THE GARDEN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18396, 24 February 1928, Page 6

THE GARDEN

NOTES FOR THE AMATEUR.

By

D. COMBRIDGE.

Continuing last week’s article on novelties in sweet peas as reported by two qualified critics whose reports reached me unexpectedly recently and to whom I am indebted, the -following information is submitted. In horticulture the knowledge of what is the best to plant is always profitable and economical information, and whilst perhaps some of the varieties remarked on here .may need to be ordered from your local seedsman in good time, yet it is to be expected that most varieties in last week’s notes will be obtainable in the course of the next few weeks.

“Mrs J. B. Hobbs,” like its companion pea, “Jack Hobbs,” was brought out by the same raiser. It is a soft coral pink with huge duplex standards, beautifully frilled. It bears its blooms profusely on long stems and it is a vigorous grower, making a charming companion bloom to “Jack Hobbs.”

“Pinkie.”—This is a large deep rosepink and is one of the outstanding novelties of the year. The pink is on a white ground and is in the same class as “Hebe,” but its blooms are more frilled and much brighter. The flowers are well placed on the stem and the rose pink tone of the flower is free from the “blueness” of other deep pinks. At the Chelsea Royal Horticultural Show, held in London this year, “Pinkie” was picked out of a large collection as being the most charming pink and the best of all varieties exhibited. In the bunch it is unsurpassed. In growth it is vigorous, a profuse bloomer, of long, stout stems, with the blooms very well placed. It promises to be, along with “Mrs A. Searles,” a stayer in favour with the public.

“Prince of Orange.”—Another novelty by the same raiser as “Pinkie,” is described as a large, very deep orange variety. It needs shading as all the orange shades do, but when well grown its colouring is startling as it is luminous in its intensity. The flowers are large, very nicely waved, and well placed on good stems. It would appear that regarding this colour in sweet peas, “Royal Sovereign” takes the leading place, a variety that has been with us now for some seasons. At one English show there were three vases of orange close together, and “Royal Standard” was easily the best. Whether “Prince of Orange” will surpass it has yet to be proved, because habit of growth and strength of haulm has also to be considered in growing sweet peas.

“The Prince” is a new crimson variety that has leapt into public favour very rapidly, already as a first-class exhibition variety. The colour is described as a rich clear crimson overlaid with a brilliant metallic sheen. The blooms are very large, with the wings well spread. They cover the keel well while the standard is broad and well expanded. It has received an award of merit in the N.S.P.S. Trials, 1927, and bids fair to retain its place high up in the crimson section. “Sunkist.”—This is an American novelty and promises to be a variety that will be much liked. It would appear to be a sport from youth, which was a white ground picottee of merit. “Sunkist” is a cream ground picottee, the colour being a rich cream, quite clear, and the edging is also clearly and cleanly defined. The blooms are large and bold, well placed on the stem, beautifully waved and carried on long, stout stems. This variety will supplant “Jean Ireland,” as its edge is more clearly defined and its coloiffr richer.

“Victoria” is a new pea raised in British Columbia. Described as a clean soft shade of pure lavender-lilac, it is quite free from any rosy shading, which spoils so many lavenders by giving them a brassiness of colour which is distasteful. It was awarded a certificate of merit at the Scottish Sweet Pea Trials, which fact speaks well for it. The blooms are large, bold and nicely frilled, and well placed on good long stems. It is a vigorous grower and an excellent pea for either exhibition or decorative purposes.

The following varieties of sweet peas were novelties in Great Britain last year, and in some cases the previous year, and they have been able to be tested out under New Zealand conditions. Their usefulness and beauty are also- more proved by growers and seed raisers at home and I am indebted to fan English critic for much of what follows:

“Avalanche” is a variety introduced by Sutton’s. It comes as an improvement on “Constance Hinton.” It is worthy of comment that with all its well-known faults nothing yet has been good enough to supplant “Constance Hinton,” a beautiful white sweet pea. “Avalanche” i*s a distinct advance in whites, but it has yet to be proved whether it will surpass “Constance Hinton” in popularity. It has much in its favour as it is large, pure in colour and very nicely frilled. Another white introduced recently was one called "Vectis,” which was larger and stronger than “ Avalanche, * but the blooms were badly placed and looked coarse, probably through over-feeding.

“Chieftan” is a variety that whenever it is grown it gives great satisfaction. It is very similar to “Royal Mauve,” and is described as a glowing mauve which has a silver sheen over the bold frilled standards. This sheen gives it a velvetly effect that it most charming. It is of vigorous growth, throwing good stems with well-placed flowers. “Fortune” —This variety is a large blue, shaded with violet, but it is not a dead colouring, as the dark violet sheen on the standard makes the colour glow. Generally speaking, this colour has not been popular in sweet peas, but this example of this colouring is of assured popularity; it is really vigorous and flowers on a long stalk. ‘lt is not so dark as “Jack Cornwell.” but is none the worse on that score.

