ORNAMENTAL HEDGES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20922, 11 July 1931, Page 8 (Supplement)

ORNAMENTAL HEDGES.

CHAMAECYPARIS LAWSONIANA. ■it,. .Chamaecyparis, better known under the old name "of 'Cupressus Lawsoniana, a native of Northern California, is .one of the most elegant of the genus, and is extremely close to the cupressus. The leaves are dark glossy-green with a glaucous hue, the branchlets being fern-like and feathery. It is propagated freely by seeds. The seedlings vary considerably in growth, and from a single packet of' seed, several different types'may be'produced, .from upright pyramidal habit to low branching and intermediate. It is a very splendid evergreen tree, suited for single specimens or-for breakwind and ornamental-liedges. . Por specimens select the'upright grower of "symmetrical habit, and for hedge pur poses choose all the one type of upright 'growth. *The varieties of this species are extremely numerous. ' There are several very showy variegated forms, including vrhite variegated, silver variegated, and golden variegated. Erecta Yiridis has ' foliage of a lighter green. It is very distinct and ornamental. Gracilis, pepdulua has long branches, and is gracefully pendulous. Filiformis has thread-like foliage. Nanagiauca is a dwarf variety, with highly glaucous foliage. The type with its numerous sub-varie-ties are all extremely ornamental and specially adapted as lawn specimens, planting along; the sides of drives and intermixing in ornamental plantations. They succeed in a variety of soils and 1 situations. The smaller kinds are suitable for town gardens. EARLY hardy shrub. ' JASMINUM PRIMULINUM. . Jasminurn primulinum is already in full flower, being one of the earliest of the hardy shrubs to come into blossom. The colour of the very showy, large semidouble flowers is clear yellow. This useful shrub may be trained as a climber or in bush form,'and is very effective and of easy cultivation, . thriving in almost any soil, or situation. Coming in at this. « early season, it is most welcome. Grudifiorum is another early fiow.enng species. The bright yeiiow flowers are wreathed • along tlie branches in early winter before the' leaves appear. It tnrives in any situation. . : '. " A USEFUL WINTER ANNUAL. BEAUTIES OF LINARIA. * Linaria the annual varieties of linarias, notably the maroccana type, are most useful at this season, when there is such a scarcity of flowers. For garden decoration and cutting, they are very, suitable, their varied and beautiful flowers resembling miniature antirrhinums. They are freely produced, and are not affected by the weather. They are of the easiest cultivation. Self-sown seedlings come up in abundance where the previous-season's plants have flowered, and seeded clumps form an interesting display'at this season. The seedlings, self-sown or otherwise, require to be properly thinned to allow room for those that are left to properly develop.

ASPARAGUS BEDS.

NECESSARY TREATMENT. New asparagus beds that have been already prepared should be again well forked over so that the soil will be in the best possible. condition for planting. Beds are best when prepared some time before the season for planting so as .to allow-the manure time to decompose and the soil to sweeten and be in good heart for the plants. The best time to plant is soon after the crowns have started, into growth and as -the asparagus is naturally an early vegetable this stage is. often" reached fairly early in September. When carefully lifted and®transplanted#soon after the crowns ' have started into growth they • take root quickly and become established more rapidly than when planted in a dormant condition, while there is far less risk of losses. . For planting, drills should be made about four inches in depth, the centre of the drills being slightly raised so that the roots when planted will have a .downward tendency. The drills mUst be made wide enough to allow of the roots .being spread out evenly -without cramping, the roots then being covered with the best soil obtainable. It should always be borne in mind, when preparing the ground for asparagus, that the of shoots can only be obtained tin proportion as the roots are kept supplied with the necessary food. Beds •formed five feet wide, which is the -•method of- culture mostly adopted in •private gardens, «will take three rows of Jplants, arranged eighteen inches apart in Jthe rows. | ' Strong, well grown one-year-old plants, .'if carefully lifted with all the roots in tact, are, the best. Another important matter is to plant as soon as possible •after, the plants are lifted, or .in any icase to keep the roots moist until planted. •The roots are naturally of a thick, fleshy Jijature, and if allowed to become dry fandshrivelled receive a check that , will take months to recover.