Life in the Garden

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 25, 23 June 1909, Page 39

Life in the Garden

Practical Advice for Amateurs

YOUR FAVOURITE ROSES. HAT. in your opinion. are the f/ I twelve best roses? We want V enough to reply to this que*- - vhat roses are the in — : popular. an 1 ve will be pleased if all rose-growers, fess of the names of the be*c lozen rose*. We should esteem it a avour if any of our readers who have graphs of ros hern to "Veronica." "Graphic * UtiLc. SEEDS TO SOW THIS MONTH. Flower t> be sown in seed pans, pots or xes. nd pro! Lupins. Sweet Peas. Mignonette. Saillardia. Schlizanthus. Vegetable: Broa 1 Beans. Peas Pri . rf the Market*. Cabbages. Cauliflower. Lettuce and Onions. Plant Roots: Polar. Onions. chailots. Tree Onions. G Rhubarb. Pa« • nies. Earlv ring G 1 li li. Trees and Bnshes: Fruit Trees. Hedge Plants. Breakwinds. Shrubs. Fruit Bushes of all kinds. & GENERAL GARDEN WORK. ■i k t •tate of the weather and the condition the soil permit, the planting of fruit .- s 1 fruit ing is s s uld shed forward. 1 g of roses should als tak nd a s soon as ssibl An ther i rtai seetioi f shekel ?r ornamental hedges and breakwinds. - nonth. I re is not ich s Is ing :o be done during June unless frames or i greenhouse are available. Lawns re--d res sing s 1 i ooked. Mossy lawns ?an - put right vith a li tressing ■lag. We hear that nurserymen have booked rs for th N ve would advise any of our rea lers wh . I esire to s . a s th e s lot expected to be equal to the demand. Wood lice are a great nuisance just tow. The ? should be lilig t hunte 1 ind destroyed. Those g ing sv s pots and ixes for planting later, sheul 1 sec

feetly hardy, and should on no account be allowed to get "drawn.” Amateurs who grow early pot atoe* _ S - - t in s - tere I p : »n. Spirias or astilbis are not i ■ the North Is lema nd t - - gely g No w i s s - number i- required. Vei micas ir< splendid plants for any st v when ni st other Howers are scarce or ess varie- - - - sition. f -iging*. r • k-rie-. eand the tall growing gated sorts - >ni-- plani'. Nemesias. A .r..:.-.: i:::: r. largely to our enjoyment in the open luring spring nd summer, fe iv ■ great si is. Tht ir xt n 1< 1 ii.se can red at, as they an essentially amateurs’ flowers, being easy t rain in any unheated frame, and not articular as t • the position assignthem, is they withstand th. full st exposure to the sun, though I have been equally successful with them in positions hghtly -haded. The richly I flowers of nen sias. -■ freely produ ed. are capable of most ...nderful colour effects. The plants -■ used as edgings, or as ma rders, or planted as a - did gr<>undivork to a i t ugh vhich taller nts are allow e 1 to break. While their cultivation is comparatively simj le, th. plants repay some slight attention at the outset, a fl tme formed of rough boards, and fill- • ith light si il, pr ivi ling i suitable • isition for -- 1-- ring. The seed is sc a n thinly, and lightly mven ivith s il, sha ling tl surf from direct - ilight germin ti takes ving the - tding material as - on s the —dling. a ir. mitting abundance of air, so that strong, sturdy plants are developed f: the beginning. The ground inti n fi r pl mting shoul 1 have been rieviouely prepared, digging in some well-decayed manure and a light dre—ing of bone-meal, and forking over an 1 levelling the soil before planting. The

seedlings are planted nine to twelv. inches apart, according to the object in view. A sowing m ide at th< eg ning of April under gla.-s will come int • flower in August, an I early r flowers can be eecured by sowing in March or May. while seed sown about June and July will give plants to flow er right to the end of October md Xoi ember. It is very important - ginning, and 1 ling b

