GARDEN & ORCHARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 7

GARDEN & ORCHARD.

By

D. TANNOCK.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. TI7E C KEEN-HOUSE -VXD N'UIH FRY. The schizanthus are growing fast and will require to be tied out to the stakes to give tile blooms room to develop. Keep them quite cool and turn them round from time to time to secure even development. Continue to’prick out half hardy annuals, shading them from strong sunshine until they become established in their new quarters. Spring is a busy time in the propagating houses and the .geraniums and all annuals which are established should be shifted out into the cold frames to make room for the annuals, and to harden them off. The chrysanthemum cuttings which were put in some time ago will be rooted by now, and should be potted up into small pots. Three inch size will be large enough for the first potting, and a nice light soil which will encourage both root and stem growth should be used Do not pot too firmly. Put them back in the warm house for a few days until they have recovered from the shock, and then gradually harden oil', getting them out into the cold frames as soon as possible. Tuberous begonias are starting now. and the boxes should be placed in the greenhouse and watered well until the soil is moistened, after which they should not require anything more than a sprinkle twice a day when the weather is fine. Even those intended for pot culture should be started in boxes at first, and afterwards potted up when growth is well under way. Pelargoniums are coming on well, and they should be staked out with neat little pieces of barboo. Watch for green fly and fumigate from time to time. THE FLOWER GARDEN'. Spring flowers are well under way and the lawns should be cut and rolled, the edgings clipped and everything made tidy for the spring display, which if not quite as bright as the summer one, is far more appreciated. Seedling weeds will soon be appearing in the beds and borders, and the scuffle hoe should be kept going during bright sunny days. It is surprising howeasy it is to kill off seedling weeds at this season, and when they are kept in check there is less trouble later on. Carnations should be planted out without delay. Many people advocate autumn planting, but this is hardly safe if there are any rabbits or hares about. It may still be necessary to protect them from sparrows by stretching black cotton along each side of the rows, and if this is not sufficient a little poisoned grain can be sprinkled about. Hasten on with the trenching or shrubbery beds and borders, and get the planting of trees and shrubs completed as soon as possible Those intending to raise daffodils from seed will have to be attending to the pollenation. I have so frequently described the procedure to be followed that it is not necessary to repeat it again this year, but 2 should like to warn those who are commencing. not to do too many flowers and to be very careful to use good types of flowers both for the pollen and the seed bearing. The raising of seedling primrose polyanthus is also interesting and a start should be made with the pollenation, but as.-dhey flower and declare their character the first year larger numbers can be raised. Edgings of Beds and Borders.—One of the commonest edgings for beds and borders is grass, and a well-kept grass border is very nice, but there is no variety about it. anc! unless there is a mower specially made for the purpose the mowing is a problem Where there is a lot of traffic people will walk on the grass edging in preference to the path, with the result that it is tramped cut of shape and the grass killed in places. Box is also very popular, but I do not like it. It harbours slugs, is difficult to clean when couch grass gets into it, and it is always the same. The best arid most interesting edging of all is the rocky border —either one row of stones to keep the soil from washing down on to the path or a double row elevated a lew inches above the path and the border. When ibis is planted with suitable rock cr dwarf spreading plants it can be made most interesting and will provide a suitable home for many interesting plants. To give the rock plants a good chance it is necessary to provide good drainage and a trench about a foot or 18 inches should be taken out. some gravel or rotten rock placed in the bottom of it and the stones, which should not be too thick, placed up on their edges on it By placing a double row with about four inches between and fillino- in the space with a nice mixture composed of fibrous loam two parts, leafmould one part, coarse sand or gravel one part, and half a part old lime rubble, very good conditions are provided for the aipines. If only one row of stones is possible, the prepared soil can be filled in behind them and the plants placed close up so that they will grow over and partly or entirely hide the stones. Evergreen plants are "the most suitable and for an open situation there are few better plants than the double white arabis. which grows quite easily, and is in flower for a long period. 'J lie aplinc dianthus such as D. alp in us. caesius. or arenarius. are very suitable, and the comomn white pink or the newer Allwoodii are splendid, as they flower practically all summer. The blue gentian used to be quite a common edging, and it was said that the more it was tramped the better it flowered Ses pinks or thrifts were also common, and in cottage gardens the double white and red daisies were great favourites. Saxifrages are very satisfactory on a rocky edging. The encrusted kinds will thrive in the open, j the large leaved type, commonly called. ' megasies. will grow in a dry situation under trees or nn the margin of a shrubbery b . ler, and the mossy kinds like a moist position with partial shade. Otner plants suitable for edgings are Auhretias, Viola gracilis, Viola cornual, j violas, or tufted pansies, primroses, violets, and golden feather. Anemones.—Some of the brightest patches on the rock garden at the present time are Anemone. fulgcns. the scarlet windflower with the dark centre. It is a native of the South of France, and the Plants flowering at the pre-cut time were grown from dry tubers imported last autumn. We purchased them from Messrs Vilinorin, of Paris. They are not at all expensive and travel well. They like a fairly rich i-oil and a welldrained position. The rock garden suits them, and they would also be suitable for the rocky border, and a well-drained bed

of them is very bright when they are doing well. Oilier anemones suitable for the rock garden or a similar situation are A. apennina, the blue (Apennine windflower, a native of Greece). the English wood anemone, A. nemorosa, which carpets hundreds of acres of deciduous woods in Great Britain, and its blue variety, A. Robinsoni, a variety of easy culture and much beauty. Anemone sylvertris (the snowdrop windflower) is a beautiful plant, growing about 15in high, with large white flowers and ornamental buds. It is hardy and free, and thrives on a warm position on the rock garden, and the appearance of the drooping, unopened buds suggested its common name. Anemone pulsatilla, the Basque flower, is a native of Northern France, etc., and its lilac flowers, which are covered with silky hairs in the bud stage, are very beautiful. It likes a warm, well-drained situation, and is best on the rock garden. A. Ilepatica, the common hepatica, is a beautiful hardy plant where it does well. It likes a deep rich soil in a semi-shaded position, and can be had in several colours. Anemone poppy anemone) is a popular garden plant, and well worth growing on a large scale for spring display, but I will have to leave the details of its propagation and cultivation for another week. THE KITCHEN" GARDEN'. .Continue the preparation of the soil and the planting of curly and second early potatoes. Prepare celery trenches, and get the work as well forward as possible before the rush of planting and sowing comes on. ANSWERS? TO CORRESPONDENTS. “Spud,” Kaitangata.—The potato is probably Early Rose, but when greened it is hal'd to tell one variety from another, except the most distinct “P. G .” Lovell’s .Flat.—The name of the shrub is Mvrtus I'gni or Eugenia Ugni, a native of Chili. The fruits, when ripe, are highly flavoured, and emit an agreeable perfume. Thejs* also make excellent jam or jelly. They are propagated by means of cutting's and layers.