THE HOME GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19298, 10 April 1926, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN.

BEDS AND BORDERS. STYLE AND SHAPE. % ' * ~~~* The style and mode in which the long narrow border fronting the lawn at the Ellerslie racecourse grounds is designed and planted, has been a source of pleasure and delight to visitors. The symmetrical style find colour schemes produced by the arrangement of special varieties of plants employed, the mode of embellishment by the free use of scarlet salvias, penstemons,

| begonias, etc., contrasts with the nlterhanj thcras, iresines, echeverias and other non- | flowering subjects, and relieves Cue formal ] character so noticeable when the orthoi do.t carpet bedding plants only are used. No other style of gardening could produce the/colour and floral effects. The formality that must to a certain extent be assumed may be relieved by the free use of flowering planted in various designs, with kocllins arranged at suitable intervals as dot plants along the whole length of the border. TREATMENT OF BEDDING PLANTS. After the propagation, of the numerous plants required for tho above style of gardening and-the planting early in December, or near that time, care is required to have them in perfection at any fixed date. When they attain a sufficient sizo regular attention must be paid.to pinching to keep them of a uniform size. This applies to the alternantheras, iresines, and mesembryanthemuni tri-colour, if used. Dwarf compact kinds of begonias semperflorens should be employed that flower profusely and nepd no pinching. Tho salvias, penstemons, and other flowering plants should also be kept dwarf, and planted at the right time. During dry weather watering must bo done, and the whole arrangement kept perfectly free from weeds. MIOHAEIjMAS DAISIES. Among herbaceous perennials the perennial aster or Michaelmas daisy aster ericoides (heath-like) is very popular. It is now in full flower and in evidence in almost every garden. With its profusion of small, white daisy-like flowers produced on long branched stems it is most useful for church and other decorations and has become associated with our Eastern festivities. It iB of the easiest, cultivation, is

THE FLOWER GARDEN. To keep the garden and grounds neat and tidy, regular y attention at this season must be paid to raking up and collecting fallen leaves. These, deposited in a heap and left to gradually decay, form into leaf mould, which is a valuable compost to mix with potting soil or for digging Into the beds and borders. Cyclamens may be planted now, either in separate round beds cut out in.the grass, or near the edges of the mixed border. Broken-up dry cow dung mixed with sand and incorporated in the soil suits these extremely showy winter flowering plants. Phlox, zinnias, and other summer flowering annuals that were planted early are now past their usefulness, and should be dug under to make room for bulbs or other plants, to keep up a continuous succession. Now is the time to plant hardy subjects for winter and early spring flowers. All vacant spaces in the flower borders and beds should be manured and deeply dug in readiness for .replanting with hardy flowering plants, including stocks, pansies, nemesia3, larkspurs, wallflowers, calendulas, scabiosa, etc. Land that is not required for immediate cropping should be deeply dug preparatory to sowing oats, winter vetches, or prairie grass, to form a winter cover to be dug under towards the end of the winter to fertilise and add humus to the soil. Notes should be taken of the diSerent varieties of fibrousrooted begonias, alternantheras, iresines and other-' subjects that may bo utilised at this season for ornamental gardening.

PROGRAMME OF WORK.

propagated or increased by divisions, and will thrive in almost any soil. The different varieties anemone japonica, Japanese anemones, are also useful for garden decoration and cutting, and are easily increased from off-sets or root cuttings. Perennial sunflowers, single and double, much be included among herbaceous flowering plants this season. PROPAGATING PLANTS. 'Hie autumn is the best time of the year for taking of! and putting in cuttings of pelargoniums, especially the zonales, kalosanthes or crassulas, Marguerite chrysanthemums, perpetual or tree carnations, shrubby calceolarias, iresines, gazanias and

