DAFFODILS AND OTHER. SPRING FLOWERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2427, 19 September 1900, Page 8

DAFFODILS AND OTHER. SPRING FLO WERS.

(Paper reod before Dunedin Horticultural Society by Mr A. Marshall.) | In the neighbourhood of Dunedin the month j of September, from a gardening point of view, may be considered the most interesting period lof the year. Scarcely has winter departed, j ( when, with a joyous rush, the spring is once more with us. Piobably the swiftness of this ] change is not so fully appreciated here at tho J Antipodes as in those countries where the j reign of winter is indeed supreme. There, i where the land is held in bands of frost, and | multitudes of trees are bared of every leaf, the j approach of spring must make a magical change upon the vegetation. Nevertheless • we welcome our spring with open arms, and ! the flowers of no season are so popular as J those that now come into bloom. 1 And of all these flowers the daffodil may be surely called the "Queen of Spring." The '. appreciation of the daffodil, aiid the consej quent high degree of development to which i this flower has now attained is largely owing j ! to the cesthetic craze which so revolutionised i the tastes of the fashionable English world ' some 20 yeaivs ago. Al that time an unvaryi ing system of carpet bedding was all the rage, 1 and flowers that would not lend themselves Jbo this treatment were for a time relegated to !^obscurity. There was. a marked distaste for i. yellow colour^, and leaders of society even tor- j bade their gardeners la retain a daffodil with- j ! in -their grounds. " 'Happily;* all" this" is-trow S changed, and daffodils, primroses, wallflowers, • ami "all that follow in their train once more p-Jnjoy- tli€ estsem jvliich,tliej: jp_ justly merit. I The daffodil is pre-eminently the flower for i this part "of "New Zealand. Given a fair J amount of protection from, our blustering | winds, the alternate spells of rain and sunshine that fall to our lot during the spring • months form an icldhl climate for these hardy 1 bulbs. While it is true that they need a moderate amount of attention, no plants are more easy of culture. So simple indeed are - their requirements that many Varieties succeed exceedingly when planted amid the turf, ' but when grown in this way, care should be takon to choose sites where the grasses -are of a short habit, and where there is no need to ply the scythe blade until after the leaves have had time to wither off in summer. "In my own small garden the delicate silver trumpet Ceriums this season where placed amongst the grass came into flower quite ten clays earlier than bulbs of the same variety in tho open ground. With regard to the varieties suitable foi an ordinary garden it is much belter to obtain, at first, those sorts which liave_ established themselves in imblic favour. New varieties may b& added fiom time to time, but it will f-a\e some disappointment if an effort is made to see the blooms of such kinds the season before they are purchased, so that only those which are most pleasing may be selected. A very good opportunity of doing this occurs at tho Dunedin Sirring show at the end of this month. Although, as I have said, these bulbs give little trouble, soil and situation will b& found to make an appieciable difference in their growth. Thus the variety Maximus with me is most uncertain, sometimes refuses to bloom at all, raid its flowers are never so large as I have seen them ehewhere. Yet it is quite easily grown in places. Some authorities recommend generoiis treatment for it, and others starvation, but although I have tried both ways, I am not pleased with either. Again, those which have their cups tipped with orange in tho way of Barri Conspicuus and Cynosure seem in some seasons to be much higher coloured than in othene. Perhaps a clay loam may be found the best for these, and if they are moderately shaded their fine colours remain a longer time without fading. Vaiieties of the rush-leaved section especially love moisture, but they should be only shallow planted ; you may easily know if they have been grown too deeply by the bulbs becoming long and narrow, instead of having their usual plump shape. Daffodils flower individually finer, as a rule, if re-planted annually, and make better bulbs; bvfc when left undisturbed for two or three years, they increase faster, and the clumps appear more natural, and have a finer j effect. Where the ground is naturally sandy, as at St. Clair, the bulbs do not require lifting so frequently as in stiff soils. Too little care is sometimes given to the borders after the bulbs have flowered. If it is lecognised, as is the ea&e, that a new bulb is then forming and that the constituents of next year's flower are being built up. it will be easily seen that the amount of attention necessary will be amply lepaid in the future. On no account should the leaves be removed until they turn brown in colour, and if they seem unsightly, marring* the neatness of tho garden, tho foliage may be loosely tied up in bundles with a little bast or twine and so kept -out of • tho way. In all gardens some varieties will be found that are weakly in growth and liable !to die out if neglected. William Ingram j and the "hoop petticoats" will only consent ' to live with me if planted shallow. The reverse, is the case with the double form of Poelicus, which does well when covered by 6in of soil. Mulching with manure has been i ecommended foi some of the sfcrongsr-gi'ow-

