GARDEN & ORCHARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3783, 14 September 1926, Page 11

GARDEN & ORCHARD.

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

By

D. Tannock.

THE GREENHOUSE AND NURSERY. Most of the seedlings of half-hardy annuals will now be pricked out, and as the weather is becoming warmer it is possible to put some of the most advanced kinds out into cold frames. Continue the potting of ferns and foliage plants, and the topdressing of all roof climbers and per manent plants growing in borders. With increased warmth it is possible to dispense, to some extent, with fire heat in the cool greenhouse, but it i 3 desirable to encourage growth in the warmer houses in which ferns and palms are grown, and it is necessary to ventilate with great care until the young growth has been fully developed. Vines in unheated houses should now have started into growth, and the tomatoes should be planted out in tins or in the borders.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Spring flowers are now developing fast, and scon we will have a fine display of daffodils, polyanthus primroses, anemones, wallflowers, scillas, grape hyacinths, and all the various spring flowering trees and shrubs. Tulips and hyacinths are also pushing up strongly, and many plants on the rock garden are providing colour. Rose pruning, should now be finished and the beds and borders forked or dug over, and as weeds are not yet very troublesome there is usually a little time to spare, which can be devoted to cutting the turf edgings, patching, and repairing lawns, and repairing paths after the winter carting. Before cutting edgings roll them out a bit with a good, heavy roller, beat down any bumps, and lift and pack up the turf where there are hollows, for it is not possible to got a satisfactory edging unless it is fairly level as well as straight.

THE VEGETABLE AND FRUIT GARDEN.

It is still too soon to put in the main ciop of vegetables, but small sowings of the earlier kinds can be put in to mam* tain a succession. Continue to spray fruit trees, to dig and clean round and among them. Break up and prepare soil for planting cut the main crop of potatoes. WATER LILIES AND WATERSIDE PLANTS.

Both waterside and water plants are commencing to grow, and the present is a suitable time to replant them, and to form new ponds and pools in which lilies can be cultivated. Water of any kind always add s to the landscape effects that can be obtained in the flower garden, and no matter how small the pond mav be (it may be a half barrel sun in the lawn) it is possible to grow one m. . water lilies. They do not require any great depth, 18in to 2ft will be sufficient, and the surface should be large enough to allow at least six fully expanded leaves to float without crowding. A pond can L_ made quite a feature in connection with a rock garden. If there is a stream it can meander down a ravine or tumble over a cascade, and empty into a pool of irregular shape, the water being allowed to overflow into a rocky bed or moraine in which moisture-loving plants will thrive. The one important point to remember is to place the pool in the sunniest and warmest possible position, for water lilies must have sun if they are to flowe and by placing a number of rocks rou it, they heat up the water and its surroundings, thereby enabling the growing of a number of the better coloured kinds. On no account form the pond in the shade of trees or strong-growing shrubs. As the water lilies obtain eir oxygen from the water as well as from the air it is necessary that it be aerated and hence the reason for the waterfall or cascade, and when neither of these is available a fountain is an advantage, or the water supply can be thrown up into the air by a jet It is rather important that the po»* _ should not leak, and the bottom and sides can be puddled with clay or concreted and plastered, but no matter which form is adopted, the rim should be disguised by large and overhanging rocks to make it look natural. Water lilies grow very rapidly once they start, and 'consequently need a very rich soil, the mixture recommended being wood heavy turfy loam two parts, well-rotted manure (cow if possible) one part,--with half a part of clean sand. It is better to stack the loam for water lilies with alternate layers of manure in the autumn and then to chon it down with the spade in the spring. When plant, ing large, fairly deep ponds, it is more convenient to enclose the soil in a basket made of fine wire netting, to plant the lily and sink it in about 3ft of water. Any more is rather too ’eep. When planting smaller ponds it is better to put them in brick pits, large flower pots, or small tubs, with plenty of holes in them. First put in a layer of crocks, and over these a layer of rough soil, then fill up to the top with water and plant the lily tuber, covering all over with i—fitter of sand to prevent the soil from washing away or floating about. The strong growing kinds will thrive in 3ft of -ater, but the better hybrids grow well in 'from 18in to 2ft. Where the water is under control it is not

