WORK FOR THE WEEK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5861, 1 May 1897, Page 2

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

TO GARDENERS. Kitchen Garden. — Late celery that is intended to stand over the winter will, unless special precautions are taken, probably suffer from damp and the attacks of slugs. Ashes mixed, with the soil tised for blanching will bo found a great help in keeping it. Burnt earth, or anything of a porous nature not likely to injure the flavour, answers the same purpose. Seed potatoes should be selected and placed thinly in a light, frost-proof building. There is more in the early selection and keeping of the tubers than is generally admitted. Flower Garden. — Where beds have to be planted with spring-blooming plants, no time should now be lost in getting them filled, for a great advantage is gained by early planting, particularly wheie the soil is of a heavy character. When much rain falls previous to planting, the earth gets chilled and the plants do not start into growth so freely as they do in lighter soil. That being the case, a few hints on the different kinds of plants adapted for filling the beds, the best mode of preparing them for that piirpose, and a few words as to their arrangement may be of service. Myosotis dissitiflora is the best variety of the blue forget-me-not for spring flowering. If the strain be good the plants should be grown annually from cuttings, which are more to be depended upon than seedlings as regards regularity of growth. When the old plants are taken up after blooming, the flower spikes should be cut off them, and they should be laid in rows in any out-of-the-way place. Suckers will soon commence to grow from the bottom of each plant. These should be taken off early in February and inserted in a cold frame, or under hand lights, behind a north wall, in sandy soil. They stiould be kept close until rooted, when more air should be given them, and when well rooted plant them in rows in any open piece of ground, where they will make strong, bushy plants by the time they are required for the beds. Polyanthuses, when well grown, are showy, free-flowering plants. Stock for starting with can easily be procured from seed, selecting, the best kinds from amongst the seedlings for propagation. When the blooming season is over the old flower spikes should be cut off, and the plants divided into as many pieces as have roots attached to them. These should be planted on a piece of open ground — say an east border — into which some manure has been previously dug. They should be supplied with water until they commence to grow, after which none will be required, unless the season is very dry. By the time they are required in autumn they will be good strong plants, furnished with plenty of roots, and may be planted without any check. Some prefer dividing them when they plant into the beds in autumn, but the division is much better done in spring, as then, they have ample time to overcome the check which they have sustained. Double primroses are showy spring blooming plants, but they are not well suited for associating with other kinds of plants in beds ; they bloom earlier than the general run of plants, and, therefore, are best planted by themselves. Double daisies are useful plants in the spring garden : indeed, they are so easily grown, so very hardy, and bloom so freely, that they are almost everybody's plant' Eed, white and pink are the principal colours used. When taken up from the beds in November, after blooming, they should be divided and planted in rows in

the Bame position as the polyanthuses'. When planting, use some well-rotted manure. They should bo well watered after planting if the weather is dry. Iberis corifolia is a free flowering, easily grown, hardy plant, the flowers of which are white and much appreciated in spring. Cuttings will strike readily in the spring. Pinch the point out of each plant, an operation which induces side-shoots to grow freely, thus keeping the plants dwarf j and, if weil watered in summer if dry, they will be in good condition for removing into the beds. Aubrietia Gra>ca and purpurea are amongst the best plants used for spring bedding. They are so hardy and bloom so freely that they are indispensable in spring. They are best grown annually from division of the old roots. So grown, tho correctness of the colours is rendered more certain than in the case of seedlings, which sometimes vary considerably in height as well as in colour. When removed from the beds after blooming,' cut off all' the growth nearly down to the ground line, and divide and plant the divisions on a border, using some sand to assist their rooting. Alyssum saxatilo compactum, on account of its bright orange yellow flowers, is much appreciated in spring. It is a very free blooming plant. Old plants of it can be used for several years by planting deep 'in the soil each year. It is easily increased from seed sown in February in a cold frame. The seedlings should be planted out on a border and allowed to remain there for a year, when they acquire strength, and will bloom well the following spring. They are not strong enough to bloom well the first season after sowing. Violas and pnnsies are admirably suited for spring beds if well grown previous to being planted in their places. They are hardy and bloom freely, and their various shades of colour greatly help to lighten up the garden. Cuttings taken from the centre of the plants, consisting of shoots which have not bloomed, are the best. As to arrangement, that greatly depends on individual taste, and the kinds of plants which are most appreciated. Most springblooming plants show themselves to the best advantage when used in masses, as, for instance, the centre of a bed may be filled with purple violas and edged with a broad band of white violas ; or the centre of a bed may be filled with dark wallflowers •ind edged with a broad band of alyssum saxatilo ; or an oval-shaped bed with yellow violas in the centre, and then a broad band of purple or blue violas, edged with white daisies, looks well. Any small bed of circular form may be filled with aubrietia Grraca, a mass of purple of this kind is very effective. Dark wallflowers and myosotis go well together. Daisies are particularly well adapted for edgings or for, planting in masses, putting various colours in one bed, having regard to their due proportions. Forget-me-not as a central mass, with a broad band or patch of silene pendula, is very striking, and dark wallflowers, forget -me - nots and white daisies harmonise well together.