery where Bearded Irises are grown, or to make a point of seeing the blooms at flower shows. LUPINS. ■Well-established clumps of lupins make a wonderful background for bearded irises, and where both are grown herbaceous borders are looking very attractive just now. Modern lupins have flowers of every shade of blue, from very pale blue to deep dark blue, and good shades of pink, maize, and yellow. Once.the plants are established, tall spikes of bloom come up year after year, and the flowering season is a long one. If seeds are sown now, the plants will flower at this time next year. Any soli suits them as long as it has been deeply dug, but there is no ■ doubt that they revel in a soil rich in humus. The position for them should be open and rather sunny. To get the best effect, several plants should be massed. ICELAND POPPIES. Iceland poppies are making a brave show just now, and the blooms are so exquisite and so valuable for cutting that the plants should be well looked after. If the flowers can be picked every day, or every second day, the plants will go on flowering for a very long time. Every day fresh buds open to take the place of the flowers of the day before, and to keep up a succession of strong large blooms regular feeding, watering, and soil-stirring are necessary. Towards evening the plants love to have the hose send a soft mist over them, and after they have been thoroughly refreshed by that, a dose of weak liquid manure made from cow manure and soot, or even soot . water, may be given once a week. Every morning, after the flowers have been picked, the soil should be lightly pricked over. It takes only a minute or two if regularly done, and it means a very great deal to the hardworking plants.

Keep roses well looked after and they will reward you with a constant succession of blooms. Wash them regularly with the hose to keep down greenfly, and to keep the bushes clean and free from dust. All dead blooms should be removed, and a good length of stem cut away with them. If also the bushes are given liquid manure at regular intervals, it is surprising how quickly new growth is formed, and new flower buds appear. Soot water Is one of the safest and most perfect of liquid manures for roses. It may be given once a fortnight all through the flowering season, and should be given after a watering. Liquid manure made from cow manure and soot is good also, but should be used weak. Sulphate of ammonia dessolved in water, at the rate of Joz. to 1 gallon of water, may be used when the plants need “bucking up” after hard flowering. Nitrate of soda In the same proportion Is also used, but it should be given sparingly. Cleanliness, sufficient watering, moderate feeding, and constant stirring of the soil

are what are needed to keep rose bushes healthy and free-flowering. VEGETABLES. Thin out seedling carrots, onions, parsnips, beet, and turnips. Water the rows before thinning so that the seedlings may be easily pulled out, and water again afterwards to settle the soil round the remaining seedlings. Sow scarlet runner beans. Sow French beans and peas for succession. Plant out celery and leeks. Keep tomatoes growing up-right by careful stalking, pinch out side growths, and keep the soil about the plants well forked over. Don't begin feeding until the first bunch of flowers has set. Lettuces, cabbages, silver beet, and spinach should have nitrate of soda (J oz. in 1 gallon water) once a week after a good watering. If carrots, beet, and onions can be given an occasional dose of liquid manure made from cow manure and soot, after a good watering, it brings the crops along quickly. The manure should be given very weak. Hoe between the rows of potatoes frequently, and earth up gradually. Before each earthing-up, sprinkle a little superphosphate along the rows, and lightly water it in. Then earth up while the soil is Just, moist but not wet. Cabbages and cauliflowers need thorough hosing to keep away greenfly and caterpillars. Dust lime around their roots occasionally. and hoe it In. Cabbages, especially, use a lot of lime, and soon roll the soil of it. The soil cakes very quickly just now, and must be frequently hoed or forked oven