Shrubs For Every Situation Or Soil

Northern Advocate, 28 August 1947, Page 4

Shrubs For Every Situation Or Soil

The talk on “Shrubs” given by Mrs W. A. Given to a crowded meeting of the Whangarei Ladies’ Gardening Club on Monday was of wide' and popular interest to all. An amazing variety of species, hardy and frost tender were displayed by, the speaker, who stressed the need of studying a plant’s requirements and selecting the right situation for each. This she regarded as essential for a wealth of winter bloom, such as the specimens displayed. A shrub differed from a tree in that it had no trunk, but was many-stem-med.

Among the many varieties could be found shrubs to suit all situations, soils and climatic conditions, and they were used for boundary fences, vacant corners, wind breaks, lawn specimens, GtC. DRAINAGE Planting should be to a considered plan, with due regard to drainage. The, hilling up of soil round shrubs, was not advised, having a serious drying out effect during summer. Shrubs could be propogated by grafting or budding, but the general way was by layering, especially in the case of soft-wooded short-lived varieties, which become shabby, often by the ravages of “borer.” It was a simple matter to layer a portion by partly severing or twisting and pegging down. Grafting and budding was more complicated. FROM CUTTINGS Many shrubs could be raised from cuttings of short new growth during the warm summer months, when rapid root formation could be counted -on. Hard woods, taking much longer to callous over before commencing a rooting system, might be started during spring or autumn. Raising shrubs from seed, the speaker said, was interesting and some worthwhile results could be expected from, for instance, abutilous and gums. When shrubs arrived from a nurseryman it was necessary in most cases to soak and then tease out the roots before planting, evergreens being the exception. As a general rule, the soft-wooded, quick-growing, much-flowered shrubs needed more manure than the hardwood varieties such as tea-tree. All, however, benefited by a summer mulch. USE OF LIME When in doubt lime should be withheld. beinc fatal to daphne, rhododendrons, azaleas, kalmias and heaths. All members of the pea family needed lime.

Exhibited and grown by Mrs Given was a posy of jazz violets; the individual blooms were large and fully double. Good soil and a generous amount of manure were necessary in their cultivation. Of good constitution and colour was a bowl of anemones, the result of seed sown in January and planted out during March-April.

Distinct also was a vase of small red poppy. The vice-president (Mrs Willcocks) thanked Mrs Given for her helpful advice. Afternoon tea was served.