THE GARDENING CLUB

Northern Advocate, 21 May 1929, Page 7

THE GARDENING CLUB

A well attended meeting of the Whangarci Gardening Club was held at the Y.W.C.A. last evening. The president, Mrs Ackhurst, presided. Papers were read by Miss Barker and Mrs Given.

ANEMONE AND RANUNCULUS. In the course of her paper on Anemone and Ranunculus, Mrs Given said the word Anemone means wind flower, named because the seed is fluffy r.nd easily scattered by the wind. The flowers will also stand more wind tha,n most flowers. The anemone is a genus of about 85 species with many handsome gardens forms, all hardy perennials, chiefly natives of the north, temperate and mountainous regions. The anemone that interests us most is a coronaria (the poppy flowered anemone). The St. ©rigid is the favourite strain, having single, semidouble and double flowers, in the good old red, while and blue, with just a sprinkling of mauve, pink and striped and blotched blooms. There is also .a good French strain that has a paeony shaped flower, with a full double con ire and a row of flat petals on the outside. This is particularly favoured in a rose shade. Anemone Fulgius is very showy. The flowers are small but plentiful and of a beautiful bright velvety scarlet with a black centre. They have not got the white ring around the centre that all the Coron-

aria types have. This anemone seems to be difficult to raise from seed, and is generally grown from imported corns-, (which are very dry, and should be soaked in cold water over night before planting. They require good rich soil; and cow manure mixed with the soil below the conn will suit. them.

Eanunculus (Latin name for a, little frog, probably so named because of the wet places where many of the species grow). There are about SO species in the world, the common buttercup being the best known. The Ranunculus grown in our gardens is B. Asiatius. Persian and Turban are the two varieties. The Turbans are well named, having small compact heads of brilliant .colourings. The Persians are looser and lighter generally, and are single, semi-double and double. Eanunculi are in wonderful oriental colourings: all shades of orange, reds, white and pinks. The satin finish to the petals makes them shine in the sun, giving a wonderful show of colour. They seldom keep as well when picked as the anemone, and generally do not last in bloom as long, but are more showy in the garden. They need much the treatment as the anemone, with the difference that they are much deeper rooting, and will need a deeper soil, with plenty of humus and manure below the conn. For 'the best results they should be planted early in February or March. They will then make mud: larger plants having more andi bettor blooms.-

Mrs Given then spoke on the growing of -anemone and ranunculus from Die .seed onwards.

Miss Barker's paper on “Juvenile Activities in the Garden” will appear

in tomorrow's issue

After questions ha:di been dealt with. Die meeting iconcluded with votes of thanks to the speakers.