guarded against: otherwise. prematm flowering is encouraged, and this always curtails their fullest 1 ' Seedlings that are transplanted should have au occasional watering, mt 1 - time as they become esta lisht 1. Al! trie best -ee-I-hou-. - now .die: nemesias in seh d < dour-, an i lvautage at once apparent when col ■mes are attempted. One most delightful shades is form, which at some distance has a the appearance of a delicate-colour, d forget-me-not. tnd th ustra - .a- it ha- a!! to, fr- . a qualities of the older forms. J* Rodgersia Tabularis. < >f all the -peeie- >f Ro Igersia in cultivation. the one illu-tratel i- t i most distinct. Other well-known kindin lu le 11. pod< phi ii.i with digit ■ leaves, and R. t te oi - In the plant tinier notice. however, th. leaves are peltate like those of Saxi fraga peltata. Rodg rsia tabularis is a ■ \ - i 1 Korea. ■ id - - I: : to grow in lens. i - ■ ngst -oar—e vegetal ■ . ■ - t ■ - ivers It flowered f ■ - tim< n England at Ke a J of last year, plants having been r.ii-- 1 from seeds obtained from the Imperia! Botanic Garden of St. Petersburg ICOS. This y■ th. »p< ns a a larger size. A- a handsome foliage plant it is a weleomi a quisition. the light green peltate leu.-. ... ..'.out Ift in diiniete:. being borne on -t.-m---2ft to 3ft in height. The leaves a irregularly lobed. while the petioles art covered with -till white hair-, wli li are dirk at the ba-e. The-e hairs dis. appear to a great extent a- the plant develops during the season. Th.. ing -tom- gro . ’.out 3ft high, and

g Is are freely produ ed, and as seed* * - ter - _ _ ji- ■ - R< - -■ - a Saxifrage. and has been p!a ed in that ex- - the n.mu ■ S. tabularis. Heavy, loamy seems ■ suit its requirements, but stui t the -• shad eneficial.

GARDENERS PAST AND PRESENT. 1 oh 1-time gardener was a sort of autocrat ot the garden: he was suppo.-ed to Ih* qualified to read or write Latin. an *l "as generally supposed to l«- one " h ,K ‘- occupation required a great many s ■’ >l ’ h and travel in a 1 parts of the country. He would brook no interference with what he imagined was his own - ten pt» : any a«h< i : itici-m ■ - It which i-ould not Im- explained awav. 1 here ar.- r w autocrat- nowaday-. - ther. i- - -- s Manv •' ■ ' ■ plants and th< ir habits that ' ~ - S 4» with I ga r,M 1 of ladi.- in-ist on having their own plan- in regard to th. blending of <,,L ours carried out. and he is a wise gardener w ho will give 1 i- employ et *- will -tigge-t era which may be -ilrve—fuL \ --I i — gri« > im-,. often .1 • i-.-- through their visit- - l|e|'U!:g Th.-m-.’ve- with flower- Of ti’> t from th. garden. |f -bowing is practis d this often causes seriou- tronI'l- *■ '. »'• unfortunately, th. < au-e of many .hang. - to th.- great di-advantag of Iwuh empb»\er and gardener. If t he e’h|d<»\ei- iii complete haiin<»n\ with the showing a rt ang. in.-nt-. the grievance d IlOt b- th. ■ aU-e oj .nif -e|iou- • omplaint : a little diploma. \ on th. part of the gard.-n.-r -houjd enable all parti. -t.» agr.-e about the matter. Where *h<»wing is allowed, but nnK on <*ondition that it mu-t not interfere with the -upplie- top the hou-eh<dd. matt r- are oft.-n mor. dillictilt t«» arrange |H-a<-eablv.

