IN THE GARDEN

Northern Advocate, 29 December 1934, Page 6

IN THE GARDEN

[BY “TAINUI”]

Flowers of the Seasons. I sometimes wish that I could see all the flowers for a whole year all together on New Year’s Day. Then it would be possible to single out favourites, and to note perhaps some flowers standing out from the others. Imagine a long path leading through the four seasons’ flowers, commencing with spring. Surely it would be hard to leave this season and move on to summer. But then, some flower would catch the eye, and I would hurry along to see it. the first rose perhaps. My inclination would then be to dwell in the summer garden; but, after lingering awhile, I would find myself subconsciously strolling on until my eyes would catch the glory of autumn —colour rather than any one particular flower. But the end of the path is in sight, and I must know what winter has to show. Strange that I should never have noticed the beauty bf the permanent features in the garden before, the trees and the shrubs, and how beautiful any flower seems at this season. Let me follow the seasons through slowly and see what each has to offer. Spring. Surely spring is the natural season to begin with, the season of the awakening growth after the winter’s sleep. The plants seem to toe positively chatty, like so many care-free, lighthearted children. The garden is so really alive on a fine spring morning. The wonder of it is how they know so unfailingly when it is time to wake up. The sun controls the plants’ sleep just as it does our own. All we need are a few warm days in August, and, then the awakening. The beautiful refreshing new leaf green is so in accord with the light yellow of the daffodils and other yellow flowers so plentiful at this season. The daffodils and violets are associated with the first thoughts of spring. Then come the Freezias, Lachenalias, Hyacinths, Iris Tingitana, Anemones, Iceland Poppies, Primula Malacoides; and a little later in the season flowers become really plentiful. The Ranunculus flowers along with the Polyanthus and the Primroses. The annuals make a great show in a good season, Stock, Nemesia, Viola, Pansy, Calendula and a host of others. The rock garden is gay with all sorts of small flowering bulbs as well as other plants. Spring finishes gayer than it commences, with the Tulips and Irises. But I must not forget. While I am busy with a picture in my mind of all the lovely flowers near the ground, I have just to lift my eyes a shade and wonder whether the real beauty of this season is not, after all, in the beautiful flowering trees and shrubs. The beautiful white stars of Magnolia Stellata is one of the first to bloom, together with Daphne, Camellias, Kennedyas and others. Then we come to all the beautiful flowering peaches, cherries, currants, the Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Viburnums, Deutzia, Exochorda, Lilacs, Wistaria, Kowhai, Weigelia, Brooms, etc., all showing their flowers beautiful, clear and bright, against the new foliage of the surrounding trees. Indeed, I find it hard to leave the spring. I want to plan a new spring garden, but I must leave room, as there are nine other months to consider, and I want to have flowers so that I might enjoy every month of the year, so I must move on to Summer, I wonder what my readers first thought will be in regard to summer. Mine is of the Rose. Roses, roses everywhere. Would it be possible to have too many? Still, we have other wonderful flowers at this season. Could anything be more beautiful than the Delphinium, or some may say the Gladiolus, the Carnation, or the Gerbera. Lilies stand alone. We simply do not compare them with other flowers. The beautiful new Irises must not be forgotten; then the Poeonies, and the Lupins. For really beautiful perennial plants no season can compare with early summer. I almost forgot the showy Hydrangeas that are making such a beautiful soft back-