I ing varieties such as Emperor and Sir I Wotkin, but I am not in favour of manuring 'as a general treatment, and much prefer changing the ground and planting in a fresh , situation. There is no doubt that di-ea^e j will appear when ammoniacal manures have | been used for .a lengthened period of time. If ( a sloping situation can be obtained with winding paths along the front of the border*:, a much better view will be obtained of the flowers, which usually incline their cups somewhat towards the earth. By choosing- a place which is (-haded from tho early lining sun the dew will lemain longer upon them ; and if a small ptieam or pool, with Itw banks, can be thickly planted on the nun gin cppoiMe the beholder, an effect may bo obtained to remind one of Wordsworth's lines: — The waves beside them danced, but they Outdid the sparkling waves in glee. And before leaving- this beautiful flower it is worthy of note that daffodils arc among | tho?e obiecls selected by the poet Keats a^ illustrating his belief that — A thing of bsauty is a joy for over, Its lo\ ehness increases, it will never Pass into nothingness, For he say cc — ■ And such are daffodils, With the green world they live in. And now, turning to some other flowers of the ppring, what a wealth of lo^ elmes& confionts_u& ! Amongst tho=;o particularly striking may be enumeiated: — Winter aconites, snowdrops, crocuses, hepotic'as, hyacinths, Anemone apennina, and many other anemone species, fribiilaria, tulips, and ranunculi : and to this marvellous succession with which .Dame Nature treats us, may be ascribed the great delight of spring : for as each gem arises in its turn, its brief life must give r-lace to other?, so thai. "We weep to &cc them haste ay. ay so soon." Now it should be our endervour to make the spring garden resemble Nature as near as possible, and here let me express my opinion that far too little use is made of rocks and stones in horticulture generally. Naturally they are seldom absent, and yet the luual practice is to get rid of every pebble even. I am not advocating' that every garden should be made a rockery, but it will be found that many plants will flourish between, or alongside, half-buried stones in a much better degree thpii in the open border. This I have judged by actual experiment. Also, an ex cellent edging may be formed of flat-shaped stones placed side by side, on edge, standing perhaps a, few inches out of the ground and planted with some neat growing subject, such as Arabis albida, Phlox nelsoni (truly magnificent in the springtime), O'" some of the low-lying saxifrages. Wellkept grass makes an excellent border line and flowers require no better setting. Box edgings,- though favoured by many, are not to my fancy, even when hspt free from couch grass and other weeds ; whatever their merits, I think small gardens are better without them. Among recent introductions the blue primrose is worthy of notice. This variety comes true from seed, although the colour" varies from an almost gentian blue to that of a purplish tint. A most agreeable result would be obtained if it were planted alternately with the yellow piimrose, and no "-doubt it "will soon be counted amongst our popular- flower*. - NEW- ZEALAND NATIVE PLANTS, - In order to open a field" that has been but eljghlly taken advantage oj by amateur garI now propose, if you will not take exception to some long-winded names, to enumerate a few native plants -that are fairly easily g?bwn, and which produce theii flowers as abundantly as when flourishing in their native habitat. Commencing with creeping plants, Veronica Cnnsens, with its bright blue flow ers and brownish-grey foliage., is now coming into flower. It is quite indifferent as to soil, no matter how poor, and if left undisturbed will soon, cover a yard of earth. Veronica bidwilli and Veronica Cataracts, with its rose and white varieties. Linifolia and Lyallii, are all charming' dwarf plants of easily culture. They can be relied upon to flower for at least six months in the year. - The New Zealand bluebell, Wahlenbergia Saxicola, is also a common plant on the bare hills around Dunedin, but is seldom seen in gardens. It can be found in every shade from pure white to deep blue in colour. The Raoulias are also a class of plants that should be more largely cultivated, for although their flowers are not conspicuous, their silvery foliage makes a most attractive carpet. These are chiefly denizens of the higher altitudes, but many good species can be found on the plains and uplands of the interior of Otago, as well as in the riverbeds. Probably there are some of you present to-night who have experienced some difficulty in growing the ordinary snowdrops. In some soils these otherwise hardy little bulbs are apt to completely die out in our usually dry autumns, but, if they are planted about 4in deep, and one of the creeping Raovlias allowed to cover the surface of the ground above them, success is much more likely to be obtained. The deep planting and the degree of moisture afforded by the carpet of Raoulia are just the conditions under which the snowdrop will flourish luxuriantly. Another charming little alpine, Pratia angulata, is well worthy of cultivation, both foi the sake of its small blue or white flowers and its showy white berries, which are about half an inch in diameter. In habit it forms a dense, green, prostrate carpet, and succeeds best in a rather shady spot where there is abundant moisture. Lobelia roughi will be found a useful alpine. It grows freely on the sides of 'mountain streams. The flowers, which are borne 'upon short stalks, are usually of a rooe-pink colour. Our native representatives of the Oxa'is family are Oxalis cornieulata and Oxalis magellanica. Both of these are dwarf growing plants of easy cultivation in any soil. Xh? flowers are yellow. There arc few dwarf -growing exotic spring flowers to excel our native