GARDENING NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 31 May 1917, Page 41

GARDENING NOTES

(By Mr. J. Joyce, Landscape Gardener, Christchurch.) HEDGES. Being asked by a valued correspondent for information on the subject of hedges and incidentally on the culture of holly plants from seed, it gives me much pleasure to accede to his request. It is generally conceded that a fine growth of holly has a native beauty all its own, whilst from the point of view of utility, it provides an evergreen and substantial barrier wherever it is planted. There is nothing prettier than a body fence enclosing or fronting a villa residencce if kept properly trimmed. Many beautiful examples cf. this may be seen in the best residential street frontages of the suburbs of Dunedin. In Christchurch too, it has been largely cultivated but there, many instances may be observed where the hedges have that neglected appearance denoting lack of care in the early stages cf growth, thus permitting what should really be shrubbery, growing into scraggy trees. To come to the subject tinder notice : —The holly berries should be gathered about this time of the year when they are quite ripe. Deposit the berries at once in soil mixed with sand in a part of the garden not likely to be disturbed. Hero they should remain until the woody kernal has entirely rotted, this will probably be found to have been effected by the time late spring arrives. It will be then observed that the kernal or woody casing has been dissolved, and little seedling buds are bursting forth. Now prepare a plot by digging in some well rotten manure, seeing that the soil is thoroughly mixed with it. Draw drills with a hoe to a depth of about three inches by six inches wide and therein sow the seed. The seed should’ be sown fairly thickly on a fine day when the soil is comparatively dry. Here they must remain for twelve months, and be kept clean. It will be thus seen that great patience is required to grow a holly fence. Hawthorn berries require the same treatment. Broom, gurse and wattle require the seeds to be soaked in boiling water and allowed to remain over night in the liquid. I find it will take more than a year to- rot the kernal before the bud will get a chance to expand.