Gardening Notes

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 13, 21 August 1930, Page 9

Gardening Notes

\ PBRENNIALS AND THEIR TREATMENT.

is -writing on the management of perennials it will simplify matters if tliey are grouped into two classes —viz, tk»se tfcat are seen at their best fey aaaaally reducing the spools and those that should remain from rear to year without being disturbed unless for the purposes of propagation. A complete list of each is hardly necessary, and I purpose dnly dealing with a few of .the most important, including tfhose most suitable for sunny positions and such. as are lovers of shady borders. •

Chrysanthemums and Dahlias are two of tire nu»st popular perennials, and they are so well known and have so often been written about that it is almost superfluous to say more than that they do. best from young single plants set out every year. Among kinds that are lovers of open sunlight and need dividing yearly, the following are a few tkat, if not already in gardens, would bo an. attractive addition:- —Asters (Mie&aelmas Daisies), Chrysanthemums mdsa»um (The Shasta, or Ox-eye Baisy), Coreopsis Grrandiftora, Grillardia GraadifLora, Helenium, Helianthus (pereiuiial Sunflower), Pentstemons, Pinks, Itodbeckia, Salvia Virgata NemeroaTa, amd Soladago. All of these- do well for two or. three years with out being divided, but unquestionably the best results are obtained from planting single -pieces every Spring, and the present month, is a good time for getting the werk done. They all love rich, deep dxaiaed soil, in fact, there is as much reason for well-prepared soil in the ftower garden as is necessary in the v«getaible garden. . ,

A selected list of sun-loving perenmials that, should remain undisturbed usless it is necessary to take pieces off for the sake of increasing the stock are:—AUysum, Laxatile Compactum (fold dust), (this is really a rock plant, although it makes a good front raw plant for an herbaceous border); Aachusa, Dropmore Var.,- Aquillegias (Columbines); Centaurea Dealbata and Otntaurie Montana; I)elpheniums; Gf^m, in variety; Gyprophila Panieulata, single and double (both border and rock garden plants); Heuchera^; Iberis;-Iris; including tall-bearded and dwarf-bearded varieties; Kniphofias tfee torch-liiy); Lathyrus (Perennial Pea); Lavender, LupinuS; Arboreus ; Paeonies, Chinese- and European; PapaTere Orientaie; Phlox Panieu^jata; Pyrithmums, single and double; 'Komneya Coulteri (Calif ornian Poppy); and Spireas.- All" of these can temain nndisturbed for years. In eyefyjease the' height and spread of the' plant should be taken into consideration when planti»g, so that at digging time a liberal amount of humus can be worked in.

The plants that love a partiallyrshaded flower border, or place in which to grow, need dividing every year-. 'The exceptions aTe Myosotis (Forget-me-not) and Violets, Those. that!-benefit by division every second. year are the Astilbe (Spirea Japoniea) and /Lily of the Valley. Tie Astilbe is a very useful plant for lifting, dividing and,potting to be forced into early growth in Spring or grown under, ordinary cool conditions for greenhouse purposes. It has been proved by growers that the Lily of the Valley does best when lifted every second year. The flowering crowns should be selected and planted together, and those not showing flower, put in to mate flowering crowns for the following years. This is a good method where nurserymen are growing for profit, and accounts for the fine samples to be seen in the seedsmen's shops at -the ■ presenttime. In most eases the samples are imported crowns, and purchasers should not be disappointed if a good crop of flower spikes do not eventuate, seeing that the crowns, unless at once forced into growth, will have been retarded for about six or seven months by the time they can be Expected to flower in New Zealand. r "

After having written what may ot may not be considered practical remarks on the treatment of these glorious knd unsurpassed Spring flowers, the writer calls to mind tie borders solely apportioned to the growth of the Lily of the Valley in a country gaTden in Britain. There was a border with a southern aspect that came into flower first, and another border with a nor-

them aspect that flowered later. It was. no trouble there in the flowering period to get a few thousand flower ■spikes every day, and the borders had been undisturbed for yours, to my knowledge, and probably are still flowering -well. No hard and fast rule can be laid down for the treatment of perennials that do not need dividing every year. One plant not yet mentioned that seems to do well either in an open sunny ! position or in partial shade is Diecntra. (Dielctra Speetabilis) (the Lyne flower) This perennial does well in the mountain districts.. After growth is finished, it should be allowed to rest. In most case's non-success in its culture must be attributed to summer watering. Like the Spirea Japonica, it is useful for. lifting and growing in pots if required, but will d» well in the sarne^ position for years. Other kinds that should be planied in partially-shaded positions or borders, and need not be,' divided for years are Aconitum (Monks htffed, ®r Wolfsbane), a beautiful class of flower useful "lor- cutting (in floral appearance like the Delphinium), known among gardeners as a deadly, poisonous plant; Anemone Japonic^ white /and crimson; and Digitalis (Foxgloves) ..-,;■ The latter 'is a perennial that looks its best and seems to be at home in the wild garden, growing in a gully under the shade of gums or other natives trees: The writer remembers c&mirig across a plant when with ;a .holiday shooting party. Its seeds A was>just ripe for falling, and was collected and scattered among the surrounding rocks. Two years later, when: going over the same, ground in Spring time, I found a good percentage of the seed -had grown, and the plants were in. full flower. Unfortunately^ the variety was not a good one, the colour being a poor shade, of rose. However, it shows how simply a display of this old-fashioned garden flower could be obtained by using seed of the improved varieties. Funkias Plantain (Lily) are of most use for their fine foliage, and this can only be properly* developed under conditions of partial shade and liberal supplies-of •water during summer. They also make useful pot plants, thriving in the same pots for years. ~