GARDEN NOTES

Chronicle (Levin), 24 October 1946, Page 7

GARDEN NOTES

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Spring flowering shrubs are making a very lovely display at q>resent anci mueh can be learned by looking into gardens as one walks down tlie streets. People used to be exteremely ' ' groovy ' ' in their shrub planting and exactly the same ones could be seen in garden after garden. Now there are signs ot more enterprise and a better variety. Much still remains to be done in the way of grouping and building up gar- • den pictures with the help of the many shrubs whieh are at their bsst at tliis time. Cultivate a eritieal eye and you will find that you can prolit greatly by : other people 's suceesses and failures. There are many bulbs which can be used in conjunction with shrubs, one of the most useful being the English blue-bell. If left undisturbed and tlie flowers not picked, tliese bulbs sow themselves easily and increase very rapidly. They will tlirive undeiv deciduous trees such as flowering cherries and bloom at the same time. The feathery tamarisk tree is a mass of soft pinlc at present and its cherries are enlianced by a carpet of blue forget-me-not; late flowering poctieus nar cissi could be introdueed so that Ihe} will come through this carpet. The newer varieties of ceaiiothas provide a note of rich cliina blue which can be given added value by pliotinias planted near. The youug leaves of this last mentioned shrub are an intense browny red, especially when the sun is on them. For a carpet hero use Iceland poppies in the Gartford slrahi, polvanthus primroses, or both. Lilacs and prostranthera both introduce a nrauve note into the garden. Jtither pink or yellow could be used as contrast. For pink, try colmnbines in rose shades and there are manv eolouito be had in sparaxis bulbs which would work in well; tliril't both tall and dwan' could also bc used. For a yellow contrast golden irises would work in, and mauve and yellow auriculas; (lorinicunis with their bright gold daisy flowers are still another suggcstion. Flowering brooms are many and • varied these davs and look well with a ! forcground of wallflowers and forget me-not. All these plants mentioned will [ do well in quite poor soil. J Azaleas of the deciduous tvpe rvil! soon be at their best and are aniong tiomost worthwhile of the shnil)s, produeing masses of lovely bloom in spring and beautiful autumn-tinted foliage later. Wisteria flowers at the same time and for low-growing plants try tlm large mauve violas, or the yellow ones, too, could be used. ftalmon and oranga tritonias will also be attraetivo. All the shrubs and plants mentioned abovc are doubtless to be found in most gardens but are they always to be found in the right groupings and combinations ? Those who have aenuired some of the more unusual shrubs should do them full justiee by AA'orking out a eolleetiou of suitable plants or bulbs to plant with them.