THE GARDEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26783, 28 May 1948, Page 7

THE GARDEN

Contributed by D. TANNOCK. A.H.R.H.B. fa -—--.Tijjy - s

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS “ Berried Shrub,” Stirling.—The name of the shrub is Pyracantha angustifolis, a native of Western China, and perfectly hardy. It should thrive in your district. It is valuable in retaining its berries in lull beauty until the spring. R. A., Vauxhall. —Suitable native trees for shelter in plot A would be the evergreen ribbonwoods, Hoheria populnea and H. angustifolia (white flowers); plot C—southern rata (Metrosideros lucida), pohutukawa (Metrosideros tomentosa), and Metrosideros villosa (Kermadic rata). All have bright flowers and stand wind, and would thrive at Vauxhall. Plot B; Buddleia Colvilli, B. Davidi, Cotoneaster serotina, Pyracanths angustifolia, Cydonia Japonica, Olearia stellulata, and Myrlus bullata. Myrtus Ugni, though not the true cranberry, is usually planted, and listed by nurserymen as such. It is a small evergreen shrub which bears fruits with a distinct and pleasant flavour. It should thrive with you. The true cranberry is Vaccinum Oxycoccus, a native of North America, where it grows in boggy heaths. LILIES There are a number of plants called lilies .which are not lilies at all, the true lilies being members of the genus Lilium, a most interesting, beautiful, and widelydistributed one. They are among the most beautiful bulbous plants, combining as they do stateliness and grace with brilliant and delicately-coloured flowers. The many kinds in cultivation afford a rich choice. All are beautiful, but some are better suited for particular localities and positions than others. Some are quite accommodating, and will thrive under any reasonable conditions as to soil and situation: others are moderately easy to grow, and others are moderately difficult. For file gardener who wants a representative group there are plenty of easy and the moderately easy kinds to pick from, and a lily border can provide something of interest right through the summer and autumn. Though some kinds will thrive in the mixed or herbaceous border, most like the conditions provided for rhododendrons, azaleas, and heaths, and as most of these flower in the early spring and summer the lilies are most useful for providing a display in late summer and autumn. The propagation of lilies is generally most easily and readily effected by separating the bulbils, or offsets, from the parent bulbs, and if these are detached and grown in the same way as the parents in the course of a year or two they make good flowering bulbs. Another method, and not a difficult one, is to detach some of the scales from the bulbs, either when planting them in the spring or just before or after flowering. These scales are placed fairly close together in boxes of sandy soil or in a cool bed in the open, at an angle, and covered with sphagnum moss to keep them moist. If in boxes under glass, the tiny bulbs will develop in from four to six weeks, when they can be moved to a cold frame. If lined out in the open, they are better left undisturbed for some time. Some species form bulbils naturally up the flower stem and others form them just under the ground. Others can be induced*to form bulbils if the flower stem is cut away after the flowers are over, and then laying them horizontally on a border of sandy soil, and covering them witii two inches of soil. Another method is to jerk the flower stem away from the bulb at about the time the plant is coming into flower. The leaves are cut away from the lower four to six inches of stem, and they are then lined out in sandy soil at an angle of 45 degrees, the position selected being a cool moist one, to keep the stem alive and fresh as long as possible. The bulbils can be lined out xn boxes, ’ which are kept in a cold frame or cool place until they form flowering bulbs. Lilies can also be grown from seed, but some behave in a peculiar manner, and do not show up above the soil until the second or third year. Seed is better sown in pots or boxes, and just covered with sandy soil, and to keep them moist they are better plunged in sea sand and covered with a sheet of glass, and moist but not wet sphagnum moss. Sonia species form flowering bulbs in one or two years. At the end of a year, after germination, the seedlings can be lined out. in boxes or a specially-prepared, welldrained border which should have some protection from strong sun and heavy rain. METHOD OF PLANTING There are few lilies which will grow in an ordinary loam, and most like a considerable amount of peat, leafmould or compost. Manure should never be mixed with the soil when planting, but when established a mulch of old cow manure is no objection. When planting it is best to take out the soil to a depth of 13 inches, some peat or leafmould put in and mixed with the soil in the bottom. For the stem-rooting kinds a depth of from six to nine inches is required, and a layer of sand is put in then after placing the bulb in position it is completely surrounded with sand, which provides ’ partial drainage for the bulb, as well as some protection from insects. The non-stem rooting kinds are placed two or three Inches deep. Lilies are not like ordinary bulbs which ripen off completely, all the roots disappearing. The roots should be kept fresh and the bulb moist by packing it in moss when out of the ground, and returned to the soil as quickly as possible. I have already mentioned the advantage of growing most kinds among dwarf shrubs, especially those which like a peaty soil, and it is also an advantage to shade them when in flower from the sun in the middle of the day. The time to plant the bulbs varies according to tr»e species, but as a rule the earlier they are planted in the autumn the better, though in an ordinary season May or early June would be suitable. Lilies are more effective when planted in groups of up to a dozen bulbs in the mixed border, or in drifts of up to 100 or more in the shrubbery. The following kinds are of fairly easy culture and are reasonable in price:—L. Regale (the Regal lily). This is the most desirable and also the most accommodating of lilies. Flowers ®re funnelshaped, deliciously scented, snow white, suffused yellow in throat, and stained with wine purple on the outside: easily raised from seed, and seedlings will begin to flower in two years. L. Testaceum: A hybrid between Candidum and Chalcedonicum; one of the most beautiful of all lilies. L. Candium (Madonna lily): should be planted in March or April, and, being non-stem, rooted one to two inches deep. L. Chalcedonicum: Flowers sealing wax red; height 2ft to 3ft; plant three Inches deep. L. Croceum (Cottage lily): Brilliant pure orange; height 3ft to sft; plant four to five inches deep. L. Davidii: Height 3ft to 6ft; flowers pendant on long pedicles, orange red or deep orange, with dark brown spots. L. Formasanum: Height 4ft to 6ft; creamy white trumpets, flushed brown purple outside; nine inches. L. Henryi: Height Oft; orange yellow, with pale green lines. L. Longiflorum Harisii (Easter lily). L. Martogam (Turks Cap lily): Height 3ft to 4ft; plant six inches deep. L. Pardalinum: Height sft to 3ft; orange o r red and spotted. L. Speciosum Rubrum: Rose pink to carmine red. L. Magnificum: Ruby red. .L. Willmottiae; Height 3ft to 4ft; pale orange, unspotted; plant four inches deep. GARDENING CLUB At the last meeting of the Dunedin Gardening Club Mr C. Preen delivered an interesting lecture on chrysanthemums. He described the propagation, cultivation and selection of the buds in detail, and also the preparation of the blooms for I exhibition. His remarks were very practical and were much appreciated. The next lecture will be on rock and water gardens by Mr C. A. Teschener, who constructed the rock garden at the Ceni'mnia] Flower Show.