Ourisias, of which Gurisia caespitosa and prorepens are probably 1 the best. Either of these will give, you a thick sward of deep and green foliage covered with myriads of small pure white flowers. The taller growing varieties, Ourisia macrocarpa.. Macrophylla, and Oolensoi produce their Sowers, also pure white in colour, on whorled racemes. They are not fastidious as to soil, but succeed best in partial shade. Somewhat more difficult subjects are the Mj-osotis, or forget-me-not, iamily, and they are be^t treated as annuals. Myoootis antnrctica (deep blue or white), M. Capitata (purple, blue, or violet), M. Traversii (pale I lemon) all ripen their seeds freely and are j easily raised to the flowering stage. Gentiana j pleuro-gynoides and Gentiana Saxosa are j handsome plants in rather moist situations. | We come now to a. splendid family, the I Oelmesias. These are the New Zealand cot- ] ton plants or mountain daisies and from the maii3 r varieties may be selected some excellent plants for the border or rockery. The smallest known species is Celmipia sosiliflora minor, with silvery leaves le&s than half an inch in length, and as implied by its specific name*

the flowers are slemless. Other dwarf species ) are Celmisio. densiflora. C discolour, C. glandulo B a, and C. hectorii. Among the more robust species, we have the well-known variety, Celmisia verbascifolia, which is very plentiful in the neighbourhood of Palmerston; Celmipia coriacea abundant on the sloped at Maungatua ; and Celmieia holo"ericea of the Vfe-.t Coast Sounds. These last-mentioned species are all easily transplanted paid thrive well in ordinary soil ; in fact, quite as well a.s in their- native habitats. Calinisias sometimes die out in patches, even in their native state, without an apparent couse, and although their hardiness is unquestioned, yet the severe hail&torm of January, 1899, deslspyed the few plants that I possessed at that time. Before leaving these choice alpines I have only space left to mention the most beautiful of them all. This is the Ranunculus family, a group of the most beautiful flowers in the whole world. Ranunculus Lyallii, commonly known a? the Mount Cook lily, and Ranunculus insignis are the most easily grown. The former miiat have a rather clamp, but drained, situation, while in&ignis shoXild grow anywhere and in ak-iost any soil. The greatest enemy of these plants is the common slug and through this cause I have repeatedly lost fine specimen*. 1 have, however, discovered a means of combating the lavages of the slugs, and that is to plant one of the mossy saxifrages as a carpet all round the Ranunculi. This completely co^s ers ihe ground and does not act as a harbour for those pests, neither will they eat its foliage. In this way the young crowns of the plants aie preserved from destruction. A suitable corner in the spring garden might be ollotted to plants native to New Zealand, prefciably on a sloping situation, but not too dry. Here might be grown flaxes and •cabbage trees in tho background, with some bold rocks to diversify the surface, while in the foreground, which should be treated in a natural way, the various Ranunculi, Celmisias, and a few other plants could bo placed with good effect. A large variety of such plants is not easily obtainable, nor it necessary, as a few bold clumps of each would have the best effect. '"But all this would take fciich an amount of work and waiting," some will complain. An:l even so, may bo replied, for to quote a lady gardener who has lecently published her experiences — "Success in the garden may only be found after much effort aiid*inust be sought for diligently, and even with tear*." Quite a number of small gardens are spoilt by the presence of large evergreen shrubs or trees, very often barhariou&Jy clipped into formal shapes, and presenting an unvarying aspect of sameness. Many deciduous shrubs could be recommended in their place, as for instance, Pyius japonica, and the varieties, Alba, paid Nivalis, Eerria japonica, Prunus pissardi, Forsythia- suspensa or viridinora, double flowering' cherries, and many others. These; would h& beautiful to watch. unfolding mi the spring, and would cause feelings of envy in the hearts of passers-by. Then no garden should be fronted by a wooden picket fence, but instead of it a neat hedge (not of macrocarpa) should be grown. -A cheap temporary fence of iron standards and wire-netting is all that is needed' till the hedge is large enough to keep out- stray-animals, etc. Hollies, which are supposed" to be slow -of growth, will ~succe"e3 admirably 'if "kept ffes from weeds, and occasionally treated to a generous mulch-\ ing. " ":'ln conclusion, I would urge .upon all who -love spring flowers to grow them for themselves. It is really wonderful what an amount of pleasure may be derived from tlipir cultivation, for a brief pcquaintan.ee with plants and trees establishes a feeling of kinship between them and those who try to understand them. , The celebration of the first Aibour Day in New Zealand took place in August, 1892. in the Triangle, near to where his statue now stands, the late Dr Stuart, in the closing remarks of his interesting address upon the occasion, declared that the secret of growing trees — of growing them successfully — was io love them. And there is .surely something in the belief that plants are sensible of human appreciation and that the loving kindness we bestow upon them meets with its reward. In this short paper only the frinee of the subject can be dwelt upon, but it lies. in the power of everyone to enlaige their knowledge year by year, and once an interest has been taken in it, no pursuit will be found to possess a greater fascination.