and it max Im* necessary for tin* gardener to confine himself to whatever may be his principal specialty, or. if it is more likely to give satisfaction all round, give it up altogether. It is an old saying ami a true, •‘One can’t live in Rome and light with tin* rope.” Many ladies and gentlemen, while showing friends over their place, oiler them a bloom of a carnation or rose, or whatever may take their fancy. and. if inside, the saint 1 thing happens. The grapes will he admired. ami a bunch may be offered and accepted. Many employers consider that they are quite justified in helping themselves to a bunch of grapes, hut tin* lady or gentleman who considers what is due to them-el\rs and their gardener would not make use of this privilege, but would call for the man in charge to supply them

with their want-. A little diplomacy here again i- oft n the means of causing Ihi — grie\am-e to disappear. At a time like the present, w hen -<» many ladies are taking up gardening as their hobby, they art*, from the nature of their social position ami in other ways, in a position to sc* much of what is done in all parts of tin* country, a- well as in other lands: ami it is but natural that they mu-1 often be impre»ed by certain design?* in bedding. or by seeing the* effects of some new or rare blending of colours, and which thc\ max be dc-irous ot practising at their own homes. It is the worst po-Mble policy for any man to attempt to throw cold water on propo-al- to have these id as carried out. no matter how outragoou- or unpractical the scheme may at tir-t sight appear. A spirit <»l tideration should always characterise the relationship between employer and gardener. We live in an age of rapid change-: -eed- of new and improved plant- of all kind- are launched at us every year, and many of them must have a trial. Ihe up-to-date man ha- at all times an open mind, ami i- prepared to try anything it there i- the remotest chance of it Iwing able to go one better than it- predece—--or. A- -howing the largely increased interest taken in gardening in recent \ears. there i- scarcely a weekly paper without it- gardening column and its ex pert for the answering of question- of all kinds. It is inq>o--ilde to stand -till: we mu-t either move forward or get left behind. I*. McCOWAN. in ‘’Scotti-li Gardener. TWO FINE FORGET-ME-NOTS. The- • are Myosotidium nubile (al-o known a- tin* ( iiatham l-laml F«»rget-me-not), a haiubome plant some two feet in height, with glos-y foliage ami spreading Ima is of blue ami white blossoms; t ml a variety with white flowers. Lu -imilar in growth, etc., known as Myoso tidinm nobile album.

A Peculiar Plant. This singular plant (Greyia Sutherlandii) forms a small tree, and is a native of Natal, from which colony it was introduced to England about the year 1859. Tin* name of the genus Greyia was given in honour of Sir Geo. Grey. K.tGovernor-General of the (‘ape Colony at the time of its discovery, ami the specific name is after that of its discoverer, Dr. Sutherland. who found it growing at much-exposed head lands 2000 to 0000 feet above tin* sea level. Greyia is now regarded as a member of the Nat. Ord. Sapindaceae. The leaves are clustered at the ends of the

branches, are cordate, orbicular-ovate, lieshy. glabrous. bright green. and notched, at tin* margins. The Howers are drooping, scarlet, in colour, each about half an inch in diameter, ami the inflorescence., which in greenhouses occupy about two months in developing, form dense terminal clusters at the ends of the branches. Remarkable cup-like discs intervene between the petals and the stamens, and along the edges of which are ranged a number of stalked glands, the rudiments, probably, of aliortive stamens. The species flowered for the first time in Europe with the late Dr. Moore, of Glasnevin. ANOTHER HELENIUM. Ilelenium Riverton Gem is a fine American plant, two and a half to three feet in height, covered -during the late -ummer ami autumn with handsome blossoms, which are of an old gold colour, tinted with terra-cotta at first, but passing to a soft crimson: a very choice and handsome plant. & NEW GENISTAS. The following varieties of the Genista, or Broom, are of recent introduction, and. lH*ing very attractive, ought to become popular. The first is Butterfly, of which the flowers are of a bright yellow •olour. -haded with bronze; a very pretty kind. Firefly is yellow and chocolate, very -Hiking: Mayfly has yellow flowers, with pah* bronze; and Daisy Hill is creamy-yellow, with a red keel, very distinct. Genista albodara is an early flowering variety of the Broom, but G. prolifera is a Cytisus, with white flowers, ami is rather tender. As pot plants, Genistas are very popular in the flower

A WEW CROCUS. a*i» is a very brightly-coloured form of Crocus Sieberi, to be known as veraicolour. The three outer petals are feathered with purple on a white ground, in much the same manner as some tulips are marked. The inner petals are pun? ■white, but the base is yellow, and the stigmas lich orange. At a meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society recently, it received an award of merit.