GARDENING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 146, 21 June 1924, Page 17

GARDENING NOTES

STORMY WEEK-ENDS

HINDERS SEASONABLE WORK.

(By "Practical.")

The many wet and stormy week-ends which we have experienced lately have caused mnch delay and hindrance to garden work generally. The trouble is felt more particularly in districts where the soil is composed mostly of day, or is of a naturally heavy nature. Such land takes days to dry sufficiently to be worked, even after only one day's rain. Places round the coast where the ground is sandy and light do not experience the same trouble. Sandy ground has a natural drainage, and water gets away almost as soon as it falls, a tact which is not appreciated by gardeners during dry summer weather. Whenever and whereever 'possible, work should be pushed on, as otherwise spring will find many tasks undone which will seriously hinder seasonable work. _ Quite a lot may be done even where the land is heavy without actually getting on to the plots by working the borders and beds from paths. It is the tramping over wet, sodden ground which has such, a disastrous effect upon it. When it is necessary to dig or work such land much of the damage can be avoided by using boards to walk on. The planting of shrubs and trees would be better delayed until the ground is more suitable, while the sowing of seeds of any kind in cold, wet gronnd is a mistake. In most cases the seeds will rot, I which is not only a loss of the seed but also of the labour entailed. Where plants have been received from the nurserymen, and for any reason cannot be planted at once, they should be heeled in to prevent the roots from becoming dried. " . PRUNING AND TRIMMING. Pruning operations should be continued, carefully gathering. up all prunings and"" burning them to avoid the spread of disease. Rhubarb and asparagus beds should be attended to at once, if not already done. Fork over the beds, removing all weeds and decayed leaves and covering with a good dressing cf • strawy stable manure. The old tops of . asparagus : should have been removed some time ago; if they were not the probability is that seeds will have fallen which will germinate in the spring and completely spoil jthe bed. Chrysanthemums having finished flowering should have the ties and stakes removed, and be cut.down to about three inches from the ground, and the soil around them be forked over to encouraee strong young shoots, which ivlll supply plants for next season's blooming. Do not leave the stakes lying abont to rot, store them in some dry place for next year. Michaelmas daisies, dahlias, shastas, delphiniums, and all other tall-growin™ perennials should also be cut down, and, divided, keeping only the best and stronsest growths from the outside of the clumps to be replanted. Usually it is impossible to replant all the young Growths, as they increase very rapidly. It i« a mistake to try a"<"' nliut thpm all.. as this only means crowding them in, with the result that the blooms snfler. Far better to destroy those which are not required, or Better still, hnnd them on to some less fortunate neighbour. Most perennial plants may be increased by division of the roots and repay by better blooms for such division. Whenever opportunity oners seedlines of stocks, wallflowers, nemesias. larkspurs, antirrhinums, linaria, etc., should be planted out. Usually many such snedlines are self-sown in established eardens, and, if planted out now, come away and bloom early. LITTLE-KNOWN FLOWERS. ' Hunnemannia is a plant seldom grown and one which is well worthy of a place i in the garden. It is a perennial and hardy in this district, but is a plant which is very difficult, if not impossible, to move, while tho seeds are very slow of germination. The-flower, which resembles an Echscholtzia. in form, is a clear yellow, with an orange centre, and has the great advantage of lasting well as a' cut bloom for decoration, a purpose for which it is admirably suited, being borne on long stems with light feathery foliage. The plant is particularly well suited for hot, dry situations; in fact, it will not flourish where the ground is at all water-logged. There is a new strain of Iceland poppies, a perennial variety, called "Sunbeam," which is worth trying. The blooms, which may bo had in all the colours of the ordinary Icelands, are much bigger and borne on stouter and longer stems. Although claimed to be perennial, my experience is that the best results are obtained from seedlings every year. One of the chief objections to Iceland poppies as a house decoraiion is that they do not last when picked, but if gathered as soon as the cap lifts, or as soon as they open, and the ends of the stalks are charred over a candle, they will last for four days or longer. Gardens, generally, are very bare of bloom at this season of the year, and it is worth while to note those plants which, will fill in this gap and secure some against next winter. Of course, some of the early narcissi, such as "Paper Whites" and "Soliel de Ors," are blooming, while violets are coming in help to make a change of colour and are -particularly valued just now. Anterrhinums are so easy to grow and give such a> wide range of colours that it is rather surprising more is not made of them. If seed is sown fairly late in the summer and the plants are not allowed to flower then, they will send up flowering spikes in late autumn and winter, and give quite a good account of themselves. Then there is the pretty" Iris Stylosa, with its pale blue flowers, which keep blooming for a month or more, or the white form of the same, I Stylosa Alba. Either of these is worth growing, although unsuitable for catting, except when they can be caught just before they open, when they will last for a- day or two in water. Winter flowering sweet peas, while naturally not so prolific in bloom as the summer ones, should find a place in the garden. Their delicate shades of almost all colours, and their delightful scent, make these flowers general "favourites at all seasons, but particularly during winter. Some of tho heaths, too, should be included. These, when well grown, are a mass of colour, which brightens up the garden wonderfully. Do not forget these do not like lime or superphosphate, and do best on good clean, new soil. One of the most easily grown flowering shrubs is thr. cassia, which at this season of the year, and, in fact, all through the winter, is one mass of gold--en buttercup-like 'flowers, with pretty dark-green foliage. Some other winterflowering shrubs will be dealt with next week.