GARDENS, LARGE AND SMALL. MADE BEAUTIFUL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18453, 14 January 1922, Page 3

GARDENS, LARGE AND SMALL. MADE BEAUTIFUL.

By J. Fleming, F.E.H.S. BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS. The union between the house beautiful and the ground near it is worthy of more thought than was given to it in the past, and the best ways of effecting that union artistically should interest people more and 'more as our city grows larger and our lovely landscape shrinks back from it. % We cannot all command beautiful houses, nor can all of us indulge in gardens kid out by the taste of a landscape gardener; out while we cannot do this, wo may do much in a humbler way to strive after the attainment of so worthy an ideal. Because our gardens arc limited in extent, and there >s less scope to create or produce wonderful effects in furnishing them artistically, we ought not to abstain from doing our best to make the immediate surroundings of our home fair and beautiful to gaze upon. The difficulties that beset the adornment of the smallest type of ."town ,and suburban gardens may be briefly sot forth as follows: —In the majority of oases there is practically no room for putting a framework of trees or shrubs to the wealth of lovely blossoms one may have from spring to autumn—and flowers, however beautiful they may be in themselves, lose' much of their charm and loveliness in having no background, or foil of delightful greenery, to show them off to their best, advantage. The boundary walls and fences are generally things in no sense .beautiful, fror do they add any grace or beauty to the flowers. Here, then, is one of the most set ions drawbacks to ensarin,’ a beautiful garden. Fortunate indeed are those who have gardens of ampler extent, and who consequently possess abundant scope for garnishing their boundaries with a pleasing assortment of trees and shrubs so as to form a frame to the flowers grown for the purpose of making a gay display from early spring till autumn* Nor is this all; the small garden without this framework of greenery is absolutely dull and uninteresting from the time the frost destroys the last vestige of autumn blossoms to the time Nature awakes from her winter slumber. Not so the garden 'furnished with our own native bush, and with trees and shrubs. Such a garden is interesting and delightful at all seasons, In the spring the budding shoots, followed by charming flowers; in summer, the refreshing green foliage: in autumn, the richly-tinted leaves; and in winter, the twigs and branches decorated with hoar-frost and mantle of snow, all lend a charm to the garden, which the owners of smaller gardens cannot realise or enjoy. It is evident, then, that to have a gay and beautiful garden wp must first of all take into consideration its size, and then go to woik in an appropriate manner to strive and achieve the best results we can. SMALL GARDENS. Let us take the smallest of gardens first, and see what may be done to render them gay from September to April. Here, ot course, trees and shrubs ■ are out of the question: it will be necessary to rely upon annuals, biennials, perennials, and bulbs for the purpose. Those .who must study economy may have a garden by the-use of hardy annuals only. Among these will be canary creepers, tall nasturtiums, sweet pests (autumn and spring • sown), and Japanese hops. The hops may be sown to cover a shady wall, trellis, or fence, the others to cover sunny walls or outhouses, and thus help to render them less-unsightly. Scarlet runner beans may also, be sown Jby the side of the fences, and thus beautify them as well as yield many a delicious dish of beans for the table. In the sunny borders patches of clarkias, cornflowers, larkspurs, candytuft, nemesia, Shirley poppies, sunflowers, and sweet peas may be sown; and in shadier ones godetias, dwarf nasturtiums, marigolds, saponarias, and sweet alyssum. These if sown in September and October will make a good display all summer if dead blossoms are removed and the plants not allowed to Jtear seed. Sow the seeds thinly, and 1 thin out the seedlings so as to ensure a sturdy growth. Bulbs, such as crocus, daffodils, hyacinths, snowdrops, scillas, and tulips, may be planted in patches in the borders, or in lines in the flower beds, from January .to April. These present a gay appearance in the garden, in spring. Between the bulbs, forget-me-nots, violas, pansies, primroses, and polyanthus