GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 70, 15 December 1928, Page 32

GARDEN NOTES

(By

"Kowhai.”)

DWARF POLYANTHA ROSES. Everyone is familiar with the climbing polyantha rose, Dorothy I’erkins, wuich rambles over pergolas, arches, and fences, covering them early in summer with btg clusters of sweetly-scented pink flowers, but it is only now that the "bush” rose with similar clusters is creeping into favour. Gardeners are beginning to realise its possibilities for bedding, for it grows only about 2j feet in height, and flowers throughout the summer and autumn months. The flowers are intensely gay, for they are every shade of pink and red, and a bed of these roses when in flower has the same fresh charm as a bed of antirrhinums. Beds of the dwarf polyantha rose “Orleans” have been familiar in botanical gardens for some years, but it is only now that there are many charming additions to the type that dwarf polyanthas are becoming popular in private gardens in New Zealand. To be seen at their best, these roses must be massed in a bed. planted in groups on the edge of a shrubbery or in a herbaceous border, or planted in a row in a narrow bed along a hedge or house, for they give a sheet of glorious colour. The plants have a bushy habit, and the stems are clothed with soft green foliage right to the ground. They should be planted about two. feet apart, in welldug soil. Provided dead flower heads are cut off promptly, they keep up a continuous supply of bloom for several months. Among varieties are the following: Orleans Rose, bright, pink ; Corrie Koster, salmon pink; Ideal, rich dark red; Miss Edith Cavell, bright red; Orange King, orange red; Ellen Poulsen, large clear rose pink flowers; Bonnie Jean, bright crimson, golden salmon; ftutus, pure crimson. LITHOSPERMUMS. Lithospermum prostratum Is one of the loveliest of hardy rock garden plants, tor It spreads over a flat rock or down a slope, and during spring is a sheet of vivid gentian blue. , . It is easily propogated from cuttings, which may be taken now. The best are young shoots that have not flowered. It they are planted firmly in sanfly soil in a semi-shaded position and kept moist, they will very soon form roots, and by the autumn will be nice little plants ready for moving into the rock garden. The soil for them should be a rich light loam. One point to remember in their cultivation is that they do not like lime, and will not thrive where it is present in the soil. Now that flowering is practically over, the plants like to be top-dressed with a little gritty fibrous loam. It should be worked in among the growths, and loose growths should be pegged down. It gives plants a fresh start, and they then keep on flowering a little all through the summer. BROOMS. That gay yellow broom, Fragrans. is making such wonderful splashes of colour in some of the drj’ hillside gardens about Wellington just now, that one cannot help wishing that more of it be grown. It, in common with all brooms, is easily raised from seed, and the seedlings come on quickly. Indeed, with brooms it is much better to move them while they are seedlings. Older plants do not stand transplanting so well. Seeds may be sown out of doors at any time now. They should be sown thinly in drills in light sandy soil. If water is poured into the drills first, and if the seeds are afterwards firmly covered with the merest sprinkling of soil, germination is generally very successful. Among varieties generally grown in New Zealand are the white broom, Andreana, with brown and yellow flowers, Fragrans. and Gracilis (late winter flowering). Besides these there are many lovely varieties, and by sending for, and growing them from seed, one not only gets a bigger selection, but also has a large number of plants to use for massed effects. Brooms are very easily grown, standing drought and wind well, and as they add wonderful colour to a garden or shrubbery they should be freely used. DOUBLE DAISIES. Double daisies make very attractive edgings in the spring garden, especially now that we can get plants with flowers as large as a penny. The two most popular are the ones with red and with pink flowers. Besides being used for edgings, these daisies are very charming for massing in odd corners. It is a mistake to leave the plants in the same place year after year. They should be lifted now that flowering is over, and broken up into separate crowns. If these are planted in sandy soil in a spare, and if possible shady, part of the garden, they will grow into fine plants, and will bo ready for planting out as edgings again at the end of the autumn. They should not be neglected during summer, but should be given occasional good waterings, and kept free from weeds. Where they have been lifted, a border of phlox drummondli,. ageratum, lobelia, or blue nemesia may be planted, or seeds of dwarf nasturtiums sown. VEGETABLES. Where early potatoes have been lifted, such winter vegetables as Brussels sprouts and leeks may be planted out. Brussels sprouts like deeply-dug, rich ground, but this does not necessarily mean heavily manured ground. If seedlings are planted out on heavily manured ground, there is a tendency to rank growth in the plants, and soft Instead.. of firm buttons. Soil »;nat was well dug and enriched for potatoes is quite suitable. It need only be torked over, after the potatoes are lifted, and made firm. The' seedlings should be well watered in, and when the water has drained away, should have a little drv soil drawn firmly about them. They seldom wilt after being planted in such a way. During summer the hoe should be kept at work, between the rows, so that a tine powdery surface-may be kept about the plants, and occasionally a thorough watering should be given. If there is any trace of aphis or red spider on the plants, they should.be thoroughly and rather forcibly washed with the hose, Leeks, too, may be. planted out. on ground where potatoes hove just been lifted. They, too,- should not be grown on heavily-manured ground, for most people like a medium-sized, tender leek in preference to the huge coarse leek that is so typical of shows. If leeks are-grown steadily on ground that was well prepared for a previous crop of potatoes, feeding by means of liquid manure can be glveu when the plants are ready for it. Where seeds of carrots, onions, sweet corns, or peas are to be sown during the next few weeks, germination will be much better and surer if water is poured into the drills some time before sowing. After sowing, dry soil is drawn over the seeds, and this has the effect of. peeping the moisture down with the seeds, thus causing them to germinate quickly. Peas, beans, and sweet corn should be soaked before being sown. .. Pinch out all laterals from tomato plants. Keep the plants well staked, and the soil about them well hoed. Tomato plants do not like to be dry, and yet they do not like too much watering. If an occasional thorough watering Is glveu, and then the hoe used frequently, the plants are much n)ore likely to be satisfactory. Feeding should not start until the first bunch of flowers has set.