THE GARDEN AND ORCHARD

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1847, 31 July 1907, Page 52

THE GARDEN AND ORCHARD

HARDY CLIMBING PLANTS. The number of hardy climbing plants is so large, and includes species of such diverse characteristics, that it is only possible, within the space available, to give general details of their cultivation and of the uses which may be made of them. The majority are of easy culture, and, if well planted in the first instance, will to a great extent take care of themselves afterwards; but there are a few cultural details which must be carefully observed to ensure success. - As to time of planting, about the second month of autumn is the best month for placing the plants in their permanent positions, the roots are then enabled to get well hold of the new soil before severe weather sets in. Where the natural soil of the garden is a good loam of fair depth, the only preparation necessary is to trench the ground deeply, and "to add a liberal quantity of old manure, which should be placed one foot or so below the ground level, and be well mixed with the soil. Two or three potfuls of' bonemeal may also he added with advantage. Where the soil is very poor, it is advisable ta remove it to a depth and width of three feet, and to replace with good loam. Before planting, make sure that the plants are quite moist at the roots; they may then be turned out of their pots and some of the roots slightly loosened from the ball of soil, using a sharp pointed stick for this purpose. The plants should be placed at a distance of 8 inches or 10 inches from the wall or fence which they are intended to cover, and should incline at a slight angle towards it. The soil must be firmly trodden round the plants, but the surface soil should be left loose. A good watering should be given when the planting is completed. In some cases it may be necessary to secure the plants to a stake till they have made sufficient growth to be attached to the wall. During the succeeding summer a few good soakings of water must be given, especially if the pi ants are growing against brick walls, where the soil is apt to become very dry. A mulching of decayed manure will also help to keep the surface soil cool and moist. '

The amount of pruning required varies greatly according to the different species, but consists mainly in thinning out surplus shoots so trqit sun and air can have access to the plants. Such rampant climbers as the white Jasmine, -Passion -Flower and Clematis montana require somewhat severe thinning when -well established. Climbing roses should Joe exit back to about half their length -the first season after planting. When established, the pruning should be confined to renibving the unripe ends of the shoots in autumn, and cutting one or two of the oldest stems down to the ground immediately after flowering to encourage growth from the base. Clematis Jackmanni does best if cut down to 'within* .6 inches of the ground hi late autumn. Other large floxvered Clematises require only a little thinning of the shoots annually. Such cliixibers as Cydonia japonica and Jasminum nudiflorxxnx should be pruned, when necessary, immediately after flowering, merely thinning out surplus shoots. Many climbing plants reqxiire no pruning except to keep them in bounds, these including Magnolia, Ceanothus, Wistaria, and the nxxmerous varieties of Vitis. The method of training plants on wood trellis has much to recommend it, as the plants thus have a free circulation of air round them; this method is not, however, always practicable, and all climbipg plants will do quite xvell if attached to the wall with nails and shreds of cloth, or tied with tarred twine. Care must be taken when tying to leave room for the expansion of the stems. Stiff, close training should be avoided, a prettier and more natural effect being obtained if some of the shoots are left quite loose. Many climbers, notably roses, flower much better if the shoots are trained nearly horizontally or fan shape. Pillars and .arches for climbing plants should, if possible, be wood. Very good and effective arches' may be made of stout larch poles, xvith cross pieces of oak or chestnut. The ends should be well tarred or painted with ci'eosote before placing in the ground. Where galvanised iron arches are used they shoxxld be given two coats of paint before planting the climbers against them. The appended list of plants, suitable for covering walls and arches, must be taken only. as offering a few suggestions, and can, of course, be modified according to individual taste, many of the climbers mentioned succeeding well either on xvalls or arches, and in any aspect. For house walls, soxith aspect, Magnolia grandiflora is very ornamental, and has the advantage of being evergreen, bxit is rather slow in growth in its early stages. Where it is desired to cover the xvall qxxickly Ampelopsis Veitchii can be recommended, and to groxv with it such roses as Reve d’O'r, L’ldeal, Cheshunt Hybrid and Bouqxxet d’Or, also Tecoma radicans, Cydonia japonica, Clematises Henryi, Lady Caroline Neville and Miss Bateman, and Choisya ternata. East aspect: Roses Gloire de Dijon, Reine Marie Henriette, William Allen Richardson, and Waltham Climber No. 3, also Clematis Jackmanni and Crataegus Lelandii. West aspect: Wistaria sinensis, Clematis montana, Passiflora coerulea and Roses Mme. Berard, Gloire de Dijon and Mme. Alfred Carriere. North aspect: Green and variegated Ivies, Jasminxxm liudiflorum, Cydonia japonica and Kerria japonica flore - pleno. For moderately high walls or fences nearly all the foregoing plants are suitable; also Ceanothus, Gloire de Versailles, Etecallonia macrantha, ‘Chimonanthus fragrams and Garrva elliptica, the four plants all jlieeding a warm position and south aspect. For covering arches and pergolas there are many plants available. Such roses

