GARDEN NOTES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 March 1925, Page 4

GARDEN NOTES.

Take advantage of autumn showers, and make sowings of early horn carrot, cabbage, cauliflower,, spinach, lettuce, turnip, and parsnip. Earth up celery and leeks and plant strawberry beds. Lift onions as they ripen off and store, also burn all refuse, not fit for the compost heap, and apply the ashes as a top dressing to the soil. Colour’ In The Garden. One of the chief attractions of the March garden is the dahlias. Handsome blooms of sunset, autumn tints, and king of autumn (paeony types) are to be seen with their glorious colouring. Group of cactus dahlias, varieties such as kingfisher, pierrot, pearl, champion boaufort-boauty, and yoeman making a lovely display, with clumps of dainty singles and collarettes. The large decorative types with stiff upright stems arc very suitable for the background,, adding an air of distinction. Massed effects of the perennial tree phlox are at their best, dazzling the eye with their vivid colouring. Delphiniums are adding soft tones of blue to the borders, with noble spikes of lilium auratum in the background. Beds of annuals freshered by recent showers, have acquired an added brilliance, while handsome stately sunflowers arc to be seen in the old well known yellow variety, and the more attractive bi-colour species. The latter provide numerous dark and red and brown bronzy tinted blooms. Hawthorn or quick hedges are bright with beautiful red berries, while those of borberis aquifohum ar e a picture with glossy green foliage and lovely berries of a bluish colour with the “bloom” the colour of wild grapes clinging to them. It may not be generally known that these Continue sowings of hardy annuals, and perennials,, also sweet peas. Plant hemerocallia or day lily, hyacinths, germania, or bearded flag irises, morphixia paniculata,, a dwarf ixia like plant with soft red tubular flowers, lachenalia (cape cowslips) dwarf spring flowering bulbs with long spikes of tubular bells. Plant clumps of lily of the valley (convallaria majalis) 'in partial shade, divide primroses where necessary and violets. Disbud dahlias if large blooms are wanted. In The Vegetable Garden.

berries have a practical use, if gather, ed and made into jelly. The result is a delicious jelly somewhat tart, bul of very fine flavour. The berries ol berberis reports may be used in the same way, but its variety is not so generally known hero, its habit of growth is decidedly straggly, growing close to the ground. Interesting comparisons are often made among gardeners,, as to the most suitable method of laying out gardens. But in all cases much attention should be paid in endeavouring to make the grounds harmonize with the house, both regarding' position and the views to be obtained from windows. Even in dealing with the smallest villa, each feature of the garden should be considered, in its relation to the residence. Interesting adaptations of the Japanese style of gardening are often to be seen nowadays. In the land of the rising sun the laying ont of a garden is controlled by certain fixed rules and laws, which are only partially understood by Westerners. Still some delightful effects can be secured by following the leading rules, on which ,the Japanese gardener works. A Japanese garden always makes a strong anpeal to the amateur on account of the fact, that it can be developed on a very small area of ground In planning, one of the important points, which should not be overlooked, is to consider the effect of the garden as a whole. Every plant, arch, pergola, and each piece of rockwork, must be

thought of in its relation to the general scheme. All parts of the garden must be true to their particular characters. Any elevations, such as may exist Or be built up, will be suggestive of mountainous country, the plants must be in keeping with the idea. Trees and shrubs of a stunted dwarf

nature should be planted, therebj giving the impression of a wind swept area, all low growing shrubs are well adapted to the hillv parts of the garden. Low flat areas of ground give the impression of pasture, and should be planted with subjects having a free habit of growth, and nothing of a formal nature should be introduced. No Japanese garden is complete without water. This effect may be made in the form of quite a tiny pool, and if a. stiff outline is avoided the pond will prove one af the most attractive features of the garden. On the banks of the water moisture loving plants can be allowed a freedom of growth that is entirely natural in such positions. If the pond is large enough, the placing of a small island in the pool is to be recommended. Where the water can be narrowed down to give the effect of a stream, a .rustic bridge might be introduced. In situations where there is a natural supply of water more ambitious schemes may be attempted. Native Japanese plants should nrcdominatc .in the garden Especially suitable are the beautiful spring flowering trees, .so widely used in tin; East, such as flowering cherries, prunes, flowering peaches, almonds, and. crabapple trees, which usher in the spring with a wonderful display of bio®in. Japouicas in many attracY VG shades, should not bo overlooked. Azalea mollis will be used for giving fine splashes of colour in the early summer followed by lovely autumn tinted leaves, while wistaria should be freely used for training over the pergolas. Japanese irises should of course be made a special _ feature of in the garden,and a selection of chrysanthemums will give a good effect in the fall, especially if given a background of Japanese maple, providing splendid autumn tints just when there is need of colour. Other interesting plants winch are very suitable for, if 'not inseparable from Japanese gardens include forsythia suspensa, Japanese heaths, Japanese lilies, paeonies, phvsahs alkeke’ngi, primula Japouica, and tneH'tis hirta. Larger specimen trees may be obtained in the. Japanese hemlock spruce (tsuga sieboldi) Japanese larch (larix leptolepis) Japanese oak (quercus glabra) Japanese quince (cydonia japouica) Japanese torreya(torreya ducifera) Japanese siiver La- (abies firma) Japanese thuya (thuya dolobrata) and many others. To those who admire the formal style, the Italian garden makes a strong appeal. Formal beds of rigid design predominate, and are always filled with the most gorgeous flowers, faculpture, balustrades, su'ndials, and stone seats are freely used. No Italian garden i s complete without a terrace, there is always a fountain too, and quite likely a cascade. Alleys of trees, preferably those with dark evergreen foliage, such as the cypress are considered essential features. Altogether the whole effect is so skilfully arranged that ,the formality Clever gives the impression of stiffness.