GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2758, 29 April 1916, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

[By "Kowhai."]'

ROSES,

As a result of several good showers of rain during this month, roses have made considerable new growth. We must now protect this new growth from attacks of greenfly i>y syringing it frequently with sunlight soap wash. If a little flowers of sulphur is added the foliage will be protected from attacks of mildew is well. Prepare the wash in the following way:— Cut up Joz. of sunlight soiip, melt it, and I'ork in 2oz. of flowers of sulphur. Dissolve this mixture in one gallon of hot water, and syringe the bushes with it while it is still hot. Caterpillars are still about, and quickly find their way to the young buds. Cuttings of roses may still be taken, and will strike easily if they are inserted firmly the edges of pots filled with soil, to which sand has been added liberally. Use the shoots that have borne flowers. ■ Cut off the dead flowers and take about six inches of the shoot, making the cut just below a joiut. Remove the lower loaves before inserting it firmly in sandy soil.

Eoso bushes, especially those that bear autumn flowers, should bo given weak liquid manure after a snower of rain, or after a good watering. Tie in long shoots of climbing roses. Push on with the -work of preparing the ground where new roses are to be planted. Obtain a catalogue from your nurseryman, and get in your orders early. Where gardeners have only limited space for growing roses, it is safer for them to buy varieties that have proved to be satisfactory, rather than to buy untried new varieties that may prove a failure.

WINTER FLOWERING SHRUBS. Ericas a) 1 * among the earlist of the winter flowering shrubs, and are invalu : able for cut flowers, besides being most nttraotive in the garden. The Scotch heathers (Erica Atilgaris) are very beautiful and most easily grown. They may be had in white, pink, and purple. Other beautiful autumn and winter flowering Ericas are:—Autuninalis (pink)., PyTamidalia Gracilis (white), and Erica Carnea (fleshcoloured. Ericas like a deeply-dug, sandy soil, so heavy soil should be lightened by the addition of river sand. It i 6 use. less to plant Erioas -where lime is present in the soil, and lime must on no account be placed near them at any time after they are planted. Animal manure also, should be kept well away from Ericas. ; . AZALEAS. , Azaleas flower, as a rule, more towards end of the winter, or early in the spring. They ore among the most beau, tifnl of the flowering shrubs, and every. onn should make an effort to grow at least one. The ground where they are to be planted should be deeply dug, and well worked, although they are shallow-root-ers. Leaf-mould or* peat-soil should lie added to the soil, but no manure. Wellrotted manure may be used as a mulch, to established bushes. Azaleas aro moisture, loving shrubs, and, as their Toots are very near the surface, every effort must be made to keep the soil about- them moist. During summer and autumn a good mulch should be spread over the roots, and water should be supplied regularly. Our hot, dry, nor'-westers are a great trial to Azaleas, but they with, stand even these easily if they can bo planted on the cool side of a low stone wall, or against big stones in a rocksry. TULIPS. Tulips are tho last of tho spring flowering bulbs to be put into the ground, and tho sooner they arc in. now the better, Gardeners who have a light, well-drained [ soil need add only a little bonedust when preparing it for tulips; those who have a .heavy soil should mix with it sand or road grit, leaf-soil, and a little well-de-cayed horse manure. The ground should be deeply dug to prevent stagnant water lying about the bulbs during winter. Tulips aro wonderfully accommodating, growing equally well in tiny gardens in a smoky town, and in country gardens where the air is of the freshest and the sunshine is undimmed by fog and smoke. They aro the hardiest of flowers, and will grow quite well in the most ordinary soil, provided it is well dug. A little lime mixed 'with tho soil helps to keep the bulbs healthy. Owners of town garden strips should endeavour to plant a few clumps of tulips in their tiny front gardens.. The colours of the flowers are most varied, some being positively gorgeous, while others are most chaste and delicate. The flowers aro very sweetly perfumed, and their length of stalk and ability to last for a long time in water endear them to all who lovo to make their rooms beau-, tiful with flowers. When planting the bulbs see that they are deep enough to havo about 8 inches of soil above them. Place them on a layer of sand and sprinkle sand over them before covering with earth. Tulips are divided into four classes:—Single (early and late), double. Parrot, and JJarwm. Single (early): Belle Alliance, brilliant scarlet; Canary Bird, canary yellow; Cottage Maid, rose, striped with white; Crimson King, crimson-scarlet; Golden Standard, largo yellow self; Rose Gris de : Lin, bright pink self. Single (late): Bouton D'Or, golden-yel-low; Elegans, brilliant crimson-scarlet; Gesneriana Major dazzling scarlet; Picotee, white, margined rose'. Doublo: Murillo, white, flushed pink; Rex Rubrorum, crimson-scarlet; Rosa Blanche, pure white; Yellow Rose, puro yellow (fragrant). DARWIN-TULIPS. Clara Butt, an exquisite flower, which should be in every garden. The colour is soft,, delicate rose. Europe, salmon-scar-let, shaded with rose on the outside, snowy white centre. Gustavo Dore, pink, La Candeur, white, tinged blush. Tak von Poortuliet, deep salmon-rose. Darwin tulips flower about the end of September or early in October. They are self-colour-ed, and have enormous flowers borne on long stems. ANNUALS FOR SPRING-FLOAYERING, Certain hardy annuals may be sown now, and the plants will flower towards the end of the spring. I find that an. tumn-sown annuals are the most satisfactory as a rule. The little plants havo a long time in cool damp earth before they begin to flower, and that gives them ■ a chance to make strong roots, and develop into fine plants. The spring-sown annuals have to contend against hot nor'westers, and, very often, drought, with the result that they (lower prematurely, and tho flowering is soon over. The seeds may be sown in. patches in the garden where they aro to flower, or they may be sown in seed pans. Make.the soil very fine, and mix with it some sand, a little bonedust, and a sprinkling of ground lime. Most, annuals very much appreciate the .presence of lime in the soil. It

