GARDEN & FIELD

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 71, 25 March 1936, Page 7

GARDEN & FIELD

(Specially written for tho “Manawatu Daily Times" by “Lorna.")

Routine Work in the Borders Continue with tho planting of 'all bulbs, anemones, and ranunculi conns, as woathor and soil conditions permit. Continue with tho planting of all hardy, annuals and the sowing of seeds of hardy annuals. Tako cuttings of violas, aubrietias, pinks, etc. Sow. sweet peas for early summer blooms. Sow new lawns. Disbud chrysanthemums as soon as the centre bud shows prominently. Plant all kinds of irises. Plant violets and primroses. The Vegetable Garden Sow spinach, silver beet, white turnip, carrot, lettuce, spring cabbage, and onion. Preparo rhubarb and asparagus beds. Make a sowing of broad beans, these like plenty of lime. Keep winter groens well dusted with tobacco dust, wood ashes, or soot to keep the fly in check. Get’in supplies of turf and manure. Anemones Prom Seed Pew subjects in the flower garden will give more pleasure than a bed of beautiful wind flowers which have been successfully raised from seod. Tho anemone has been much improved during recent years, and seed may be obtained which will produce flowers four inches in diameter of brilliant and very striking colours. Tho anemone is quito hardy and requires no coddling, bub it pays to make a good seed bed where the plants are intended to bloom, as thoy rcsont disturbance. On all soils except those that are very rich' it is best to dig out tho spit and place tho soil on the sides. Then break up the bottom of tho bed with a fork and place four inches of matured cow manuro over the surface. On tho manure place four inches of tho excavated soil after passing it'through a half inch sieve, mako this very'firm, and then fill up the bed -with more soil passed through quarter inch seive. If the soil consists of clay it is unsuitable for anemones, and some lighter compost rqust bo procured. Even fairly good soils arc rendered more suitablo by tho addition of some old potting soil, especially tho top four inches. Anemone seed is very woolly, and should bo rubbed and mixed with sand. Sow in shallow drills six inches apart, and cover lightly. Germination is very slow, and care must be taken in the removal of weeds. The seedlings should bo thinned to six inches apart, and tho thinnings if removed carefully may bo transplanted. Tho anemone loves a moist soil, and water must bo given during dry weather. Seed sown now will produce seedlings which will flower in late spring. Strawberry Culture.

Strawberries may bo grown in any district and soil, provided the grower is prepared to treat tho plants in a fair way. Most plantations are at their best the second year, but much depends on the soil whether tho plants should romain the third year. Unless the plants are Tooted and planted early a heavy return tho flrst season must not be expected. Those about .to commence should note the importance of making a fresh start with clean vigorous plants. Select tho best position in the open garden for main crops, but tho season may bo prolonged by using different sites. If a warm sunny border is utilised ripe fruit will be in advance of that from a bed in the open, and with tho aid of spare frame lights the ripening may still further be hastened. If a half shaded border is planted with a good late sort there will be good berries very late on. Where early potatoes and peas have been cleared off and the ground was well manured during wintor for these, very little further preparation will be necessary except a little bonomeal mixed in with the top spit. Let the forking levelling up bo done as soon as possible, for strawberries must have a Arm soil, and where tho soil is poor dig dcoply, and work in some decayed manure. If the soil is light it may bo further necessary to firm it by treading, afterwards levelling tho surface, when it is ready for planting. The rows should be two feet six inches apart and two feet between the plants in the row. Plant firmly, and cover the roots nicely with fine soil.

In the subsequent treatment water plays a very important part as the roots cannot possibly mako headway in dry, parched soil, but 'there is no danger of that just now r . Frequently stir the soil with tho Dutch hoe at all seasons as the soil is in a condition to do so. Planting Magnolias

Magnolias are among the few plants or shrubs which should never be planted in the autumn. The time to handle them is in the season when they commence active growth which is in September or sometimes in August. 1" planted at any other season the fleshy roots recover slowly if at all. It is also important to remember that tho Magnolias, like the rhododendrons, should havo a somewhat acid soil. Lime and fresh manure should never be given them. The best fertiliser for them is decayed leaves and peat. They like a somewhat moist location or at least a situation where water can be given them at intervals.