may be planted to succeed the bulbs| and keep the beds gay until summer., In October Canterbury bells, carnations, pansies, and snapdragon may be planted ’ in vacant spaces, and gladoli norms planted and annuals sown. In November and December add, asters, dahlias, French marigolds, stocks, etc., and in beds plant lobelia, marguerites, geraniums, fuchsias, and petunias. If you wish for something more, plant hardy perennial lupins, anemone japonica, coreopsis, gaillardia, larkspurs, phlox, cheiranlHus allionii, sunflowers, golden rod, pentstembn, etc;, in October, Hardy ferns, lily of the valley, London pride, and Solomoii’s seal may also be planted in shady corners. _ An assortment like this will, indeed, give you a long and continuous display. WINDOW GARDENING. Those who have only limited garden space cannot well afford to lose an opportunity of cultivating flowers in window boxes. The care and attention needed by the flowers affords an agreeable and pleasant occupation to the householder, and the display of colour at the same time adds to the attractiveness of the house and its surroundings. Window gardens may be had by planting bulbs in the boxes in autumn, sowing, seeds of annuals like candytuft, canary - creeper, mignonette, dwarf and tall nasturtium, godetia, or Virginia stock,- in October, and by planting lobelia, nemesia, fuchsias, calcelarias, petunias, and zonal geraniums in summer. The cheapest method is to sow annuals, or purchase seedling asters, alonsoa, marigolds, stocks, or zinnias in November. Whatever plants are used good soil must be provided, and good drainage provided in the boxes. Then add the soil and the plants, and when the latter have been in. position a month or two, water once a week with a solution of an approved fertiliser, at the rate of a to a gallon of water. The manure will promote a healthy growth and the production of abundance of flowers. LARGER GARDENS. I have already said that something is necessary -in the shape -of greenery for, forming a background "to the flowers of the larger type of gardens, if a really gay and beautiful garden-is desired, and that something is a belt of trees and shrubs. In front cf the shrubs have good sized borders, and in these plant a good and varied assortment' of hardy perennials, some to flower in early spring, like the doronicums, poanies, and lupins; others to flower in summer, as coreopsis, columbines, campanulas, carnations, pyrethrums, delphiniums, lilies' cf _ sorts, Siberian wallflower, phloxes, Oriental poppies, eweetwilliams, gaillardias, and pentsteraons; and others, again, to bloom in autumn, as anemone Japonica, gladioli, Michaelmas daisies; perennial sunflowers, and snandragons. Plant in bold groups, letting tall ones come here and there to the front, so as to make the border as varied as possible. Plant, also, in spring, Canterbury bells, pansies, violas, swcetwilliam, etc. In autumn, plant a variety ■ of hardy bulbs. The beds (if any) may be planted with' bulbs, etc., ns advised for small gardens. Shady corners may be made beautiful by planting hardy ferns, foxgloves, honesty, ivies, St. John’s wort, German irises, evening primroses, columbines, Solomon’s seal, snowdrops, scillas, etc. Arbours or summer houses may be made pretty by planting clematis, honeysuckles, climbing roses, and Virginia creeper. In fact, to ensure a really interesting garden from April to September and a gay one for the remainder of the year no stone should bo left unturned in the way of trying your very best to avoid dull, unsightly comers in any pert. Every position, whether it be sunny or shady, has its uses, and if these an; turned to good account in the manner sug. gested, the result will be a beautiful garden. CARE V AND ATTENTION NECESSARY. In conclusion, remember what is worth doing is worth doing well. Spare no pains in laying a good foundation in the preparation of the soil, and when you have sown your seeds or put in the plants, do not imagine that your work is finished. Constant. care and attention is needed- at all reasons, but more particularly during . the season of growth. Do not let your olants starve for want of proper food: starved plants make .-weakly growth, and weakly growth always falls a prey to insect and fungoid pests. Lastly, love the flowers youcultivate, make them your -dearest friends, and then you will bo able to overcome and conquer many you’ll -well deserve what you are aiming at—a really beautiful and interesting garden.