GARDEN FIELD

Manawatu Times, Volume LIX, Issue 7472, 24 May 1934, Page 5

GARDEN FIELD

Routino Work in the Borders. Continue with the planting of hardy annuals and perennials for spring and summer display. , In most gardens frosts have taken toll of the chrysanthemum blooms and other frost-tender things. Cut back all blackened dahlias, and tlicso may also be lifted bodily from the garden to make space for other plants. Store dahlias in some dry spot near trees, and throw some soil over them. Continue to plant anemones and ranunculi, also many other small bulbous things. Tulips and hyacinths may stu be planted. . riant roses and shrubs. The soil is not yet very cold aiul these will get a chaucc to get rooted quickly. Plant all kinds of hardy creopcrs. Prune roses where extra early blooms arc wanted. Plant liliums and lily-of-tbc-valley roots. Plant the first early gladioli, the primulinus varieties being very good for early use. Plant all kinds of irises. Plant carnations, violas and pansies. . Prepare new borders, and top dress existing borders with basic slag.

Continue to plant and sow sweet peas. Pot up a few strong roots of calendula for warm, sunny windows. Plant froely of polyanthus primroses and primula malacoides for early spring display. Plant generously of linaria in sunny spots. They arc among tho earliest of things to bloom. There is a new one of

(Specially written for tho "Aiauawatu Times” by "Lorna.”)

a scarlet hue which is very effective. Fill up all gaps in the rock garden. Dig and manuro all vacant plots. Prepare ”and plant kedgo subjects. Tho Vegetable Garden. Deeply dig all vacant ground and as trenching proceeds, bury all available rubbish, as it aids in providing a little more humus and aids drainage, thus providing a warmer bed for the early spring things. Plant onions, shallots, lettuce, cabbage, and early cauliflower. Sow onion seed, lettuce, and early cauliflower. Sow endive, mustard, cress and radish for early salads. Sow spinach and silver beet. Plant rhubarb and asparapis roots. Plant strawberries, raspberries, and other small fruits. Plant fruit trees of all kinds. Hardy Climbers. Climbing plants givo a refining effect to the whole garden, presenting, as they do, a whole series of delightful pictures. An exquisito garden subject is the honeysuckle in its varieties, beautiful in tho type of their flowers, fragrant and hardy. Thoso with almost sunless gardens and soil none too rich who will persist in trying to grow sun loving plants had far better grow beautitful and hardy things that will give them a fine display of flowers even in very shady situations. The honeysucKles may be put to many picturesque uses in the garden, and are very nico over an arch where a strong growing rose may be planted on the one side. When so grown, cut back tho yoar’s growth to tho last pair of opposite leaves. The honeysuckle will then throw out strong growths in profusion, and tho arch will become a mass of bloom for months. Grown near windows, the honeysuckle has a fragrance that is delightful. The clematis adds considerable beauty to the garden, and there are numerous fine varieties. Clematis venus victrix, double lavender, makes a splendid show. It is perfectly hardy, and as it flowers on tho old wood, no severe pruning is necessary. For porches and pergolas, clematis montana, with white, starry blooms, and its lovely companion montana rubens, with flowers of a nice pink sliado aro charming, easy and quick in their habit, of growth. The jackmanni and its variety superba are beautiful when trained to largo posts or stumps in the perennial border. Clematis vitalla, or traveller’s joy, is valuable in the wild garden for covering tree stumps or bits of banks or mounds. When covered with its blossoms and later with its masses of silver seed vessels, the decorative effect is very fine. Tho passion flower is a most graceful climber and there arc many varieties to choose from.

Cobca scandens is a ’half hardy perennial unless grown in a warm position, but is well worth treating as an annual. It is a robust grower, with a wealth of foliage. The flower is charming, opening pale green, and gradually changing to pale and deep purple, so that there are always flowers in three colours on the plant. There is also a white variety which is very line. Tropacolum speciosum is very gay with its numerous scarlet flowers and flourishes well in a situation on the cast sido of -a garden shrubbery where only morning sun shines on it. It loves moist soil with plenty of leaf mould. The Tasmanian blue berry is another beautiful' thing with cream pendulous flowers followed by large berries of a wonderful blue shade, and there is also a variety with pink berries. Wisteria is always favourite, and tho many varieties of bignonias, while climbing roses arc numerous. Pasonies. One cannot help noticing the amazing success which attends paeony culture in many small gardens, where the plants seem to flourish and bloom freely year after year with but littlo attention. The old, early, and very double crimson variety, is always to the lore, and it is really a beautiful' plant. Paoonies are great lovers of phosphate, n, id during early spring a dressing of superphosphate of lime is most beneficial. A good mulch of leaf mould or cow manure is liked, as tho roots loVo coolness. Paconies aro best planted at this season, and it is well to make good, deep holes well enriched with manure, as they do not like to be disturbed but love to grow into large clumps. Ihe annual top dressiig of manure will be all that is needed. Pansies and Violas. The planting of these favourites should be hastened with in order to provide early blooms. The site for pansies should be ono that is shaded from the mid-day sun. Violas aro not so fastidious, although a position with a little shade is of advantage. Leaf mould or rotted turf mixed with the soil will be appreciated by the plants, and some “91 stable or cow yard manure should be mixed with the lower spit if largo blooms aro wanted. When the soil has been well broken down and finely raked, make holes nine inches apart for the plants, spreaeding the roots out well. During tho summer the surface between the plants should never bo allowed to

cake. Keep the hoo going, or stir occasionally with a fork. A summer mulch will' prove most beneficial if not able to keep them well watered, as it is during the hottest part of the year that the loss of plants takes place. A little extra food may be given by working in a little fertiliser, and in the case of producing extra large blooms, liquid manuring is of great benefit. Pansies also benefit from an annual dressing oj lime which may be given during autumn or spring.

Delphiniums and Perennial Phlox. Much time can be saved in a garden, and a good deal of pleasure obtained from it, if herbaceous perennial plants and bulbs are used instead of annually bedding out. Those who like the biigut phloxes and the beautiful' blues of delphiniums and the charm of yellow daffodils may have each in its season, over the one bed. This permanent bed will have a different appearance three times in the year. Few herbaceous plants are more effective than phloxes and the same soil conditions suit (lie. delphiniums well 100, as both are lovers of deeply dug soil well incorporated with manure.

After the plot has been well prepared and levelled down, plant the phlox all over the bod at a distance of a jatd and a quarter apart. Then at the time they flower in the autumn, it will’ seem as if it were a complete and well tilled bed of phloxes and the effect both neui and at a distance will be bright and beautiful. So much for the autumn effect, now for the early summer one. Delphiniums planted half way between the phloxes, all over tho bed will produce'a flue effect in their season, and there are so many beautiful delphiniums that everyone who loves a garden is sure to be pleased with the. appearance of this massed effect. Here and there clumps of yellow daffodils may be in-

troduccd without any ill effect on the other plants and will help to take away the bare look in spring. A bordering of a double row of aubretia all round will also help in the spring as at other seasons there will be the colourful' effect from delphiniums and phlox. There are many other combinations which could bo thought out and which would give much joy to the gardener and 'provide quite a change from the growing of annuals.