OPERATIONS FOR JANUARY. £ THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. V ❖ ❖ Keep cauliflowers and cabbages growing as steadily as possible ❖ by hoeing, mulching, liquid manuring and thorough watering. *•* \ {« Keep the soil lightly forked between the rows. Pinch out the ends from over-running vines of pumpkins, mar- *:* rows, etc., so as to encourage lateral growths. Sow French and runner beans for succession. J Spray tomatoes with arsenate of lead for caterpillars. Keep the $ plants tied, and pinch out lateral growths as soon as they *:* appear. ♦*, Cut vegetable marrows as soon as they are of useable size. !:! V Pick runner beans as soon as ready. y Remove flowering stems of rhubarb. Do not over-pick, but leave a fair number of leaves if you want good roots for next season. X y Plant out kumeras and tomatoes. THE FLOWER GARDEN. t Tieing and staking of most plants is necessary at this time of the year. Keep all flowers cut off as they fade. y Roses, chrysanthemums, and delphiniums will benefit if sprayed X with lime-sulphur every few weeks. ' ♦*« Hollyhock seed may be sown during January for next summer •** bloom. X Sow seed of Brompton stock, and kpep the seedlings growing steadily, ready for planting out in the autumn. £ Gladioli should not be lifted until the foliage turns yellow. X Be careful to burn all plants that are affected with mildew, rust, y or any other disease. Y Plants of zinnias, kochias. celosias. cosmos, etc., may be planted y out. y Prevent all weeds from seeding by pulling them up before they $ have time to flower. A Polyanthus, violets, and many other plants suffer from red spider y during the summer months. Give an occasional good wash X with the hose. Hydrangeas need plenty of water during hot, dry weather. ¥

ground. There are also plenty of annuals out. The Sweet Pea heads this list. Larkspur, Clarkia, Godetia, Phlox, Drummondii, Verbena, Antirrhinum, Lobelia, Salpiglossis are also flowering. While the early spring flowers are rqostly light yellow or violet shades, we gradually change oyer towards reds and , pinks towards Christmas. Just at present clear yellow flowers are scarce. The beauty of summer is before Christmas. Towards January the weather becomes hot and flowers are not so plentiful. , ‘ Autumn. The showiest season of the year and the favourite with . many gardeners and artists. Colour is everywhere, masses of red, orange and yellow shades. Everything is done in a big bold way. We pick huge bowls of flowers for the house, and call this show of blooms gorgeous. The gardens have been slowly working up to this riot of colour. We start quietly in the early spring with light green and yclluv,-. Then with the summer the colours become deeper and more yaried. And then by the time we reach '>■ March, the plants seem as though they are all competing to try and attract attention by their gay colouring. The Dahlias, Cannas, Zinnias and Salvia ; start the gaiety, and in April the Chrysanthemums join in; then the trees, not to be outdone, shower all with gold and red leaves, truly a wonderful time. Strange to say, all the colours blend in wonderfully, pinks and yellows that would-clash early in the season, seem to adopt a soft tone; while all is gay, all is in harmony. The small flowers that may be blooming are not noticed. Big, showy and plenty of it is the order of autumn. In the early autumn, annuals are plentiful. Asters are generally the first to make a big show. Their flowering season is short, but they are not missed when Zinnias, Marigolds, Pe- , tunia, Celosia, etc., come along. The Dahlia is the autumn flower at the present time. It has such a long flowering season and it is. easily grown, facts that make it a favourite with most people. The Chrysanthemum is still a favourite with many. It is particularly beautiful as a cut flower, and ! it flowers mto winter. Sometimes the glory of autumn just slowly fades with the coming in of > the colder nights; but more often all is over quite suddenly, perhaps after ■ a gale. We wake up one morning and look out at a wrecked garden. It reminds me a little of the morning after the party. And then what a business cleaning up. However, when all is tidy, we have time to look about us. Then we see a rose. That bush must have been flowering before, but it was never noticed. Now it becomes important. It smells sweet, too, so it is picked for the house. The Bouvardias will recover. The Poinsettias and Lucullia will soon be out; and then other shrubs are flowering. Winter. It is only the tone-lover, of Nature who can see the beauty in winter; but it is there for those who understand. We shall not weep for what is lost. It will return. We must look for beauty in the new surroundings. We will be able to rest during the winter ' months, and plan our gardens for the other seasons. Then suddenly we find that the planning means work. There are plants to be moved, and new beds to be made. We are busy looking ahead working for the future. The garden is not dull after all. The lavyn looks well, and the trees and shrubs are very beautiful. Now we have a chance to enjoy this quieter beauty. Every flower is enjoyed. The Iceland Poppy and Primula Malacoides are in bloom. Iris Stylosa is picked before slugs, can eat it. Towards the end of winter we have the fifst violets, and the Daphne—what wonderful scent. Now I. come to think of it, the autumn flowers are very gorgeous, but not sweet to smell. Everything goes in cycles, and we start all over again. ■ We feel the soil warm up, and we . must get busy if we are to have a real garden.