several other rock garden plants, and also for dividing several that are increased by separating the clumps, such as. Michaelmas daisies. Several shrubs, notably veronicas, may be propagated by" cuttings taken off now. A good system is to insert tho cuttings in shallow trays snch as those used for seedlings. Hedge plants of several varieties may he put in now for striking in prepared beds. For other kinds about the end of May is a suitable time. For the finer plants such as rnesembryanthemums and other rockery and bedding plants a topping of sand about half an inch in thickness should bo used. WINTER TURNIPS. W T inter turnips are among the most acceptable of vegetables, and there is no difficulty in making the supply continuous. I urged the sowing of the seed some time ago. All who did so will now have plenty of young plants, and it is imperative that these should be thinned at once. All success depends upon this. Omit it and let them remain crowded and the bulbs will not bo worth a button. Without space, air, and sunshine they cannot swell, and when the plants are three inches high at most thin them out to four inches apart. As they grow and meet in the rows again, draw every other plant out, and let the crop remain at eight inches apart. As soon as thinned, hoe between, and do not lot weeds grow among them, as these aro a hindrance. It is now too lato to sow seed to secure bulbs in winter, bi\t seed sown now would produre plants that would bulb in the spring and furnish those useful greens called turnip tops.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. In preparing raised beds for sowing late crops, thoroughly work the soil into the best possible condition to ensure as quick growth as possible. In selecting seed to sow, procure new, fresh seed of the best varieties obtainable, as they invariably germinate more quickly and come up more regularly than older seed. A sowing of onions should be made during the present month, selecting a warm situation, where the ground is fairly rich and of a fairly light dry nature. The soil should be made moderately firm by treading. It is better at this season to sow onions In rows rather than broadcast, as the young plants can be more easily kept clean by an occasional hoeing than by having to hand-weed the whole bed. Sowings can still be made in well-prepared soil of cabbage, cauliflower, onions, carrots, parsnips, turnips, lettuce, parsley, also a row or two of broad beans. The gathering up of celery and leeks should be done as soon as the plants are sufficiently advanced. In dealing with celery, a good plan is to gather up the leaves closely and place a tie of raffia or other material around them, so that when earthing the soil will be kept from the hearts of the plants. The present is a suitable time to prepare the ground for planting out fresh roots of rhubarb. Ground that has been cropped with marrows, pumpkins, melons, or other runners, should be suitable for this purpose. To obtain the most satisfactory results from rhubarb the ground requires to be deeply trenched, and well enriched with manure; jfor although yet too early for transplanting, it Is always an advantage to have the ground prepared beforehand so as to allow the soil to have time to properly sweeten.

GROWING VEGETABLES. ENRICHING THE SOIL. In advising the use of nitrate of soda for cabbages and other colworts in las! week's notes, lOoz. to the square yard was mentioned, whereas loz. to the square yard was intended, and is the safest quantity to use. Conditions aro still favourable for treating any vacant land that has been cleared of crops. Land that has become at all impoverished by frequent cropping ■■■l 111- i should be well manured, deeply dug, or, if necessary, trenched. Failing to obtain stable or other animal manures, an effort' should be mads to replenish the soil with vegetable matter. This is best attained by so arranging the crops that a good portion of the ground can be sown down in green crops each autumn ready for i turning under in the spring. GBEEN MANURING. c I' or this pur- | pose oats, mustard, vetches, lupins are useful crops for digging in to restoie humus to the soil. i With land that is of' a stiff retentive nature, a good coating of lime will do much to sweeten and pulverise the soil and render it more | easily workable.

WEEDING AND HOEING. Advantage should be taken of the present fine weather to weed and -hoe all growing crops. As the season advances, however, and the soil becomes sodden with moisture, lightly digging and burying the weeds between the rows is preferable to hoeLng, as by this means the sodden soil is again loosened up.

THINNING SEEDLINGS. Timely attention must be given to the thinning out of seedling crops, as it is especially necessary that this operation is performed before tho plants become drawn and weak. Tho reason for this is obvious, for at this time the more sturdy and hardy the plants are encouraged to grow, tho better condition they are in to withstand the cold, wet weather. An exception can be made with advantage with such a crop as shorthorn carrots, which can be thinned and used when only about half grown. At this stage they are really sweeter and more palatable than when full, grown. Turnips, too, can be treated in a similar manner, though for these, more thinning is required than for tho above named. Celery should be kept clean and free from weeds", and as soon -as 'sufficiently advanced should be carefully earthed up for bleaching. BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Brussels sprouts should be got into their final quarters as soon as possible. Unfortunately, this plant rarely gives good results in this country, probably becauso it does not get the conditions it needs. These aro a deep soil, heavy in character, plenty of manure, a long season for growth, and ample space. Thirty inches should be allowed between tho plants, and tho rows should be three feet apart. It may be thought that these distances are rather great. Try thom, however, and the result will be that tho plants will give good, firm, large buttons from the ground to tho top of the plant.