GARDEN NOTES

Chronicle (Levin), 22 March 1946, Page 7

GARDEN NOTES

(By ' ' Ngaio' '.) Oue of the most Igtisfactory plants to grow for autumn tiine in the garden js ilie miciiaelmas daisy. Every year sees new varieties coming along and the range now procurable is surprising. The eiuiier unu somewhat in'sipid varieties tiave been supers'eded. b'y niodern ones of a grcat deptli oi coiour wliicli are most Hseful in proionging a summery eneet in uie garden and they combine ivuii with other iiowers to make Ijeautilul coiour scheines. A l'ew years ago a pink miciiaelmas Jaisy was a great noveity and the ratJier washy pmks which were lirsl ijuroduced \vere nmeh tallced of. Now there are iovely shades v of deep rose r,o be had as vvelJ as niany soft pinks .if definite tone. The blues too are castly improved and come in inany inense shadfe. The pale tones are still to be had and liave their uses as a foil lo briglitcj iiowers, the smaJl fluwered line sprayed varieties *beiug very attractive whethei they are white, inauve or pale blue. iMicliael.mas daisies come in botli single and doubje iorm, sume are La.ll, othors dwarf, some liave very large in dividuai blossoms and oLheis are so sinai] as to have an %lmost ' ' f uzzy ; ' "i'.'ect, so there are sotne spec.imeus oi this useful plant which should please overvone.

A womlerful effcct can be obtained if a lauder of tall growtng miehaelmas laisies ure intersjiersed witli dahlias of ,he sume eolourings; there are daisies >f mediuui height which are suitable for pianting with the charm and pompniu dahlias, and also there are quite lwart ones which can be used to make an edging at the front of the border. Another wav to get a good effect is to plant them between or in front of hydrangeas. Thc daisies — or pereuniaJ isters as we should call them will come into bloom as the hydrangeas go over, and when the daisies are finished and •ut down. the hydrangeas will still be there in their winter eolourings. ilot diy conditions do not suit miehaelmas daisies which are then Malde 'o become miblewed which spoils :hc apjicaraiice of the i'oliage. They iike a riidi deep soii which holds moislure well and do not require full suu■liine, doing quite well in a place wdiich is shaded for part of the dav. As increase is so rapid, line effects i-an sonn be built up in thc garden from ■ smay plants of good varieties bought from anv nurseryman wlio keeps a goofl selection. Clumps should be divided and replanted when they become ovcr-t-rowded — some sav everv second season which is no doulit theoretieally -eorrcct, but most people aiming at a massed effect will leavc them for three years. Afler that they. bocome starved and defmitely dereriorate. When dividing the plants select pieees of fresh voung growth from the outside of the clumps, •uid re])lant four or five pieces in a group — each pieeo about six inches i'rom its neighbour. These groups will make ' a much better disjilay thaii odd single bits scaffered about the garden. When staking Ihe plants b'ght sticks can he used and severn 1 should go to each Hump so that the bloom will be well displayed instead nf being all j binichcd up as is so often Ihe case when oue- Blake, ouly is- used^ •