It is important, to remember, also, that the Magnolias do not take readily to pruning, and should not be cut at all unless pruning is made necessary by some unusual condition. Many species are readily propagated by laying. The layers take root readily and can be severed from the original plant in a few years. Colour in the Winter Landscape

• During tho dark days of winter, when there are very few flowers of the flelds or hedges to be seen, the lover of colour is attracted by the stems and shoots of some shrubs and trees, and by the different brightly coloured berries which attract and give pleasure to the eye. The snowborry (sympkoricarpus racemous) is not often mot with, but has clusters of lovely snow "white berries and also makes a lovely hedge plant. Tho evergreen lirethorn (crataegus pyracantka), is one of the most beautiful of shrubs for a wall, and the variety

lalandii grown as a bush has been specially recommended. Tho hips of various roses are most ornamental and give much pleasuro during tho winter months. Tho crab apples too, are indispensable. The deep purplo borrios of the Ivy are not to be despised, as mostly they are the last to bo eaten by the birds. Well berried holly trees are beautiful in winter with their cherry red, enhanced with their lovely, glassy green leaves. The mountain ash, or rouan trees, are a wonderful sight with their dense clusters of orango berries and beautiful fern like leaves. Often, the berries of cotoneaster frigida are a feature of the landscape, as well as other varieties of this popular shrub. The spindlo tree (euonymus europaeus) colours wonderfully in early autumn, besides being laden wdth cerise shaded berries. Tho crimson shoots of salix britgensis and the orang berries of the sea buckthorn is as pretty a combination as one could desire. The stems of .the dogwoods show up well against a background of evergreon.

Almost all of the berberis family are noted for lovely berries and beautiful autumn tinted foliage, and are a very hardy race of shrubs. Cramberries emit a refreshing fragrance, and the berries are useful for preserves. Climbers for Sunless Walls

Both in small and large gardens climbers play an important part. Walls and fences may be clothed, screens formed, and general flatness relieved Trees and shrubs may bo employed for the same purpose, but in nothing like 'the same time, while tho former require a good deal of space. Suitable climbers may bo found for almost any position, and as on a sunless wall flowers cannot be expected in many thing we must bo content with foliage. An exceptionally' vigorous rose like the good old gloirc-de-dijon will give a few flowers on a north wall, but when it does it gets some light cithor from the east or west, or waits until it has topped the wall. With foliage alone, however, some line effects may be obtained which are far more lasting than floral effects.

Ivies are quito tho best climbers foi a north wall. There are many choice varieties of gold and silver. It is better not to mix the two colours. Should the green bo employed as a sort of setting, care should be taken not to allow it to smother them, which is apt to be tho case if of stronger growth. A better plant to use is tho old sweet jasmine which will bear its starry white flowers in shade. Some of tho honey suckles too are good. Tho over green bignonia, with its glossy forn-like leaves and clusters of pink flowers, with cerise centres is a flno climber for shady spots. The obutilons may also be trained to a wall and will give flowers most of the year. When planting tho gold and silver iries they are best purchased in pots, and it will pay to take a little trouble and plant them properly, digging out a I largo hole and putting in good soil. Tho plants will then grow away quickly, especially if kept moist in the following summer and weak liquid manure given occasionally. Tho gold and silver varieties should bo planted much closer together than the green. Until they attach themselves to the wall they should bo nailed up. Lupins Trom Seed Few plants contribute so much to the beauty of tho spring garden as the lupin. There are many kinds in cultivation, both annual and perennial, but tho most important, from a garden point of view r , are the hybrid perennials. When well placed in gardens the effect is supurb, their profusion of bloom creating a fine mass of colour when most needed. New varieties are rather expensive, but tho keou lover of these plants will find no more interesting phase in their cultivation than the raising of an army of young plants from seeds. Not only can a vast -number of plants bo thus secured easily and quickly, but frequently they possess greater vigour and produce larger flowering spikes than those secured by the system of division. With' tho extra vigour that they possess these seedlings are better adapted for resisting disease. Seedlings will bloom the first year, if grown well.