GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 264, 3 August 1929, Page 30

GARDEN NOTES

(Ry

“Kowhai.”)

SPRING FLOWERS. Many of the spring flowers are late this year, tor almost throughout July the weather was wet and cold. For several weeks violets have been making brave attempts to open their Howers, but most of them have only opened railway, and they have kept well down in the shelter of the leaves. It needs only a lew days of warm sunshine, however, to bring these fragrant flowers on with a rush. In the meantime the plants may be given a little help. Faded leaves should be removed. and any weeds promptly pulled out. It is best to pick all flowers that open at all, for if left they take some strength from the plants. A little weak soot water, or very weak liquid manure, may be given once a week, as soon as the plants begin to flower freely. In sheltered nooks primroses and polyanthus primroses are opening. The most forward ones are. as a rule, from plants that are growing among taller plants, which shut out cold winds. Primroses can, and do, flower in a place that gets no winter sun. but if the plants are exposed to cold winds, the flower buds keep down among the leaves, refusing to push up until conditions are more genial. A very little sulphate of ammonia sprinkled round the plants just now helps them to start into more vigorous growth. Onee they are flowering well, weak soot water may be given once a week. Hyacinths are pushing up their flowering spikes, and here and there a grape hyacinth (muscari) is in bloom. Slugs soon find these tender tips, and unless a watch is kept, nibble them as they push through the soil.

Some of the violas have been flowering all through the winter; others will soon be opening their gay flowers. Slugs are very fond of these, too, and one has to be on the alert to guard the blooms. During the day slugs hide under the plants, generally just under the surface of the soil, and If the foliage is lifted and the surface lightly pricked over, the pest is often brought to light. A springiing of some ripe soot, or some powdered alum under the foliage helps to keep away slugs, but hand-picking at night is the surest way of getting rid of them. Double daisies are now a feature of nearly every spring garden. The flowers of up-to-date plants are very large, and are nice for picking. The colours are rosy red, deep rose, pale pink, and white. Besides their usefulness as edging plants, they are splendid for massing in all sorts of odd corners —even shady ones. They may be used to fill the ground beside summer-flowering things that have been cut back for the winter, under deciduous shrubs such as forsythias and weigellas, and in lots of little places that would otherwise be bare during early spring. Later they may be lifted, broken up Into single crowns, and planted in a row tn some out-of-the-way place that gets very little summer sun. Any soil suits these double daisies, provided it has been well dug. Forget-me-nots are showing little bits of colour, and in a very short time each plant should be a sheet of blue. Wallflowers, too, are showing colour here and there, but the only plants that have made good growth so far are those that were planted out early in the autumn. Keep the soij about them well stirred, and work In a little lime from time to time. As the plants grow, a short strong stake should be driven In for each one, for they become top-heavy as they approach their flowering time.

Narcissi are in various stages. They should bo kept well weeded, and should have the soil about them stirred frequently. In sheltered gardens where the soil is well drained, anemones are pushing up their flower buds. A little weak soot water given once a week Is a help to the plants just now. They dislike chilly winds blowing through them, and where this happens a little screen of manuka brush, or some such thing, should be put up temporarily to shield them.

Doronicums may be given a little soot water occasionally. It is only in very favoured gardens that freesias are showing buds. Once the weather becomes a little warmer, however, the fragrant flowers will open quickly. A very little dry fish or fowl manure may be sprinkled along the rows and forked in. In most gardens daphne bushes arc lovely just now. A little weak liquid manure, preferably that made from cow manure. may be given to them. As soon as warm weather sets in. a mulch should be spread round the roots, for daphnes must have a cool root run, and during summer watering should be attended to. Japonicas are showing colour, and very soon the bushes will be covered with the lovely flowers. Early plums, too, such as primus muine 4 are showing colour in their buds., and it needs only a few warm days for the plants to become covered with the dainty flowers. The long, bare stems of kerrla japonica are covered with golden flowers. They are late this year, but the weather has evidently been too wet for the plants. That lovely late-winter huddlela, sialvifolia, too, is only just opening its fragrant flowers. The buds have been read.v for

many weeks, but it is only during the last tew flays that they have begun to open. The buda on flowering currants are beginning to push out, and on flowering almonds some of them are showing just a tinge of pink. Flowers have been scarce for many weeks, but in a very short time now all the lovely dainty flowers of spring will be unfolding, and gardens big and small will once more be full of attraction. FLOWERING ALMONDS. The almonds flower very early, and already clusters of buds, right up the bare stems, are showing just a trace of colour. One of the earliest is Pollardi. It grows very quickly, and even young trees become simply covered with blossom. The flowers are large, and deep rose In colour. Another very attractive almond is Lady Lyle, also with large flowers, but they are paler In colour. A very delightful flowering peach that is well worth growing is Prunus Davldiana rubra. The white variety, alba, is well known as David’s peach, and. early in spring the tree becomes simply covered with snow-white blossonis. Davidiana rubra has deep pink flowers, and as it flowers very early is likely to lie one of the most popular of flowering fruit trees. Nurserymen have fine big plants of these newer flowering fruit trees, and those that are planted now should make fine specimens for next spring. , ~ Any well-dug soil suits them, and they appreciate a supply of lime, but they should not be planted where they are exposed to severe wind in their enrly stages, for the stems are very brittle. JAPANESE MAPLES. Where gorgeous colouring is wanted in the autumn Japanese maples should be planted. Indeed the trees, with their linely-eut leaves and bright colouring, are always beautiful, and a few good specimens add very much to the .charm ot well-planted grounds. But it is hopeless to plant them in exposed positions, for they must have protection from severe wind, and they should be where the early morning sun does not reach them. VEGETABLES. A small sowing of lettuce seed may be made in seed boxes in readiness for the cariv spring planting. A well-ilrained sunny part ot the garden should be chosen for spring lettuces. Dig tlie soil verv thoroughly now, so that it may have time to settle before the seedlings are put out. PEAS. A good sowing of peas may be made at any time now. Make this sowing in a part of the garden that lias been trenched and manured this winter, or where a green crop lias been turned in. If possible add ashes from the rubbish fire to tlie soil. A little bonedust may be put in the drills with the seed. To protect the seed from birds, soak it in kerosene for a couple of hours before sowing. After sowing stretch strands of black cotton along the drills. BROAD BEANS. ' Plants from an early sowing are in bud, aud as soon as pods begin to appear the tops may be pinched off. The plants must be kept upright by careful staking, and the stakes must be strong. Another small sowing may be made as soon as the seedlings from the most recent one are a few inches high. Keep the soil between tlie rows of vegetables well stirred, and free from weeds.