“His Majesty” is a New Zealandraised novelty and the raisers consider it one of the finest pale lavenders grown, its colour is clean and bright with sufficient suffusion of light blue to prevent it appearing washy. Its flowers are of great size and splendidform reminding one of a clear lavender

edition of that .beautiful vane* “Powerscourt.”

“Magnet.”—This is one of the best peas of recent introduction—a very large refined deep cream-pink. This colour is always welcome and any improvement in this section is worth growing. It has every good point that a pea should have, being a strong and vigorous grower. The colour is bright, the blooms are frilly and well placed, and are also of first-class quality. Tt just beats “Miss California,” its nearest rival, on two important points. It is one shade of colour throughout instead of two, and it makes a much better spray.

“Mermaid.”—This tops the light blue class. It is a most dainty variety of good form and of a clear, light-blue colour. Its blooms are large, well placed and it is free flowering. Along with it is bracketed a variety called “Gleneagles.” These two supplant “Wembley” and “Lord Lascelles,” which are both good varieties of recent introduction. It seems “Gleneagles” is a purer colour, while “Mermaid” is more lavender and more large in the individual blossom. As this was the first of the two to come out, it is expected it will become the more popular. *

“Mrs H. J. Wright.”—This is an advance on the flushed section. Its colouring is intense rosy pink, and rises in warm waves from a white ground. The blooms are large, full and well waved. They are effective for indoor decorative work. This is not a very popular section, as colours go, but a variety out of the ordinary always is appreciated when displayed. “Peggy” is a deep cerise of a wonderful soft .brilliance, pure and glowing. The quality and size of blooms is outstanding. The N.S.P.S. have preferred “Peggy” to “Charming,” but it is felt that the public at Home will not do so as readily; “Charming” is such a splendid pea! It appears that this section is being overdone, as there are also “Hero” and “Glorious,” two splendid deep cerises that were displayed during the season. If “Peggy” is better than “Charming” we have in it a variety that should not be overlooked in making up our selection. "Foyal Blue” is a pea in colour true to its name and of great size and beauty, it is wonderfully frilled and of a colour that is usually associated with violets. Unfortunately it does not surpass “Mrs Tom Jones,” which still remains the best in that section. “Royal Pink.”—This is one of our finest orange-pinks, with a warm glowing colour that does not burn. It flowers on long stalks, the blooms are large and very well placed as well as being nicely waved. “Venus.”—ln this we have a delicate glowing cream-pink, pale but full of colour that has a warmth in it that is most attractive. The blooms are large, of good form, carried on long stems which, of course, from a decorative point of view, give it a most pleasing appearance. It is altogether an exquisite pea. The raiser, Mr Stevenson, it seems, staked his reputation on this variety, and it appears that critics declare that his reputation is quite safe. The blooms are beautifully placed, which adds to its credit. The best we have had in cream sweet peas of recent years has been “Matchless” and “Majestic Cream.” The latter makes a longer stem and is the .better vspray, but the f<jrmer is more frilled, giving it the appearance of deeper colouring. Now, however, we have a new cream in a variety called “What Joy,” which combines the good points of both varieties. Most likely it will prove to be the best cream. It is undoubtedly a fine pea. The blooms are well placed, of a large size, and the depth of colour is a decided advance on anything yet offered. Its one fault, as one critic points out, is its name, which is not a good one. It only remains to remark that among the orange-scarlet section 2LO is a pea of a wonderful colour. Its flower spike is not all that could be desired. It has been out three or four years, but in its colour class it still holds its own. In the scarletcerises a section that is far too full, “Grenadier” and “Royal Scot” are head of the list for exhibition or for garden decoration purposes. It is fully recognised that there are other varieties as serviceable to the sweet pea enthusiast as those submitted in these two articles, and a choice selection may easily be obtained from any of our local seedsmen. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “New Chum.”—Your new asparagus bed is, in my judgment, doing very well under the circumstances. In the first place, the work you did prior to planting was both necessary and correct. The better progress of the one-year-old plants is in keeping with all the laws of transplanting in horticulture, because, under proper care, a one-year-old plant will do better transplanted than a two-year-old, or. older. The older the plants were the worse they would be in getting over the move; m fact, with anything over three years old it is waste of time. The distance you have planted apart is also correct. Regarding the recommendations you have already received, be careful about salt. A young bed is better without it for the first year or two. Nitrate of soda should not be necessary, either, at this stage. It is like giving a baby grilled steak. Let the plants get established first, then feed them. The third recommendation I cannot decipher. All you need do is to keep the bed handweeded. and mulch with good stable or farmyard manure in the early winter. Kelp may be gathered by the drayload from the beach and may be laid between the rows, and it will make the bed better as year follows year. Do not expect much from the bed for lour years, under-cut it rather than overcut it during that time, and in due course you will have a bed of which you will be proud. If kelp is put on regularly every year there is little need for salt.