GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 30

GARDEN NOTES

(By

"Kowhai.”)

ATTRACTIVE BLUE FLOWERS. There is always a demand for blue flowers, and yet many hardy and very attractive ones are rarely seen in gardens. Delphiniums, hydrangeas, flag irises, Spanish irises, companulas, grape hyacinths, Argentine pea, and such annuals as nigella, larkspurs, Canterbury bells, and lobelia, one is' sure of finding in almost every garden, but there are many other lovely blue flowers that arc worth growing, too. . Now that gardens are being put in order for the coming year there is a chance to plant some of them. A very useful one is Ajuga metallica crispa. It has rosettes of purple, nicelycrinkled leaves, and from these spikes of sky-blue flowers shoot up. Ajuga sends out runners in the same way that a strawberry plant does, and at the end of each runner a new plant is formed, which pegs itself to the ground with strong fibrous roots. Strictly a rock-gdrden plant, it is almost too rampant in its growth for a rock garden. For planting in crevices in a dry rock wall, however, it is very useful, for it creeps among and over the rocks, covering their bareness very quickly. Ajuga will grow iu a sunny or a shady place, and owing to its habit of sending out runners in all directions, soon covers an ugly little clay bank, and also helps to hold the soil in place. Another creeping plant is Ompholodes verna, often called the creeping forget-me-not.. It may be planted in a pocket in a rockery, or used as an edging to a flower border. In spring the plants become covered with sprays of dainty blue forget-me-not flowers. Ompholodes likes rich, silty soil, and a sheltered, semi-shaded position. Very much like a forget-me-not, too, is Cynoglossum. It sends up . branching steins two feet in height, which become simply covered with clear blue flowers like forget-me-nots. Indeed, it is often spoken of as a giant forget-me-not. Several plants grouped in a mixed border make a wonderful show. Any well-dug soil suits cynoglossums, and they will grow in sun or in semi-shade.

Another plant of the giant forget-me-not type is Anchusa. Anchusas are wonderfully attractive, for the flower steins are tall, and well-branched, and the flowers are a glorious rich deep blue. The plants are very hardy, growing well in any deeply-dug soil. They are at their best, however, in soil that is rich in humus. Both anchusas and cynogiossums are delightful when grown in a bed. •with Orange King Calendulas. Lithosperniuni prostratum, although a rock-garden plant, is too lovely to be excluded from a garden just because there may not be .a rockery to plant it in. In the rock garden It appends a thick mat over a flat rock, and in spring it is absolutely covered with royal blue flowers. It grows happily on the edge of a dry. rock wall, and be used as an edging for a bod that is slightly raised. If, the only place that can be found for it is a flat bed, it Is always possible to push a good flat stone into the soil beside it for it to creep over. This raises it, and saves it from being smothered by neighbouring plants. _ Lithospermum likes rich, silty soil free from lime, and a sunny position. Nierembcrgia “Deep Blue’’ is an absolute gem. The plant sends up a number of slender stems which boar a profusion of bright blue flowers much after the stylo of linuin perenne. The plant is very hardy, •growing well in a sunny place in deeplydug soil. t Polia pratensis is an exceedingly attractive bulbous plant. The blooms are like a tigridia. and are a glorious shade of blue. It should be planted in groups near the front of a bed, and the soil should be well worked. Among rock garden veronicas are two that: may be grown in an ordinary bed. These are vernica prostrata, and veronica spicata. Both have slender spikes of glorious blue flowers. Prostrata spreads over the ground, but spicata has upright. Slender stems. The latter makes a very charming edging. ' ■ • . t Double periwinkle (vinca) is very pretty for growing on the edge of a wall or low’ rock bank. For flowering during winter, Agathaea collestis (blue Marguerite) is very useful. The little daisy-like, clear blue flowers, on their stiff stems, simply cover the bushes, and arc very cheering on dull winter days. A sunny, well-sheltered position, and’ well-dug soil are the requirements of ag&thaea. Once, a year, after the winter flowering is over, the bushes should be trimmed hard back, and some bone-dust should be worked in round the plants. Agatliaea and iris stylosa are two plants that may be depended upon to give flowers during winter. . Another plant with daisy-like flowers is Catananche. The flowers, which are a lovely shade of blue, are borne on long wiry stems, and are everlasting. Although they like a fairly sunny position. the plants do not like too dry. a soil. A heavy soil that has been well worked seems to giiit them, and the presence ot hear, but not overcrowding, neighbours. The sea hollies (Eryngiunis). with their metallic blue flowers, are always attractive, and they are exceedingly hardy, growing well in seaside, as well as other gardens. The soil should be deeply dug, for the plants send down long tap roots. Sea hollies arc most effective when they are planted in bold groups, when their prickly foliage, and flat thistle-like blue flower heads arc very striking.

The plumbagos are hardy out of doors as long as they are sheltered from frost. Plumbago capensis is useful for filling a dry sunny corner'Whore few other things will grow, and in such a position, where the soil about, them is nearly always dry. the plants seldom feel the effects of . frost. When first planted they need watering, but once established they grow rapidly and flower freely. The clusters of lovely pale blue flowers are out. just. now. and wellgrown bushes are very charming. They flower lyrain in the spring, and after that flowering the bushes should, be cut hard back. Plumbago larnenfae is more for growing in rock gardens or on banks, for the habit, of the plant is spreading. The flowers are exquisite, for they, are rich royal blue. VEGETABLES. Tn the vegetable garden crops are being clean’d away, one after another. French beans, peas, scarlet runners are all coming to the end of their season, main cYop potatoes are being lifted, marrows and pumpkins are being cut as they ripen, and stored, and onions am b'fing dried ready for stringing for the winter. Tomatoes should be given every chance to ripen, and leeks and celery must bo fed regularly and earthed up by degrees. Earthing up should not begin until the plants are fully grown. Every week marks more emuty spaces in the vegetable garden, for there are not many crops to he sown just no\y. Small sowings of pens, carrots, broad beans, silver knot, and s’dnnaHi mav be made, and cabbages mav lie planted. After the steady cropping of the ground all through the summer uinnths. the soil must necessarily be impoverished, for vegetables take a tremendous lot out of it. Now. however.’ the chance may be taken to trench deeply, to break nn and aerate the soil, and to begin working in ni:V n Hals that will provide future crons with a food simply of the all-imnortanf hnnins There should bp no waste. F—tvtimin’ that will rot'down should bn dn ,r in: Hip rest rhouhl burned to nrovido ash (o rn’* A jn to »lr surfeno soil. Where mln”'* manure is not being duir in. lime s’’ou*d bp cn” s ’»ktnd frpplv over the ground. It is nn to ,o avo the ground roi« ,, h for a week or two. so that lime, w’nd. and rain mav break nd the soil. Aftorw»rds some cron mav bp sowh to be luriied In ns green manure. Those who are using nvnmre at nreseet wUI use lime towards the end of the winter.