as Crimson Rambler, Dorothy Perkins, Aglaia, Ehiphrosyne, Blush Rambler, Aimee Vibert, Mme. Alfred Carriere and Loixgworth Rambler are especially useful. In addition, many climbing Roses of the Tea Scouted and Noisette sections may be used. Other suitable plants include Honeysuckles, Clematises in many varieties, Jasminum officinale and Polygonum baldschuanicum. Nearly all these are suitable for growing on pillars, but especially useful are some of the more moderate groxving climbing roses, such as Mme. Hector Leuilliot, Climbing Mrs W. J. Grant, Climbing Caroline Testout. Ards Pillar and Etnglaixd’s Glory- There are omitted from this list some very strong growing climbers from my list of .wall plants, as these are apt to smother other climbers which may be planted near them, but they are very useful for rambling over ai'bors, summer houses, outbuildings and in other similar positions; the common Hop is not to be despised for this purpose, bxxt shoxxld be kept away from other plants. There are also the Virginian Creeper (Vitis quinquefolia), Vitis Ooignetiae, the large-leaved Irish Ivy (Hedera camariensis), Aristolochia Sipho and Clematis fiammula. Finally we have a few plants particularly sxxitable for growing on trellises in the open, these including climbing Nasturtiums and Tropaelolxxm canariense among annuals, and the perennial red and white Everlasting Peas (Lathyrus latifolius). —C. W. Caulfield, winner first prize essay, Royal Horticultural Society, England.—Exchange.

THE IVY-LEAVED GERANIUMS. Although not cultivated to anything like tlie same extent as the zonal geraniums, or, more properly pelargoniums, these form an exceedingly valuable class of flowering plants, usefxil not only for pot culture, bxxt a.so for window boxes, hanging baskets ai d pots, bedding, and other purposes, and are worthy of extended culture. On the xvliole, they are somewhat more tender than the zonals, and must be carefxxlly protected from frost in all stages, but they groxv freely in almost any soil, and bloom xvith the utmost freedom. They take their name from the resemblances of the thick, almost fleshy leaves to those of the ivy, and even in their perfume there is also a considerable similarity. They are propagated by means of cuttings, xvhich may be inserted either in the spring or in the early autumn — towards the end of February or early in March. Perhaps the spring cuttings are the easiest to strike, bxxt those inserted in the autumn make the best and most floriferoxxs plants. In either case they shoxxld be taken xvith a rr heel” apiece, or long shoots may be exit just beloxv the third or fourth joint. Remove the lowest leaf or txvo, and then insert them roxind the sides of 31-in pots, placing five or six in each. The pots must be xx'ell drained, aixd filled xvith sandy loam and a little leafmoxild, and a surfacing of pure sand. Set them in firmly, xvater xvell, and then place them where they xvill suffer neither from any shade nor from strong sun, and have a di*y atmosphere circulating round them. When rooted and beginning to groxv, pot them off singly, and xvhen again established move them into sin or 6in pots to floxver, as the case may be. They are splendid things for hanging baskets, most of the varieties natxxrally possessing a drooping or trailing habit of growth, and blooming from almost every joint with the greatest freedom. A compost consisting of fresh, fibrous loam, with a half or third part of leafmould, or old hotbed or mushroom-bed manure and a little sand and bone-meal xvill suit them excellently, and it should be. firmly compressed in the pots. The plants do not mind getting moderately dry at the root occasionally hut in order to obtain xvell-furnislied plants, xvith plenty of fine foliage, the soil aboxxt the roots must be kept pretty regularly moist. When the plants have filled their pots with roots, and are coming into bloom, xveak liqxiid manure should be given aboxxt txvice a xveelc or at every other or third watering. If some of the best of the old plants are cut back lightly and repotted when groxving again they will form fine large specimens and bloom profusely, but after the second or third year it -s better to throw them away, and employ young plants.

Some of the ivy-leaved geraniums also sxxcceed remarkably xvell xvhen trained against a sunny xvall in a cool house, while as pillar plants they are unsurpassed. When employed for bedding they shoxxld be firmly planted in good, bxxt not too rich, loamy soil, the shoots being pegged down to the ground evenly all ox r er the bed. The old Mme. Crousse, xvith nximerous trusses of soft salmon-pink blossoms, is one of the best Redders, and if a bed of it is “dotted” with dxvarf heliotropes or ageratums a very pleasing effect will be obtained. Soxxie other good bedding varieties are: Flambeau (rich scarlet), Eyecroft Scarlet (bright scarlet), Souvenir de Chas. Turner. (bright pink, feathered maroon), Beauty of Castle Hill, Queen of Roses (this is very dxvarf, and should be planted more closely than the others), Clovis and Rose-bell, all shades of pink,* Michelet (scarlet, shaded magenta), Murillo (crimson), and Kate Wilson, and Mrs Banks (white). Any of those named may also be grown in pots in the greenhouse, in outside window boxes (clxiring the summer only, or inside the glass, but there are several nexver varieties that are well xvorthy of an honoured place, and every attention and care. Of these may be mentioned Queen Alexandra (xvhich has beautifully formed floxvers of a soft blxish colour), His Majesty the King (dark cerise), Her Majesty the Qxieen (of a beautiful salmon colour), and Princess Victoria (pale lilac colour!-