Gardening News & Notes

Northern Advocate, 22 December 1948, Page 7

Gardening News & Notes

Christmas Flowers

Flowering Trees

I have just had a look at the Auckland city parks. They are all dressed up ready for the holidays, and planted to last for the summer months.

The parks are, of course, much larger than the usual home garden, but many' of the same plants are used, and the planting schemes may be adapted to suit the small garden. Beautiful trees are a prominent feature in all parks and a good lawn the main ground cover.

THE DOMAIN.—I always feel the restful atmosphere as soon as I enter the Domain gates. I feel inclined to linger awhile and admire the War Memorial Museum, and the beautiful view, but the trees and glasshouses were also calling. But time was short so I went to the garden of bedding plants. This garden is partly surrounded by a mixed border which was in full bloom and looked beautiful against the background of trees. The bods were planted to make a show of bloom from January to April. The centre bed was planted in standard fuchsias, which were most attractive.

A bed of cannas looked well with their handsome flowers as well as good foliage. Clumps of flax in the variegated, bronze, and an extra fine green variety, stood out in a side border. The main bedding plants included dahlias, blue butterfly delphiniums, pentstemon. phlox drummondi, pink petunias, zinnias, cclosias, dianthus, marigolds and begonias. Several beds were edged with royal blue lobelia and some with the dwarf blue browallia. This is a charming little plant which I had not seen for years. The dianthus is an old favourite which has returned.

ALBERT PARK—Two very showy beds greeted me in this park. They were composed of cannas, surrounded by pentstemons. The pentstemons were in a variety of shades and were particularly fine blooms. When these plants are used for bedding they are generally grown from seed sown in early spring or summer. They take about 12 months to come into bloom. The main wide mixed border had just been planted with several rows of colours towards the front of the border. These should make a beautiful and unusual show of colour if we get a good hot summer. I spent a while walking up and down the row looking at the varied colouring of the foliage. The beds were newly planted, .mostly in carpet bedding plants with designs suitable for the Royal visit.

On the steep bank facing Victoria Street. 1 noticed lantanas in a variety of shades. Over the rocks the prostrate rosemary was planted to make a good green covering. This park is particularly attractive with seats surrounded by rock walls planted with showy flowering plants.

PARNELL ROSE GARDEN.—This garden in its beautiful setting looked lovely in the evening light. I expected the roses to bo over but to my surprise there was a beautiful show, many of the roses being in full bloom.

The new growth was remarkably strong, clean and healthy, and quantities of buds suggessled a continued show of flowers during the summer months. I noticed the heavy clay soil that had evidently been well prepared. The bushes had plenty of fresh air with some protection from strong winds, and the ground had been mulched with good strawy manure.

The varieties chosen were all well tried with some old favourites as well as some of the newer varieties.

ELLERSLIE RACECOURSE.—This is one of the show places around Auckland. The walk between beautiful palms (phoenix canariensis) and flowering trees and shrubs has much to interest the gardener.

I noticed callistemon, hydrangeas, rondeletia and ochna flowering well. Most of the shrubs are spring flowering. Between the palms I noticed the following in bloom: Strelitzia, fuchsias. cannas and dahlias, along with numerous useful perennial plants. The rock edge was covered in rock plants of the eascadi type, mostly in shades of blue and yellow. The grounds at the back of the grandstand are truly beautiful with trees, lawns, lily pond, and carpet beds at their best.

Several wide borders of good design were planted with dwarf scarlet salvias which had been started in a glasshouse. There were nicely offset with pink and red dwarf begonias. The glossy leaf of the begonias and small flowers helps in the blending of colours.

Another border of neat design had dwarf scarlet dahlias and dwarf yellow French marigolds, separated by dwarf begonias and edged with green and red alternanthera.

The real carpet beds were beautiful in design and colouring, in one the crown and Maltese cross were beautifully worked out in tiny plants. The plants used for carpeting were pink, red and white begonias, dwarf red irisene, and alternanthera. Between the design narrow paths were carpeted with sedum and Arenaria. The gardener said that these plants were chosen as they will be neat, tidy and showy for a long season, the colours becoming brighter as the season advances.

The railway station is becoming one of the show gardens near the city. The sunken garden looks most attractive from above and was gay with hydrangeas, roses and lovely perennials and annuals.

Grevillea robusta (silky oak) is looking very showy in many Whangarei gardens. One tree in Kamo Road is covered with the rich gold tiny flowers. Jacarancla is also flowering well. The lovely lavender flower;: are just opening and are nicely offset by the finely cut foliage. Melia azedaraeh is a quick growing tree which is largely planted for shade and ornament. The foliage is attractive. The bunches of pale lavender flowers give the tree a misty appearance.

Whangarei parks and gardens are looking very attractive. Visitors from the south should enjoy seeing plants not seen in southern gardens.