THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 956, 16 May 1889, Page 9

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE MONTH. (May corresponds with November at Home.—Average temperature, 47*7.) ' BBKDS TO BB SOWN. Beanß and peas in a sheltered situation. In heat— Cress, cucumber, mustard, and radish. SEASONABLE NOTES. May presents such opportunity for planting deciduous trees and shrubs that should not be allowed to pass without being availed of to the uttermost. Where the briar will assert itself, it is a good plan to lift standard rose trees at this time of the year, for it is then an easy matter to prune aud remove all decaying roots and cut away all suckers. The hole in which the rose tree is to be planted should be of sufficient size to admit of the roots being freely spread out, there should be no cramping on ariy account before the soil is put in upon them ; before planting the roots should be carefully 1 examined, and all decayed, bruised, or broken, or otherwise damaged parts cut away with a sharp knife, as, if allowed to remain, the crushed or damaged roots are liable to produce, or ratKer induca, the growth of \ ungus. Qbe"great error in plantfa(J rose' tree's is, they are often put into the ' ground with their roots all crowded together anyhow; this should certainly be avoided. A bole, as I have already said, should be dug of the required size, it must be broad enough to enable the operator to spread the roots out in as near a natural position as possible. In the bottom of this hole some extra rich soil should be placed, if the natural soil be of poor quality, an^ trodden down. On this the rose tree Bhould stand, with its collar (that part where the stem joins the roots) just oh the level of the surface of the surrounding ground. When the plant has been 'got inio positibn, fy will one Person to hold ifc fchefe whilst another speads out we roots and. Ulls in the soil little by littletreading it firmly down from time to time till the hole is filled up; the surface soil should then receive a good mulching of manure and a copious watering. Among deciduous flowering trees of the shrubbery, care should be taken to intersperse evergreens at the time of laying out the ground. *n the summer they form an excel^eqt background for the flowering plants th l atoacupy the' «ont of the borders, «nd in the white* 'they effuse an aspect of freshness o.nd' cheerfulness W whole '^ovrou 1 . ir Whlie'ori the* su,bjeet'of, !&?™pfr Plirotiiig; inentiion may be m>de of an JnptuTOtoetti in 1 the ald-fashjpned pleiri 6! conY ; antog the list ol ; shrubbery' plants to deoiduous «a»mental' trees and evergreens onlyj Amongwose subjects fruit-trees, which are not "only; Weful bat highly! ornamental,' shoulcl 'be tfeeely I

used. It has long been the fashion to relegateall fruit-beariDg frees to/the orchard find the kitchen garden, only those of which the produce is, worthless being at thepresent time considered-, suitable for, what is termed,, the,. ornamental' planting of shrubberies and' lawns, ,", $be floubleflowered cherry and, the almond tree are] extensively employed, but in many places these might be; largely supplemented' by edible apple,'pear; medlar, and quince ; these latter would sot require any more care or attention than the former, and in any quarters save the most .uncongenial, would repay cultivation, not pnly by a, greater display of beauty in spring, but ip ordinary circumstances, by a wealth of fruit in autumn. <

As the present is .the season for, general planting, it should also be the season for considering the requirements of each kind of, plant intended to be grown. Among the , plants which are necessary to make a good display next .spring, there£still remain the anemones and ranunculuses; these latter are, much grown as florists' flowers, and, where this is the case, ate not usually planted until spring ; but, when ordinary garden cultivation and beauty are desired, the ranunculus and anemone should be got in now. The size and form of the beds must depend upon the, extent and shape of the garden and the taste of the gardener ; but the soil admiijs of no choice, for, to grow these beautiful flowers well, the soil must be a rich strongish loam, and in a situation not likely to suffer from damp 'during winter. The roots or tubers should be planted 2in deep and, Gin apart. It is the good fortune of the comparative few to be in a position to select the exact spot where to reside, but whatever the nature of the ground of which a garden is to be formed, it is ''always possible to, tender it, more fertile by incorporating, with it soils of an opposite nature. The best possible soil for a garden, broadly, speaking, is a rich deep loam which is, neither too ; porous nor too retentive, and which will always grow the very finest flavoured and largest crops of fruits and vegetables. -Whatever the nature of the soil in the main plot, it will always, be possible, by the exercise of care and forethought, to provide, soil, approaching; what is required by growing certain, crops, in beds or portions of the ground— expressly easy to do this with the present fashion of massing particular plants'in beds cut in the lawns. During this planting season climbing flowering shrubs should not be forgotten. The wistaria is one of the most beautiful of this class, with its pendant sprays of pale blue flowers; then there are the Virginia creeper, with its rich ruddy autumn tints ;- the Bignonia radicans, with its orange, j and ;< scarlet trumpet-Jshaped flowers in profusion; the different Varieties of clematis, the hardy; sorts of passion flowers; honeysuckles, jasmines, &o, :

All directions for work in the outdoorjgarden must of necessity be carried out as {the weather will permit ; nothing spoilt by rain or frost, or indeed by any other cause; should be allowed to remain in. the ground a day longer than is absolutely necessary ; frost-smitten or weatherbeaten vegetation is an eyesore that cannot be god rid of too soon.

