GARDENING NOTES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 12 September 1934, Page 6

GARDENING NOTES.

Routine Work in the Borders.

A little more growth is now noticeable in the garden. Perennial lupins are making rapid growth, while anemones and ranunculi arc produciiig buds and bloom. A marked increase in growth will be noticeable as soon as the soil is loosened around the plants and where growth is not pronounced enough, work in a little superphosphate as the work proceeds. Hasten with the planting of hardy annuals, as although cold days may still be with us, the plants will bo getting rooted and will bloom earlier.

Plant a few gladioli conns. Plant lilium bulbs. Sow seeds of all hardy annuals. Train and thin the growths of the autumn sown sweet peas. Sow more sweet peas for summer blooming. The Vegetable Garden.

Continue to take advantage of any dry spell by getting in a few early potatoes, dwarf peas and broad beans.

Continue to plant roses, shrubs, hedge and shelter trees. The present is a good time for planting all evergreens. Roll lawns frequently ami top dress with sulphate of ammonia if a good, dark green sward is wanted. Sow spinach, shorthorn carrot, early turnip, lettuce, and other salad plants. Plant lettuce, cabbage, onion and cauliflower and plant shallots. Plant rhubarb ami asparagus in welV-prepared beds. Plant herbs of all kinds. Plant all kinds of fruit trees. Sow tomato seed where a warm, sunny corner cun be given it. Prepare the ground for main crop onions, they are great lovers of wood ashes mixed with the soil. Trench and manure all ground ■ needed for later planting and sowing. Saponaria Ocymoides. There are few plants of a trailing habit that are easier to grow or give more beautiful display of bloom in so short a time as the saponaria. For those who have old walks or rough banks about, their gardens there arc few tilings which give •such a charming effect in late spring and early summer as these plants. Very few plants about a rock garden get into their stride quicker once rooting has taken place. They will grow four feet across with thousands of pretty pink blooms, followed by most attractive seed pods. These are so pretty that one hesitates to cut them back, but by so doing a second period of blooming may bo had during the autumn months. Sapon- , arias will grow in any ordinary soil, but particularly appreciate that of a sandy nature. Their trailing habit renders them invaluable for overhanging the steep faces of rock in the alpine garden. Another treasure to use in combination with saponarias is campanula i'aurii. This lovely species blooms at the same time and its wide open mauve-blue flowers, poised on long, slender stems proves an effective foil. The saponaria should be overhanging,a rock on a fairly steep face with campanula laurii nestling at the foot and slightly to one side. This campanula is tuberous rooting and gradually spreads, working its way among the rocks until there is quite a bold splash of colour. So effective is this plant that its owner is never in a hurry to curtail its housing room. It blooms so profusely that the foliage is entirely hidden. v Aubrietias. Aubrietias are just commencing to bloom and what a wealth of colour and of beauty there is about these lowly plants, and how quickly they adapt themselves to their surroundings. In the rock garden they are particularly pleasing, taking possession of overhanging ledges, where they show to wonderful advantage. For brightening the early spring garden one cannot go far wrong in selecting aubrietias. They are very hardy, quick of growth, most profuse bloomers, and strike readily from cuttings if kept moist and shaded. There are now many new colours in these perennial's, which range from a very pale mauve through to deep violet, while there are many tones of pink, with some verging on crimson, all, however, blending happily together, but looking their best when each' colour is massed separately. Where a border is raised up by rocks or boards, these plants are among the best to use as an edging. Associated with rock they are unusually beautiful' as they trail over and around each piece. Small beds are charming when devoted to the aubrietias, with the advantage that the plants can be lifted and removed to the reserve garden after blooming, their place being taken by gay summer annuals, replanting the aubrietia in the late autumn. A double row of these plants proves a delightful finish to the rose border giving brightness at a particularly bare time in that corner of the garden. Tulips too, aro charaming when associated with a ground work of aubrietia when colours are chosen which blend with those of the aubrietia. Bose Hedges. One rejoices to see that this extremely beautiful method of growing roses is increasing, in favour, and to those readers desirous of adding such a beautiful feature to the garden, the writer would stress the necessity of thorough preparation of the soil'. Hedges depend on their vigorous and healthy growth to sustain their charm, and the plants cannot do this unless a good start is made.

Although preparing the soil some three feet deep means hard work, yet the splendid results fully repay. Eoses will not grow luxuriantly unless the sub soil is well broken up and some manure mixed in with it. The varieties to be planted depend upon the object it is desired to obtain. If a screen from north and east winds is desired, then preparations should be made for a planting of the very vigorous growing roses, as to be really useful such a