desirable to fill right up at once after planting, but just to cover the crowns with about two inches, and gradually to increase the depth as the leaves develop. It is not advisable to put more than one plant in each receptacle, but these can be placed from 3in to 4in apart in the pond if it is desirable to cover the surface entirely. The common white water lily (Kyraphaea alba), which grows in still water beside the .rivers and in ponds in England, is well worth growing, and, being a strong grower, will thrive in the deep end of the pond,. N. Marliacea var. chromotella is also a strong grower with very distinctly marked foliage and creamy yellow flowers. N. Au ora, a beautiful variety, changes colour from rose-yellow the first day to deep red the third. N. Gloriosa has rich red flowers, 7iri in diameter, with red stamens, beautifully scented. N. Marliacea albida has enormous milk-white flowers the outside petal is flaked with pink at the base, and the plant is suitable for deep water. N. Marliacea rosea is a fragrant flower of soft rose colour- varying to a lovely pink. N. Marliacea earnea, delicate blußli, or flesh tint, is vanilla scented. N. odorata rosea lias fragrant bright rose flowers, with a yellow centre and narrow potals. N. Robinsoni has flowe.of a wonderful combination of violet red. vermilion and yellow ochre, exquisitely blended. N. Stellata has blue flowers, but is only suitable for very warm distiicts. Nuphur lutea (English yellow water lily) is a quick grower and very hardy, with handsome Caltha-like flowers, riel, yellow. Aponogeton distachyon (Cape Pond.weed) sometimes called “water hawthorn,” on account of the haw thorn-scent of its flowers, is a rampant grower likely to become a nuisance iu a small pond, and should not be planted unless there is plenty of room. Menyanthua trifoliata (bog bean) has clusters of fragrant star-like flowers of white and completely covered above with •. delicate tangled white beard. This is also a rampant grower and suitable for a 1 rge pond. The above are all true aquatics, which must have . iter to grow in, but the following, though they require a certain amount of moisture, will thrive on land, and some can be grown successfully in a moist part of the flower border. Astilbe rivularis and A. Davidii are both spiraealike plants easily grown. '"altha (Marsh marigold) likes to be near the water. It has butter cup like flowers and bright glossy leaves. C. palustris is the common marsh marigold, but C. polypetalae is a much stronger and better species. Dodocatheon media (shooting stars or American cowsjip) is a handsome plant, not a rampant; grower. Epilobium angustifolitim (willow herb) is a fine plant, but liable to become .. weed, and should he kept within bounds. There are several varieties of Funkia (plantain lily) all suitable for cool, semi-shaded positions. Gunnera (giant rhubarb) is a strong growing plant with tnor uus leaves suitable for planting beside larre ponds. There are several iris suitable For waterside planting, the chief- kind being the Japanese iris (Iris Kaempferi), which will grow with its roots submerged as well as on land. It likes to have its roots in the water and its 1 ead in the sun. There arq ® great nany varieties. Iris Sibirica is also a water-loving species with slender leaves and flower stalks. BQth of these iris like a good rich soil, and have to be divided up occasionally to prevent overcrowding. The common English flag iris (I. pseudoacoris). though not so bright as the r ther kinds, is worth planting vhcre room is available. Lobelia eardinalis (the scarlet lobelia) is a plant well worth rowing, r id in districts where frosts are severe it should be lifted and wintered in a cold frame. In any case, it should be lifted and divided every ear. Lobelia syphillitie is a strong growing blue lobelia, and there are now many hybrids. There are now great many primulas which thoroughly enjoy moist positions and which are both bright and interesting. The following :s a good selection. all of which are perfectly hardy: P. Bee.nana, I*. Bulleyana, P. capitata, P. denticulata, P. japonica. P. Lissidale hybrids, P. pulv rulenta P. rosea, P. Poissoni, and P. sik’ ‘memsis. Saxifraga peltata has fine f oliage and rosy flowers, and Trollius, the various species of spiraea like water. Ga nas and the calla lily (Richardia sathiopica) .are also suit-, able for planting in rich soil beside water. In fact, all the waterside plants thrive well in a soil rich in organic matter, and they should receive an annual top-dressing of manure or pond mud.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “F. 5.,” Oamaru.—lt is rather too late to prune either cherry, apricot, or plum trees, but you could thin them'out a bit by removing the decaying and weak branches. “Stirling.”—lt would certainly be lieneficial to your bedding nlants to fork in agricultural lime now’.