THE GARDEN

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 23, 26 December 1925, Page 9

THE GARDEN

THE FLOWER GARDEN. There is a tribe or many tribes of plants in our gardens referred to as daisies. Some belong to the chrysanthemum family, and some to other families equally well-known, such as nyrethrums, etc. It is of those belonging to tho chrysanthemum family we want to say a few words this time. Of the commonest of this kind are varieties derived from chrysanthemum frutescens, or the shrubby variety. Generally, at least, one specimen is to no found in most gardens and in. some there is quite a collection. Tho shrubby one is a perennial plant and if well treated is a splendid plant to have. They will grow well in almost any kind of soil and when once established do not mind if tho weather is dry or not. For this reason they are grand subjects for growing on a dry bank, and here will make splendid bushes and will go on flowering for a long time, especially if the seed heads are picked off. During tho last three or four years a great deal more interest has been taken in these plants and somo splendid varieties have 'been produced that are well worth growing. Tho double white Mrs Saunders will

bloom nearly tho whole year round in a nice warm situation, and its yellow sport is quite as good. There is also a double cream that is splendid for all purposes and will last as long as its i single parent. The daisies known as ; shasta daisies belong to the same family and, although they do not keep in bloom for tho same length of time, it is quite possible to get a selection of the varieties that will give a display of bloom from late spring to the end of tho autumn. Anyone looking for flowers for cutting would do well to give these plants a trial as they are ideal for the purpose and keep well in water. Rhododendrons at this time of the year aro rather inclined to suffer from dryness at their roots and, unless the soil is in a well worked condition, it is a good plan to give it a good coating with some mulching material and then to water it well. Leaf mould or lawn clippings are splendid for mulching these shrubs with and should bo saved

for the purpose. Another way is to chip the surface of the soil lightly and water it well and then, as soon as the surface has dried a little, hoe the ground over again. This will act as a mulch and will do a lot of good. It may be necessary to water again but do not do so until absolutely necessary. The hot drying winds lately have had

the effect of making the rose blooms develop very quickly. To keep them in bloom for a long time all the dead and dying blooms should be picked off. If you like to go further and cut the flowering shoots back to a good strong eye you will make your bushes look much better and, if you give them a good drenching with water and some liquid manure, it will not be very long before they are in bloom again. But you must remember that once you begin to water you must look out for mildew which will appear however carefully the water is applied. If you are going away for a holiday do not neglect the tying and staking of all quick growing plants or, by the time you come back again, your garden may be a mass of ruins. Dahlias

should bo firmly tied to their stakes I as soon as they aro about a l'oot high. Delphiniums, although in full flower now, would be all the better if they were cut down to the ground and given a good watering before you go. Thoy will begin to send up new shoots at once and in a few weeks’ time will be in bloom again. The second blooming is the best from a garden point of view and the heads, although smaller, are better for decorative purposes. Work the soil between all bedding plants and leave the surface as fine as it is possible to make it, and the plants will go on growing, but leave it hard and caked and you will find many of them dead or not grown at all oil your return. The bearded irises can bo planted out now if you wish to increase these beautiful plants. The root stock should not bo covered altogether, but should be as near the surface of the ground as possible so as to allow their roots to go straight down into the soil. These irises aro lime lovers and it is a good plan to sprinkle limo over them fairly often: Thoy suffer sometimes from a blight that attacks the root stock, and if this is cut away and lime put in where the cut was made many a good plant can be saved. They like a well drained sunny position and will grow on a gravel bank if some humus is put into it

Tho newer kinds of carnations or pinks, such as tho Allwoodii, can be raised from cuttings put in nice sandy soil and kept moist until they begin to root. Treated in this way they will be ready to plant out about next March, and there are few plants that give a better return for tho time spent over them. Pinks are worked in tho same way. QUESTIONS. “Interested” says: “I would be

