Life in the Garden

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 20, 15 May 1912, Page 38

Life in the Garden

Official of the Rev/Zealand Pea Society and Auckland Horticultural Society.

By

Veronica.

.iZi commusicufioHa for "Veronica" shculd be addressed to "Graphic" Office, Auckland. Secretaries of Horticultural Societies are incited to send short reports of their proceedings, and also any items of interest to Horticulturists. Photographs of Flowers. Fruits or New Vegetables, or Garden Scenes, will be welcomed.

HORTICULTURAL NOTES. ZT\ K - ' TREVETHICK, of Lower 4 I I xJ A / x /:' > . the <->. At London. Mr. 1 kis i s ■ ■ - \ \ Sweet Pea S siting • • '•• /' I ’. '■ g ’ it S _• • \ : k k-t* : : -r :'..- i : >-.\ •_. <oW e 3niivi: a:e Mr. Trevethi.-k will be k g it for th ext Nat ’ _ t I st \ Mr. Fl \ Fox. ’-■ ell and i s an ei < siast : < sent -. < t ~ - gst t hers S Nigel. Mrs tr e. We shall a vait with interest the ■ ' I ions grat te Mr. Fox on k

The same Mr. Fox has a way or a plan of his own for landing carnations fr--:n England very much alive, whilst so many of his contemporaries fail. We lira- he has safely landed about 300 plants from the best English growers. S ninent English growers consider it useless, owing to so frequent failures, to send plants to New Zealand. Mr. Fox may be aide to give them the requisite A New Zealand sweet pea grower sent some seeds to Scotland for trial, and he has received a very gratifying report erning them. The flowers were splendid. growth vigorous, and the grower delighted with the result. Any of our readers who may send Dominion-grown seels to friends at Home or in foreign lands should send us the results, whatever these may be.

VERONICAS. The cultivation of Ver nicas in the Doi n is. generally speaking, verv te and this may be aceount-e-l t -r. in part at least, owing to many’ varieties of these being Native plants.

and >n piently ns lered • mon : - . - ally in the irly lays, were ac ■' ned to kn ck t em . - or y the of creeks, and who regarded them much in the same way as they lid the titree. now so fast iisappearing. Our early settlers, and we are sorry to add oar later ones. have had little time or .-are for preserving the beautiful, and hen e many a noble tree, and numerous useful flowering and ornamental shrubs, have been ruthlessly destroyed, and as a consequence New Zealand to-day is poorer by being denuded of those giants of the Native bush which tan never be replaced, and which many mourn over. But it is of little use crying over spilt mf'.k. let us rather seek to conserve the fragments, and we may begin by putting fn a plea for our Native Veronkas, w.-.ich are excellent subjects f r any garden, and the variety and diversity of the family is such that any one with the smallest bit of ground may easily grow a few plants. We feel convin el that it is only because these plants are Natives that they are so much neglected. In the Homeland they are highlyprized plants. A few of the best varie- - Hulkeana. a most beautiful and graceful variety, growing from 3 to G feet in height, flowers—lavender blue. This

Veronica is quite distinct from the other - -i the family. The flowers are 1 - ed n ng ranching pani les, and -t is a most profuse bloomer. so much so in fact that unless the flower spikes are removed either when in bloom or immediately alter, the drain on the plant for seed production is so exhausting that plants frequently die off. Plants may be :r cuttings in su::;m-r. (larnosula and C. Glauca have white flowers and glaucous leaves, and grow about 2 feet in height. They are very ornamental and easy to grow. Diesmofolia is another white flowering sort, which grows in a compact bush a lout 2 feet high; a splendid dwarf He torii and Tetragonk-a are most unique, having most peculiar cordlike ’ - ■ _ ■ . ■ ■ in any garden. Pinginf _ - t 3 to 4 feet in :. and ha- small leaves and white flowers. It is a most useful variety. Greyii - t - hat rioua plant with greenish blue leaves and -mall fl.- vers, and there are many others we might mention. Veronicas can be had f»r hedges au I. aa Arborea and - ■:growth, and Amaranth, crimson flower spikes, blooming in early winter: the variegated Anderson’s Variegated, highlv ornamental, or

t ivi max 1.1 I gro.xing only 4 inn—high and most suitable f»i edgings. | >ing sorts wil Hower*, nn *t useful for ro.'kwork and . , H u-es. We .-tiongly aivi»e our | ers • . j.x.- some attention to these _ s. and feel assure I . .... a'.n l.e greatly plei-.l and inter- _ ■ - together a .file lion. They are not expensive, and iteing perennial last a long time xxiti very little rare or attention. Veronica.

FANCY v.aRNATIONS. Earn x < armiti*>n* axe. a- the I -s’.’lt ~f r • activities of the raisers, nnder- - >lll -o r inarkabl ■ a development within the past ten x >ars that they now form a group >f considerable importance. and enjoy a high degree of popularity among th -■ xvho appreciate in ven a moderat ' degree the charms of the carnation in its many attributes of beauty. There is no . , isicn. in r ferring to the section win rein t fancy varieties have a place, to institute comparisons between them ami the selfs with a view to determine their relative merit*. Both elas—s i -se— merits of a high order, ami both should be fully utilised in beautifying t.',e Hower garden ami in furnishing supplies of bb i ms in a . ut state for door <leiorations. In the opinion of tie' writer they are especially useful for pot culture and for planting in borders where tin* Howers will be immediately undi r the eye < f the cultivator, ami thus enable him to enjoy to the full tile exquisite <•> louring ami distinctive mail - ings that so strongly appeal to the artistic ]>ere pti ns of flower-lovers, and ~p -iallx of these who take ail interest in carnations.

