EFFECTIVE BORDERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22142, 22 June 1935, Page 8 (Supplement)

EFFECTIVE BORDERS

BLEND BLOOMS FOR EFFECT During the wet winter months when gardening is not quite such a pleasureable task as in the warmer remainder of the year, there is much that can be done by carefully planning the garden effects, towards making a brilliant show in the coming season. As the National Flower Show is being

held in Auckland in February 1936, notes on plants which will be in their full glory about that time may be helpful to gardeners. The dahlias will of course hold pride of place, but the mixed border may also contribute considerably towards the display by planning and planting during the next few months.

The border for midsummer should be rich in delphiniums, as these should form the backbone of border plantings. Lavatera olbia is a lovely pink shrubby mallow, exquisite in association with delphiniums Nora Ferguson and Lord Derby. Flowers of yellow tone may be grouped round the deep blue D. Hunsden Dell, the verbascum hiding the leggy stems of Lilium Henryii. An uncommon plant Sparaxis pulcherrima bears graceful arching sprays of pink flowers which are pendant on threadlike pedicels, forming a dainty light effect. The border should be planted with each clump of sufficiently large dimensions to make its presence felt, so that when in bloom the effect is a telling one. If the outlines of each group are adhered to in the planting, each variety will merge into the next and no harsh dividing lines will occur to ruin the natural effects that results when plants are put in in blocks. Adding Grace to Asters

For autumn, reliance has been placed principally on asters, and no one who has seen a border composed chiefly of these will dispute their glory. The solid masses of bloom they give may be redeemed from heaviness by the inclusion of groups of the feathery varieties or by the fluffy wands of the cimicifugas. It is a pity that these plants are so seldom seen. They have handsome foliage resembling spiraeas, and in late summer and autumn send up quantities of stems bearing, in the case of Cimicifuga japonica, erect racemes of pure white, and in C Simplex, even lovelier creamy plumes on somewhat pendent stems. Variation in r'orm is still further supplied by the majestic kniphofias; tall, pale aconitums; spires of the blue salvia, and branching Anemone japonica.

A Plea for Perennials To return for a moment to the asters, even the autumn glories of leaf and berry cannot eclipse the sheaves of coloured stars provided by the perennial varieties. Few races of plants offer such a diversity of form and habit, which is one of their chief charms in massing them as a family. Moreover they come in their full beauty at a tine when most of the garden is crying out for cutting down and tidying up. No reference to the perennial asters would be complete without a plea for kindly staking. The most carefully chosen varieties in the richest compost are utterly ruined by being tied in a bunch to one stake in the centre. It is so easy to place a few sticks round the plants in midsummer. These sticks will ultimately be hidden by the natural disposition of foliage and flowers, and thus give the much needed support, without in any way spoiling the airy j grace of the plants. i

RED-HOT POKERS The kniphofias, or Red Hot Pokers as they are popularly called, lend a touch of bright colour to the herbaceous border when in flower. Those who are wise never cut down tho foliage of these plants, but wait until it dies and can be pulled away without exerting strength in the effort. The old foliage is a great protection to the fleshy and somewhat tender crowns.

Unfortunately, it also affords harbour for snails which will congregate in large numbers among the thick mass of leaves. Then when the tender, juicy young foliage begins to form, the whole host of these pests will feast upon it, to the serious distress of the plant. When they have devoured all they can of this plant they venture .forth, just so far as will take them to the next tempting plant, upon which they will gorge themselves and then retire. There is one advantage in this if owners of gardens would but realise it. One knows where to hunt with the assurance of finding prey, if snails abound in the garden, and it is not unusual to collect half :i bucket of snails from a good sized clump of kniphofia With perseverance the pests may be collected from around these plants and destroyed. Tho other side of the picture is that if the harbour remains a shelter only, instead of a trapping ground, it may be expected that the snails will destroy the plant.

A GOOD SOIL FUMIGANT Crude, naphthalene is being used extensively as a soil fumigant; near cropping time or in planted borders it should not bo used at a greater rate than 2oz. per square yard. When tho soil is vacant, opportunity may bo taken to givo infested soil a heavier dose, at the cate of 4oz. to the same area. J ho naphthalene should be forked into the upper layer of tho soil immediately after application, when its fumes will thoroughly penetrate the soil, and no planting should take place on the treated soil for at least one month. A very good soil fumigant and fertiliser combined can be made by mixing 141b. of lime with 3jlb. of naphthalene. Apply and fork in at the rate of 4oz. per eguare yard.