ORCHARD AND GARDENING NOTES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 31 October 1919, Page 2

ORCHARD AND GARDENING NOTES.

(By J. Boiall, F.R.H.S., ,by Exam.)

VEGETABLE GARDEN

The principal work in this depart- tt meat just now will he tho thinning, a cleaning, ami planting out, of the craps S already sown. Keep th ft ground well t stirrej’ with the push hoe, and destroy ri all weeds as soon as they appear. Cress, L lettuce, and all other should I now b'f. sown ini small~quantities at, hj intervals of a fortnight or three weeks, t choosing damp weather if possible. Fmv d freely peas of main crop varieties; runner, French, and butter beans. a ridge cucumbers, vegetable marrows, d pie melons, and pumpkins may now be I sown out of doors. Spring-sown cab- s bage should be transplanted for autumn v supply. Turnips and radishes should r be sown at short intervals throughout * the month. Plant celery out as required a in trenches one foot wide and) one foot • deep, with the bottom well dug and manured. Give a good soaking of ' water after planting. If this dry t weather continues, ,protect plants by shading. j FLOWER GARDEN, 1 • < The season of bedding out is now upon us. A word l or two as to the 1 material for an effective display—not r elaborate, but a simple, _ useful, and < inexpensive display within reach Of * the majority of my readers—will be ’appropriate. It may be that .there are j certain flower gardens with nnmcroiis small beds and walk* between them. It 1 is a difficult matter to deal satisfactorily with such gardens. The demand generally in such cases is that each bed shall be independent of its neighbours, and under such cireumstaoes it is very difficult to blend colours, Nor can such gardens be planted with herbaceous bordors* for tlio summer, with those things that seem most in touch with their permanent inmates. Put a few tall plants at the back, such as cactus dahlias, the bright yellow single , holianthus, and even summer-flowering chrysanthemums; or. if there is already an abundance of flowering plants in the background, the summer introductions may consist of such plants as cannas, wigandiaa, etc. Bare spots in the front may bo filled 1 with carnations, calceolarias, pelargoniums; and) pansies. . As to annual beddings—such things ap stocks, ■ asters, marigoldls, phlox dnimmoudi, zinnias, etc.—they do better by themselves than) when mixed with ■ a hotter etoflft of bedding material, such as geraniums, calceolarias, verbenas, lobelias, etc., for the reason that many of the annuals are only a short time in flower, and’their going off quickly disorganises the bed and destroys the general effect. -So, foi beds or borders upon grass plots :.lways endeavour, if possible, to keep each class of plant separate. VINES. Proceed with th« stopping and tying out of the side shoots, and pinch off the young aide laterals to tho one (or first) leaf” as I advised a week or so back. Damp down early in the after noon-{about four o’clock on a fine day), close the botttom ventilators, and i half-hour later close the top ones. This should always, if possible, be done when the sun is shining upon the glass. As the vines come into flower give them a sharp shake. This causes them to set their fruit move freely; and as the berries become the size of raisin seeds tldnnifng ingiet be commenced. Instructions! on thinning I will be giving later on. i ; GARDEN PLANNING. (Cotimied from Last Week). Two axioms may be laid to heart Let the garden possess some special feature, and then—conceal it. Even in quit© a small garden—a suburban garden—this is possible, while in one 'of fair extent, of quarter or half an acre, there should be several distinct features, so arranged Aiat only one Can bo seen at a time. A garden of vyShjdh cjnc get's <i eye vfew when looking down it, at once looses its charm charm to plca&o that i hidden, things possess. Not long ago a friend of mine invited me to look through his garden, one that I planned some years ago and one that any en* husiast may be proud of, certainly it was* not extensive. Yet it badl a mature' that was not revealed at. first glance, namelv, a little formal rose garden. It is true that a glimpse of this is obtained through an archway draped in leal and but it serves merely to excite cunousity to such a pitch that the desire to explore becomes unconquerable. A glance down the walks fails to help the on looker it but .deepens the. mystery, for thew ar e in the secret and wind Vein I/ting cjcknensi; |urir\g tliJe visitor ■ onwards. Then suddenly, u moment ■ perhaps before its presence was suspected the little rose garden, aglow | with bloom that gain an added charm : from the close mown grassy ways that intersect the beds, bursts upon the vision, and sends a fragrant greeting. It bad' a splendid impression, ! and with gardens as with people, this l is worth striving for; often it means ’much and hds a lasting effect. _A • little further the walks _ wind again, ’and then one is faced with- a beautiful stretch of lawn, nicely kept and adorned with a flowering shrub ;here land there, which added great charm. :In the distance in a secluded corner arises a rockery covered with bloom lof all shades. ‘ The enchantment of this little garden possess me, and is I still fresh in my memory. While | each distinctive feature should' jbe ! concealed, this alone is not sufficient It must be concealed with skill, natur--5 ally or wiijh ai'Mfiqjitftity robed 'in Nature’s guise so that they show- themselves when least expected. A little bank raised here, a hollow there, a hedge, a walk that winds with a purpose—all’ these are subtle aids to I the successful concealment and subsequent (revelation of the garden’s characteristic sights, and the greater the surprise when the quest is over and the plot is disclosed, the greater will b 0 tho pleasure. It is difficult to give a graceful curve to a walk within a small area; the curve, when restricted, so easily deteriorates into a wriggle. If a walk is to foljpw a lawn, as it usually does, it is not necessary to make it straight; curves with graceful outlin e look well. An ocoassiooal bay may be formed by cutting into the grass, such a site offers an opportunity of placing a seat, arbour, summer house, rockery, tree, group of shrtiha, or pillar roses. ■ The corners of'’the lawn may, as o owner wishes, he left square or rounded dr tapering, and they, too, can he adorned with flowers in beds. Variety is the soul o'f the garden, and especially is this time of a small garden; The greater the variety the more sustained is the interest. (To hj? Continued.)