ORNAMENTAL GARDEN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 291, 7 December 1929, Page 23 (Supplement)

ORNAMENTAL GARDEN

The ornamental garden has also benefited from the recent moist weather we have had, growth has increased and all the shrubs are looking splendid. I The second crop of roses should be of good quality as the effects of the soaking will last for some time. Rhododendrons will now have finished flowering. The seed heads should all be removed from all except the very hardy varieties. Carnations are al-

ready beginning to show colour and if not already staked should be seen to immediately.

The dahlias have got a good start and some good early blooms should be expected. These plants may still bo planted with satisfactory results. The rain we have had has enabled the plantings of late annuals to get a good start. The rain may prolong the planting of violas, especially if some liquid manure is given to them. This is the time to plant phlox drummondi for midsummer blooming. Cosmos should be pinched back to make them branchy. If left to themselves they will run up on a single stem and become very spindly If they are pinched back they will send up 6, 8 or even ten branches and make good sturdy plants. The pinching back must be repeated several times however. This should be made a regular feature of gardening work. Tfie size and shape of the plants may be controlled quite a lot in this way. Chrysanthemums should be pinched back when six or eight inches high and again when the resulting growth is twelve inches high. Early flowering chrysanthemums should be stopped for the last time early in January, while midsummer and late varieties should be attended to finally at the end of January. Chrysanthemums left to themselves will run up to three to four feet and then branch out. This growth wall grow, to three or four feet according to variety Such plants are unsatisfactory, they are difficult to stake, and if they are not staked, they will break during the first heavy rain or wind. If pruned they should not grow any more than three or at the most four feet high. They can then be staked satisfactorily, and the stems are always straighter and less inclined to break. The cold weather we are having will prevent the leach from becoming troublesome for some time. At the first sign of Them, they should be removed from the foliage by spraying with arsenate of lead. If once they got a hold on the autumn tinted foliage, next year’s display will be ruined.

The azalia indica are at times inclined to gather the thrip on their foliage and it may at times become so bad that it stops them from flowering. If the plants are given a spraying of lime sulphur solution or of a preparation called clensall it will soon be checked. Apply two or three times at intervals of about three weeks. Do not wait until the bush is covered however, as the damage is usually done by then.

The azalia mollis is often attacked by the same pest, but as this variety drops its foliage in the winter, it is only affected to a certain extent. This is really where the azalia mollis and the ghent azalias seem to be stronger than the azalia indica. The indica, however, ‘will stand more exposure to wind and weather. The azalia mollis will stand more frost, the latter likes half shade if possible. Most of the spring flowering shrubs have finished flowering and the midsummer ones are not yet out. As the roses have been in full bloom, however, there has been no lack of blossom. The usual routine work should be carried out. Beds and borders should be gone over to keep the weeds down, the soil in a good condition to resist the effects of the dry weather.