Spring- Bulbs in the Grass; There are many lovely' bulbs which flbwer in ppring, bu,c in gardens generally we lpqe more than half of their, beauty owing to our modes of arrangement/ We plant them in straight lines, dot them about in circular clumps, make', formal edgings around beds, and misuse them in a variety of ways, but the true and most beautiful way of using them is not thought of. These bulbs flower at a time when all around is singularly bare; they have little foliage of their own tp relieve or set off the flowers, which are brought into a not very harmonious contrast with the brown, pasty earth.' , j There is a, host of beautiful things 'coming between winter aconite and Starpf Bethlehem, all.of which do perfectly well in the grass, and' look infinitely better than they ever did or could in bare beds or borders. The grass is' tine .true home for such subjects, since it is but giving them the same conditions under 'which they grow in .Nature. If, when wild they stud sheir native pastures, why, when introduced ,to gardens, should they, need cultivation P-, They, do not need it, but the reason why it is] given is because in many gardens there .is a system of artificial gardening. I know of bn,e successful grass bulb garden, in which the following charms are annually unfolded. Before January (July, in New Zealand) , js gone the winter j aconite studs the ground in an open anc^ rather bare place beneath a grove of trees. [ It -spreads rapidly and flowers freely. A few moments' sun opens the flowers, and .the ground becomes a carpet of countless stars, which las,t through February (August) into March (September). The common snowdrop springs up in tufts and broad open masses! The purity of the flowers is never soiled by splashing earth. They have their season, and pass away, and then come, the crocuses— white, blue, and yellow. They have a less grassy spot beneath a group of beech , trees. The Glory ;of the Snow (Chinodoxa) and the blue soHlas come on, and the grass, which by this time is growing greener, contrasts prettily with their deep and delicate blue. In a sloping sunny corner the dog's-tooth violets spread out their handsome j marbled leaves and send up their large rosy flowers. But the gem of the gathering, to which all that come before and that follow are but as heralds, is the Apennine anemone. It flowers in April (October), when the grass \s fresh and green, aud from among the glistening blades the flowers peer forth, rivalling the sky m the purity and depth of thei^ colour. Daffodils, from the | earliest that f|ower, are continually waving in ;the grass, which becomes tall and pleasant ere ' the Poet's Narclss In early June (Debember) 1 winds up an interesting season of flowers in the , grass. The flowering grass itself then becomes ! a'charm, whilst in its depths the foliage of the bulbs is ripening. When haying time f comes ' the grass is cut, and all is cleared away,' and the' bulbs can be fprgbtten'till another season rolls i 1 round. 1 • • \ ' " , , ' ' In some gardens' these beautiful flowotf ace not -grown ~at all, because, when summer' is I coming, and the garden 'is wanted gay, their 1 leaves are withering an.cUhe ground where they , are will ' soon be bare. These objections vanish !if we have dm bulbs in the grass, > The garden j | tulips, anemones', and ranunculuses must still ! ! have their rich beds, they have been selected and i ' cultivated ;' but Anemone apennina may sometimes be seen in gardens, dwindling away in the border or upon an ill-constructed rockery, whereas had it been originally planted in some grassy spot it might have been a feature. What could be more natural than to introduce this anemone where the common wood wind-flpwer thrives. . "• ' < Thig, however, Is going away from the present : question of bulbs in ; the grass. Ip having' been established that , under such conditions they . succeed admirably and give no trouble^ it only remains to sav' that about large places there is no lack r 6f opportunities for such interesting ' work as this. ' Bulbs might flu" many a nook and, corner which are now bare. If there are^no' nooks "aßld 'corners, there' may' be mucti unnecessary;, mowing," arid" it "would be an easy, matter* to give 'up a piece of grass to bulba,. cutting; i^at^the, end- of the' season'as befoife 1 ' •described. "/ s :l ' v - I;'''-'.1 ;'''-'. 'j^;^' : " -'^

thrives.

- The grass garden alluded to is a sonny slope adjoining tb,e\ tennis lawn; ! Proximity is thus secured, there, is plenty of mown lawn; for the .wants of the , pjace, and the , pleasant -flowering grass <jan,also .be.enjoyed— for .ii'ikli fait that people do enjoy it, althpu'^h some, rid their striving after that painful and oppressire trimness, regard a little long grass inor ii'ear'a garden as the very essence of all that is' untidy and apparently neglected. This is ndt so; We want > more of the changeful interest of Nature in the garden, especially in its 'outlying parts,, which are frequently, devoid of all interest. — A, H,, in the Field. .c .• „- .