PLANTS FOR UNFAVOURABLE SITUATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 21624, 20 January 1934, Page 23

PLANTS FOR UNFAVOURABLE SITUATIONS

In most gardens' there are spaces which are not fitted for the growth of the majority of plants which are in favour with amateur growers. There are sometiines places where the soil is naturally very light and poor, and there are others where opposite conditions prevail (Writes “ Lorna.” in the ‘Manawatu Daily Times’). There may be very shady places, and positions much exposed to sun and wind, sometimes rather elevated, where the grower finds great difficulty in ensuring the conditions necessary fo(- the growth and longevity of summer blooming plants generally. Such places—the despair of amateurs as a rule—may be made the happy home for some things that delight in free drainage and much sunshine.

Helianthemums, for instance, rejoice in such conditions. They are apparently independent of moisture in the soil if the roots can go down six inches or more, and they love to come in contact with stones, or anything of a similar naturq. Once established they last for years, and when pruned after each flowering season they do not become over luxuriant. They covet the soil with neat, evergreen foliage, flower profusely, and exhibit much variety of colouring. For covering a sun-baked soil, nothing will give more satisfaction. Alpine wallflowers and the alpine pink (dcltqides), love a warm, well drained soil, and are perfectly happy where it remains dry for weeks. The former -becomes in the course of time, rather leggy, and it is better for transplanting. so that the bare steins are covered. The diaiithus gives no trouble. It seeds so abundantly that young plants come up every year to replace those that through age may die -' out. Thymes are so drought-resisting that they need no care, and grown in the form of spreading masses are very pleasing. The same may be said of the sedums, many of which are tall growing and showy. A collection of semperviviums. too, planted in a way that would fully display their decorative value would form a most interesting feature of the garden. After planting these in natural looking drifts, stones should be inserted here and there among them to prevent frost heaving.