GARDEN NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21035, 10 February 1940, Page 14 (Supplement)

GARDEN NOTES

SEASONABLE WORK

(By “Nikau”)

VEGETABLES AND FRUIT Keep runners and dwarf beans closely picked. Use marrows and cucumbers as soon as they are large enough. Sow beetroot, silver beet, lettuce, carrot, turnip (Early Milan and Golden Ball), parsley, swede, cauliflower and cabbage. Cut diseased leaves off tomatoes, and spray the plants with Cosan (5 teaspoonsful to 1 gal. of water). Lift kumara vines once a fortnight to prevent rooting at the joints. Dust cabbages with derris power to kill all insects. Dig potatoes as soon as the haulms die, otherwise second growth will start from the tubers. Use sweet com when the tassel has withered; it should be easy to dint the grains with a finger-nail. Bud fruit-trees, and ornamental trees and shrubs. FLOWERS Layer carnations. Plant anemones in an open, well-drained bed of soil that has been enriched with rotted compost. Sow Iceland poppies in boxes for winter flowering. Stake securely tall plants such as heleniums, delphiniums, lilies standard roses, gladioli and thalictrums. Remove faded heads from hydrangeas. Save seed of Argentine pea and sow some of it now in boxes or pots. Plant a few lachenalias and freesias in pots for winter flowering Trim hedges carefully, making sure that they will thicken up at the bottom. If mildew is appearing on any plants such as roses, verbenas, sweet peas etc., use a lime-sulphur spray or Cosan or other form of sulphur.

CORRESPONDENCE

A fortnight ago a specimen of a grass was handed in for identification. It was something like ordinary paspalum, but seemed a novelty to several local observers. Accordingly it was sent to the Plant Research Bureau at Palmerston North, end the following reply was received: “The specimen sent in for identification was Elausine indica, commonly called crow-foot or yardgrass. The species is common in the tropics and sub-tropics, and, while it has a certain value as fodder, is regarded in New Zealand as a weed, especially in cultivated areas where it can become a pest. It is recorded from Auckland as early as 1864, and now occurs as far south as Westport.”

SPLENDID BLOOMS

The following received special mention by the 2YA expert:— Hydrangeas: Queen Emma, H. B. May, Parzival, Mein Liebling, Odin, Henry Seidel, King George V and Mrs F. Bolt. The champion hydrangea was Centrillon. The champion gladiolus in the open section was Miss New Zealand, and a bloom of the same variety was amateur champion and champion of champions. Another champion was Leonora. Begonias that were specially mentioned by the expert were: Agnes Clark (a new carmine-rose variety); Lord Lambourne (salmon-orange), Golden Queen, N. M. Agnew (primrose), and Mrs Ramsden (reddishpink). No dahlias were specially mentioned, but it was pointed out that the recent trend was away from the giants, and towards the garden decorative, miniature paeony, miniature cactus, charms, etc. It was also remarked that the season had been favourable for hydrangeas, and that these were shown to perfection, both in competitive and non-competitive classes. j

NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW

Last week the 2YA garden expert gave an account of the National Flower Show held in the Centennial Exhibition buildings. The flowers and other exhibits filled the Assembly Hall and two adjoining rooms. The expert had never before seen such high quality combined with such great quantity of bloom. First came a display of native and exotic ferns, growing in pots which were arranged in tiers. Next came the Department of Agriculture's model lay-out of a two-acre garden. It included vegetable garden, orchard, lawns, shrubberies, flower beds and shelter belts. The third exhibit, consisting of maidenhair ferns, won a certificate of merit. The next exhibit attracted much attention. It represented a doll’s wedding, and was complete with cathedral, bridal attendants, and appropriate flowers. At the far end of the foyer was a great display of hydrangeas. Then came a display of cacti and succulents, of quaint and even weird shapes and colours. The flowers at the entrance to the Assembly Hall were arranged very strikingly, fanwise, in great baskets, but words would fail to describe the general effect presented by the hall. One of the chief features was a display of pots and baskets of begonias. It was 100 ft long and probably as much as 15ft high. Next to this was an exhibit of 400 pots of cacti and succulents. The next exhibit was one of the most beautiful in the show; it was made up of hydrangeas grouped in a pyramid and crowned by a bowl of wonderfully rich hydrangeas. With this display the East Harbour Association won first prize. Other displays were of begonias, gladioli, floral work, dahlias, a rock garden set up by the New Zealand Alpine and Rock Garden Society, an exhibit of coniferous trees (cones, foliage, and photographs of the growing trees), vegetables, decorative work, etc. One of the finest features of the National Flower Show was the exhibit of novelties set up by Mrs Charles Haines, of Wellington. It included many shrubs in flower and in fruit-