GARDEN WALLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23203, 29 May 1937, Page 7

GARDEN WALLS

By A. M'Dougall There are men Who go out in the morning, return home at night, bang the gate behind them, and lobs their cigarette ends on what should be a garden, with i.ever a thought for the possibilities of beauty readv and waiting to respond to even their smallest efforts. Thistles and docks flourish luxuriantly, twitch grows unchecked to the utter disgust of the gardener who lives over the fence, btit to such things these men are Indifferent. All their spare thoughts are centred on the next football match, or where they will motor on Saturday. Others, again, beautify every bit of ground about their home, whether it is their own property or is rented from someone else—it makes no difference to the true gardener, who is invariably a home lover. Some men have a passion for tidiness, this being reflected in their gardens, which often consist of two grass plots neatly—oh, so neatly—cut and trimmed, A small shrub is planted in the exact centre of each plot. Not a weed is to be seen anywhere, nor is there, alas, much Bign of imagination. These gardens are certainly tidy, but the result Is obtained with a mum of effort. Surrounding most of these gardens is a grey palipg fence, and it is about this grey paling fence which I wish to write. These fences mark the boundaries of hundreds of homes in our town, and only here and there do we find them made Use Of, or be&utlfled in any way; There is nothing more beautiful than a garden wall or fence covered with climbers, and it is a mystery to me why people do hot make use of them. Even though the fence, more often than not, consists only of the Common Hobart town paling, very unattractive in itself, it is willing to afford support and shelter to any and all climbers placed in its care. As I Write I have ih mind the garden of a keen old plantsman. On his property a lane a hundred feet long by 10 feet Wide leads to his house and eftrderij which are situated at the back Qf two other properties. An Ugly paling fence marks the boundary Oh One side of the lane and also surrounds the garden at the back. How this man hated these bare palings, and yet he was glad to have them as he saw in them the possibilities of ah Upright garden providing beauty and shelter for those living Within! He is one of those Who, loving berfuty, especially that beauty which springs from the earth, never fail to make the desert, or anythlrig bearing kinship to a desert, to blossom as the rose. He immediately set to WOrk, therefore, to consider these fendes of which he found hirnself the owner—the gl'ouhd at their base, and their situation With regard to sun and wind. , Next, camO, the choice of climbers. On the lane fence at one end he planted a Single rOse i --CondOla, an old Variety, cream with bright gold stamens, the flower possessing a rich perfume; the foliage is a glossy brown and green all the year round. Then came Several japonieas planted five or six feet apart, and between two of them was planted a clematis flammUla—a Wild thing, but those Who know it Will be acquainted with its quiet beauty and sweet scent: gentle checking keeps it in place. Of course, the young japdniCas did not show bloom.fdr a year or two—they rarely do—-but I cannot attempt to describe theif* beauty each Spring during; the last nine Or-'lO years, from early August till the end of October—some pink, others, scarlet, each bare branch packed With blossoms. The fehCO they adorn is the admiration arid envy of all Who see it. The glossy green leaves, coming some time after the flowers, provide a thick green wall until winter.

This wall also attracted the attention of a pair of blackbirds', Shd in spite; of much traffic up and down the narrow lane each day coirimehcihg With the milkboy and his cheery Whistle, these birds have been unafraid, dhd in the friendly branches of the japonica have successfully raised their young ones each year. This is a digression, but those who share the love of birds' With the OWher of this fence will appreciate the added thrill thus provided. And now we Come to the fences hear the house. One gets the full blast of the southerly gales, and care hdd to be taken that no climber of heavy weight endangering the fence should be planted. At one end, over which could be obtained the view of a neighbour's WashhduSe. Was planted a coro* mlla. I have not seen this climber in many gardens, and therefore thihk it may not be very well known. Strictly speaking, it is not a climber, but it can be so trained, and is an excellent thing with which to beautify an ugly gap with its soft foliage (evergreen) and its golden yellow pea-shaped flowers. Other plants chosen for this southerly fence were roses through which intertwine clematis montana alba and clematis balearica, the latter being an evergreen and winter blooming, which /make it doubly attractive. A cordnilla was also planted at the other end. All these plants are now well established, and one must personally experience the beauty and shelter afforded by the above combination to appreciate them. . The north wall is also covered with japonica, through Which rambles a clematis montana feubehs which, in the spring, spreads its apple pink blossoms at will.

The remaining wall provides the view from three rooms of the home, and it is indeed a thing of beauty and —yes, a joy for ever, especially in the spring and summer months. Oh this fence are planted some choice climbers, amongst them being clematis Jackmanii (a deep purple), clematis Nellie Moser, lathyrus splendehs (the crimson glory pea of California), and. last, but not least, the winter jasmine (Jasminum Nudiflorum). During the whole of the winter this plant i s covered with leafless spikes of starry yellow blossoms, the leaves coming later, If picked for the house the smallest bud will bloom in water. All the treatment that is required for the plants mentioned above is that the ground must be trenched two feet deep With old, manure placed in the bottom of the trench (the plants will find it) and lime mixed on the surface. If the ground is heavy, sand should be added to the lime. As the japonica grows, wire should be stretched along the fence, and the branches trained by tying. With regard to all the other climbers named, manuka scrub should be placed on the wall behind them. It is never wise to plant any one of them alone on a fence and expect it to flourish; they love company, support and shelter, and they don't mind whether these necessities are provided by the withered branches of manuka scrub, or the live branches of another plant. They should not be planted closer than five or six feet apart as they demand plenty of root room. If the space in front of the climbers will pJJow it. a border of low-growing herbaceous or alpine plants completes the picture. Should there be any wbo feel they cannot afford the climbers I have mentioned, and yet would like their fences beautified, I would say to them that I know of a six-foot garden wall in one of our suburban gardens which, in the spring and summer months, is covered from top to bottom with a blaze of scarlet geranium, and a brighter picture one could not wish to see.