The success that has Imth achieved by raiser* in the improvement of the section has enabled them to introduce duiin*; tin* past tew years a large numl»er t m-w varieties < f great merit, and as the result the li*t of really first-class flowers has became so lengthy as to pel pl»*x those who have n<» opportunities for se“ing varieties until they are widely distributed in gardens. Io assist such eii--tivati r and. indeed, all who may no desirous of revising the list of varieties • wn for the purpose of substituting hi>. of the more recent introductions f.r older flowers—the following selection has Ikm n prepared. This has purp< *el\ be n made short that cultivators with limited -pac? at their disposal should not be perplexed by a multiplicity < f names, but there are many others that cp’.ild be recommended to those w.io have room for a larger number of vaiieAlice B. Stewart. — A distinct ami b autiful Hower, richly marked with ros? i n an apricot ground. Celestial. — A handsome yellow-ground fl< wer. marked with mar«»< n and red. Delicia. — A beautiful white-ground Hower of large size, with pink and red ma rkings. Donald McDonald. —A large and attractive flower of Sii|>erb form. n«»w being introduced by Mr. C. Blick : the -round rich yellow, .deeply suffused with bright red. Father G’Flynn.—A remarkably fine variety, the ground bright yellow, attraelivt ly marked with light scarlet. I-', i ster. —A handsome yellow ground Hower of large size, raised by Mr. J. Douglas: the markings are crimson and red. Hi lalg - As ei y< Il >w-gro t tlower that has been in cultivation ?ome v ears, an 1 t ontin te- to hoi la h:gh

position: the blooms are of fine form, an.l the petals marked with maroon and ted. John Ridd.—A remarkably fine variety that is being introduced by Mr. -1. Volgins this -eason. t’.ie blooms are of fir. • form an I the petals have rose-red marking- on a bright yellow ground. I.e-lie.—Another of Mr. f. Bli.-k’- fill’ novelties: the Howers are large and the

broad buff-coloured petals are margine 1 and suffused with bright rose. I ibertc.—A tine variety, the bloom* large. an I of tine form, the ground clear yellow, overlaid with crimson marking. This variety wa> on*picuous in the collection with which Messrs. A. R. Brown and Co. obtained premier honours for six varieties undressed, at the Mi Ban I Counties Carnation Society show la*, year, an I illustrated herewith. Linkman. — A remarkably attractive variety: the flowers are large in size and of superb form, with bright *carle: markings on a yellow ground. Lord Steyne.— A distinct and h.'.ndsom • iiower of large *:ze. heavily marked with crimson on a rich yellow ground. Mrs. F. Gardiner.—A charming flower of high quality, with apricot- coloure I ground and bright rose marking*. Mrs L L. Gibson.—A distinct and attractive Hower, with lilac rose markings on a buff-col cured ground. Mrs. Penton.—A new variety of quite ex optional merit, the Howers of tine form, the ground buff. with rich ro*e markings. Pasquin.—A bold and hand*ome Howe/ of full size and tine form, the ground yellow, the margin and marking* of the petals rose-hivender. Rhea.—A charming variety of recent introduction, the Hower* of excellent form and full size, the ground colour yellow, suffused with rose scarlet. <weet Briar.— A remarkably pleasing variety of high quality, the Hower* of full size, with lavender and rose marking* on a white ground.—” Gardener** Magazine.”

AS OTHERS SEE US. In the leading columns of the “Scottish Gardener” for March the editor, under the heading of ” Daffodils in New Zealand.” thus refers to the “ (graphic” ami our -how report-: — DAFFODILS IN’ NEW ZEALAND. Our relative- in the Antipodes inherit the hard-heade l. bar I-working characteristics of their progenitors, and perhaps with a finer climate over them to help, have developed, even improving qualities. The florists in New Zealan I are exceptionally enthusiastic, and “Veronica.” who .arries on the gardening column of tin “New Zealand Weekly Graphic” (this is i marvel for illustrations). records the advance- horticulture makes out ther •. Not only do the competitors and growers import our best thing-, but are adept- at hybi idling ia-Profe-sor Thoma-i. and have perfe t»*d some excellent sorts. At the Au. klan I Daffodil Show we -ee pi. tured the four champion bloom- in Septembei last. A fine quartet. Sou h- • in Dueen and Warrior < being -celling- 1. Horn* spun ami Weardale Perfe-tion. Again, we -ei Maggi»* May. Queen Al xandia. ami Van Wawren’- Giant. Th? yew White Tilimpet •’Ail-a” i- very large indeed, and lovely form. But we not** that at some -bow - a wonderful mixture of bloom- are combined in one exhibit, at Auckland by Mr. Brett. Think of carnation-, daffodils, freesia*. hxaginth-

tca-wcek stock®, cydamen, gerbera, Sweet peas, ranunculi, anemones, candytufts, Nemesia, Gaillaraia, primrose (new large white), pink daisy, and leptosyne maritima grouped together. A (stand like that would cause a sensation in Scotland. From the photographs the staging of flowers is grand, mixed flowers are beautifully done in vases and baskets, bouquets and sprays. Our big English firm—Bar and Sons, R. Sydenham. Ltd.—give valuable cups for prizes of daffodils, showing that they are fully awake to the possibilities of business across the seas. For the champion cup—for 40 varieties of daffodils —James Kirker, of Ponsonby. led, and W. F. Buckland, of Cambridge, was second. Altogether we see very keen interest in New Zealand, in horticulture. The public are coming out in great numbers, and under the stiumulus they give florists are striving hard to render flower shows more attractive. These are lessons for us worth learning, and we extend hearty greetings to our kinsmen for their continued success in horticulture. —"The Scottish Gardener/’ March 9.