You and Your Garden December Flower

Northern Advocate, 2 December 1939, Page 10

You and Your Garden December Flower

The last month of the year is the. most wonderful of the year. Even a war cannot take Christmas from us. j f lowers are not as plentiful as they have been during the last few months, but the flowers we have are very beautiful. The liliums hold the pride of place for Christmas flowers. Such names as Madonna Lily and Christmas Lily speak for themselves. I am often askeu about these two liliums. The Madonna, Lilium Candidum, is tfle first to flower. I have seen it in several gardens lately. The leaves are mostly near the ground, and the long stalk bears a clusier of flowers at top. The Christmas Lily, lilium longiflorum, is just coming into flower. The beautiful waxy-white trumpet flowers are longer and larger than the Madonna flowers with a looser arrangement. The leaves are a beautiful fresh green and plentiful on the stalk. Lilium regale is another beautiful lily flowering this month. This lily resembles the Christmas lily, but it has’a slight yellow shading in the throat, and maroon at the back of the flower. Lilium davuricum and lilium thunbergianum are also flowering. The orange and yellow flowers are cupshaped, and clustered at the top of the stalk; they are very handsome. Now, I wonder what would be my reader’s second choice for Christmascut flowers? I think delphiniums. Huge bowls of handsome spikes of thesebeautiful flowers between bowls of Christmas lilies just seem to say something to you. If your fancy runs to something bold and colourful, then gladioli will be your choice —truly fine, but please d on ’t put them near the liliums. The gerberas come along here with the gladioli. Carnations will be flowering. These charmers need no company. They look their best standing on a table alone. Sweetpeas, lavender, polyantha roses and other flowers will be doing their best to make December the most beautiful month of the year. I had almost forgotten the trees and shrubs. Our very own Christmas tree, the Pohutukawa, promises to be more beautiful than ever this year. The Jacaranda is being watched by many gardeners. The trees are just covered in buds, and are going to be very beautiful with their lavender- ( blue flowers. The hydrangeas, too, are hurrying along to give of their best by I Christmas. Now we must leave this | year and think of our 1940 gardens. j Bedding Plants We are now planting for next year’s I show of bloom, and we are determined to have a good show of flowers, plenty of vegetables, and not to be downhearted in 1940. In the small garden the beds are mostly mixed colours, but do not forget the effect of one or more bold patches of one colour. A wise choice would be a bed of tagetes, better known as marigolds. These flower for along time, and the ! yellow and brown shades in large or small flowers according to the varieties chosen, give a fine splash of colour. Scarlet salvia has long been a favourite for bedding, and is as popular as ever. Petunias, zinnias, phlox drummondii also seem as though they will never go out of favour. Dahlias were at one time considered border plants, being planted in a single or double row. Since the popularity of the small-flowered varieties, such as the pompom, charm, miniature cactus, etc., the dahlia has become popular for bedding. These dahlias suit small round beds particularly well. Six to twelve of one variety will look well. When choosing varieties for bedding, don’t forget that the habit of growth and foliage is important as well as the flower.

South America’s Contribution

Here are included Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Chili. There is too much overlapping for these countries to be conveniently separated. Altogether they have supplied some of our most desirable plants. Here are some of the most important: Jacaranda. This handsome flowering tree is shared between Brazil, Argentina and Peru. It was first introduced in 1724. Billbergia is from Brazil. Also from Brazil is Erythrina Crista-, galli, one of the showy coral trees. Bignonia venusta, one of the most beautiful of the species; Allamanda, a favourite conservatory plant; the foliage glass-house Caladiums; Bougainvillea; Cestrum, Dipladenia, charming greenhouse climber; the pink-flowered Escallonia Organensis; the useful Libonia; Fortulaca grandiflora. Alstroemcria is shared between Brazil and Chili. From Chili also come Calceolaria, shared with Mexico; Bomaria; Capsicum; Embothrium, or fire bush; Lapageria, with beautiful waxy belt flowers, rose and white; Tropoeolum, or Nasturtium; and the parent of,

tiie present flowering Salpiglossis. From Peru have come Tacsonia, Schizanthus (also from Chili); Cantua Indigofera. Verbena venosa, Petunia, and the sky blue Oxypetalium are from Argentina. Incidentally, Brazil was responsible for the peanut (arachis).

Answer to Correspondent

Mealy bugs are scale insects. They have a mealy covering over them. They are difficult to eradicate. On hard-wooded plants a brush dipped in methylated spirits and wiped over the insects will be effective. White oil, or a nicotine spray are also good.

Power Board Reaches

Agreement With Wilsons

The North Auckland Electric Power Board yesterday announced that, after negotfatons over some period, they have concluded an agreement with Wilsons Portland Cement Company, Ltd., for the supply of electric power to the company. The board believed that the agreement would be of material benefit to the board, the company, and the people in the board’s area.