Notes aro published weekly undor this heading, and readers interested in gardening aro invited to send in questions relating to matters upon which .they wish expert advice; answers will bo published with tho weekly notes.

very much obliged if yon could tell me the difference between a viola and a pansy, also, how to bo able to recognise each one.” Viola is the Latin name for the whole genus of pansies and violas. Before tho year 1850 there was only one kind of pansy known in Britain. It was called the “pansy” because there were no others. This was the parent of wlvat are known as show pansies. Then a race of pansies came over from the continent and were called “Belgians.” This race wag' as varied as it was possible to get them. Then a race of plants came by selection and seed which, while being free fiowerers, did not have the gaudy mixture of colours of the pansies, and for a long time the lower lip did not conform to tho florists’ shape in pansies. These were called violas; why, it is impossible to say, but tlve term came to stay, and those with a florist’s training recognise that the so-called violas provide tho best bedding plants of tho whole race. There are somo amongst florists and gardeners who object to tho definition “viola” and have named this race “tufted pansies,” but this term is more misleadlng than the other. At tho present time it is nearly impossible to get a packet of pansy seed which will not have a certain taint of the so-called viola blood in it. If the origin of violas were carefully recorded, it is quite possible that some viola odorata blood may bo in them. The viola odorata is the parent of tho present day violet. Tho shape of the present day viola of the garden is something like an enlarged violet, but we have been shown some hybrids from England which; are more like the pansy than anything else, so cannot give you definito rules to recognise them by. An enquirer asks for 1 information about getting rid of blight in violas. The only blight that we know of attacking violas are thrips and red spider, which are generally worst in the dry weather. This insect is so very small it cannot be seen by the naked eye. Tho first notice of its presence is by the excrement left on the lower sides of the leaves. If the plants are sprayed with a weak solution of lime and sulphur and tho bed is kept moist it will soon disappear. The strength to use is one part of the lime sulphur to one hundred parts of water and to spray the under sides of the leaves thoroughly. If this is not the trouble please send specimens for investigation.

A correspondent says that his dahlias are making good growth now. Some are two feet high and kavo a flower bud on top. A few are backward but are just beginning to grow. He wants to know if it would be safe to go away and leave them for a fortnight in the New Year. Also, whether to allow the plants to begin blooming as soon as the flower buds show, or to keep them back. The blooms are wanted for showing later on. —It would be quite safe to go away and leave the plants once they are established; in fact, it would probably be the best thing that you could do at this stage provided that they were tied up to their stakes loosely enough to allow for expansion of growth. It docs not matter if they are trying to bloom now, and it is immaterial whether you pick the buds oil or not; we would be inclined to let them

flower as it will put their energy into flowering rather than growing. If they grow too much now they will be very tall when the flowering time comes. We like dwarf plants rather than very tall ones and, although it is not always possible to keep some of the varieties down, it is possible to reduce the height by allowing them to

flower as soon as they like. It is too early yet to begin feeding tho plants for show purposes. Another three weeks will bo quite soon enough for this. Feeding should not bo begun before the blooms are in tho bud stage and then it can bo carried on for the whole time tho plants are flowering. Watering too much in tho early part of tho season, induces soft, sappy growths which do not produce good flowers. What is wanted is hard wood, clean and healthy, and then theplant will give all it gets to its flowers. The great thing about growing dahlias for showing is to grow the individual flowers as large as possible. It may happen that, while you are away, some of the plants will be attacked by thrips, and if they were sprayed carefully with lime sulphur at the rate of one part of the lime sulphur to one hundred and twenty parts of water, they would be quite clean. The only other blight that is likely to do any damage is caterpillars and these can be controlled by spraying with arsenate of lead as soon as the buds form. Leave tho ground round the plants in a good state of cultivation and you will have nothing to fear. Even if the weeds are small when you leave they will grow very rapidly in a fortnight and take a lot of moisture out of" the ground, which would be better left for the dahlias.