is a good plan to mark off part of the baok gardeu for sowing annuals that may bo allowed to' go to seed. Dig tho ground very thoroughly, and prepare it in the aaiue way as in the beds, then take a stick and mark it off into irregular patches. Fill in each patch with seeds of different annuals. When the seedlings are far enough advanced, thin them out, and grow thorn as carefully as the ones in tho garden. This out-of-the-way , plot will provide a fine supply of cut flowors, and certain of the plants may be left to go to seed. In this w.ay a constant supply of seedlings will be. ready whenever they are wanted for filling in bare spaces in the beds. The following annuals may bo sown now:—Annual gypsophila, candytuft,, larkspur, godetia, clarkia, mignonette; sweet scabious, poppy (Shirley and Iceland), stock (.ten-week), uemesia, rvgeratum, phlox drummondi, sweet Sultan, linaria, and sweet willi'am. VEGETABLES. PUMPKINS AND VEGETABLE MAR. | ROAVS. As soon as frost outs the vines of pumpkins and marrows, the fruit should be out and takon inside. Tho.best way to store tho fruit is : to hang it from beams or from hooks driven 'into the- ceiling of a storeroom or shed.. ~ ... As you hoe between the rows of cabbages and cauliflowers, push the earth towards the plants. This slight earthing up will help them to withstand strongwinds. Caterpillars must still be looked for. Feed all greens regularly with small doses of nitrate of soda at tho rate of loz. to a gallon of water for liquid manure, or loz. to the yard to bo hoed in. Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about: AA T inter-flow.cring shrubs, rhododendrons, and vegetables. . Messrs. F. Cooper,; Ltd., the well-known seedsmen, announce that their retail department is still conducted in those handj somo premises known as Cooper's Build- ! Lugs, at the corner of Willis and Mercer . Streets. They wish to draw the attention of the public to the faot that tho I entrance is now from Mercer Street. Telephone number to retail department, 839.