GARDEN NOTES

Chronicle (Levin), 24 August 1946, Page 7

GARDEN NOTES

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Bad weather earlier in the month may have delayed the j)ianting of new trees and shrubs, and if that is the ease no time should be lost in getting all such operations eompleted as soon us soil and weather conditions permit. Eind foom if possible for at least one new shrub to give udded interest'to the coining season; gardeners are apt to become ve'ry ' 'groovy " in their ideas and the same shrubs are tt> be seeu repeated in gardeu after garden — why not branch out and have soinething attraetive and (lilferent from the next door garden. As shrubs can be had which will llower in spring, summer, autumn or winter, it is not diiiicult to ehoose one which will be at its best when other plants in the garden are going over — nurserymen's calalogues these days givo very detailed information as to the habits of the plants they recominand which makes selection easy for the buyer. Uuring the winter it is possible to see where gaps ure likeiy to occur and sometimes these are best iilled by the judicious use of climbing plants of whicli insullicieiit use is made in many gardens where space is available for them. The lirst thing* to decide when considering a new climbing plant is whetlicr it should be deciduous or evergreen and then attention should be given to the time of year that floweys .'are wanted aiid what colo"urs the Howers should be. When your mind is made up on' these poi nts tlien a ehoice can be made from 'a catalogue. One of the best novelti.es in reccnt years among climbing plants is Celastrus .Seandens This is a hardy, easily grown deciduous ereeper which produces well-branched spravs of attractive berries during the late autumn and .winter. The berries are orange coloured and protrude frohi outer casings Of yelldw in ratlief the same'-man-ner of spindle berries. A few sprays are very decorati've in the house dtiring winter and they last a long time and ure still ornamental when rlried oil'. These plants must be planted in pairs to as'sure berrying. Another useful . climbing plant which is not very much grown is the ornamental grape vine in its various forms. The . claret leafed vine — vinifera purpurca — has bronzy purple leaves during the summer which turn to wonderful reddish purple in the autumn. This vine niakes a good background for flowering climbers suclr as roses and can bo planted -with them so that they can gfow oy or a .pergohi togother. -Two other .ornarneutal grape x*in ea are arnniricnsis with wonderful red and crimson leaves in autumn and coibnet tiae with heavilv veined leaves turninc scarlet and cran."e in autumn. All these vines aTe deciduous.