GARDEN NOTES.
HOW TO PROTECT FLOWERS AGAINST HENS. Every year I have had unlimited tribulations, trying to make hens and flowers thrive, side by side, amicably. But it has been a harrowing occupation, for, like oil and water, they do not mix well. I have tried every device under the aun for protecting the flowers, but hitherto it has been in vain. Even if I succeeded in keeping the majority of the fowls in one yard, one good motherly hen, with a thrifty brood, would in five minutes destroy a month's work and careful watching of a precious pansy, phlox or verbena bed. As I was not equal to banishing the hens I struck a happy inspiration and banished the flowers ; banished all of the annuals to the vegetable garden. It was not quite so pretty or convenient to have the flowers so far out of sight, but it saved a great deal of hard labour and irritation, and there was an infinite amount of satisfaction in the wellgrown specimens. I have never grown flowers with so much genuine satisfaction before, and have resolved to always, in the future, plant them there. For even the loveliest flower bed is not a great attraction to a lawn when it is turned bottom side up, or covered with unsightly sticks and branches. I did not attempt even a geranium or coleus bed, but procured quantities of large flower pots, painted several old kettles that had seen their best days, and an old butter bowl. A number of hollow logs, with the bark on, made very pretty rustic flower pots. They were all filled with loamy earth, and planted with geraniums, coleuses, nasturtiums, and many kinds of plants, or creeping vines with a tendency to grow downward and cover the primitive pots. This motley assortment of Flora's paraphernalia was distributed around the house and grounds. I never have had geraniums do better or give greater satisfaction all round. If any other flower-loving friends and neighbours are addicted to hens and are suffering from the inflictions thereof they will find relief in following my plan,—American Agriculturist, '
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZMAIL18930519.2.9
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Mail, Issue 1107, 19 May 1893, Page 7
Word Count
352GARDEN NOTES. New Zealand Mail, Issue 1107, 19 May 1893, Page 7
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in