GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3191, 15 September 1917, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.") PJtKI'AWNG THE CRODWD IX)E ANNUAM. Gardens aro now gay -ivil.h sprins flowers. Narcissi, primroses, polyluithus primroses, violets, foi-gct-me-not, hyacinths, muscaris wallflowers, stocks, and ancmonca are flowering in profusion in all woll-cared-for eardcus. All too soon, lionover, thcE« (ieliKhtful spring (lowcra will bo over, and cardenevs aro busy planning something to ±111 in tho empty spaces they will create. Tho wiso gardener will already havo enapdragons, stocks, pansks, phlox <lrummondii, nemesia, ' SiilsigloEsis, poppies, Bodetia, nicotiana, and many other seedlings growine sturdily in seed-pans, while for tlie aiitumn cosmos, asters, salvia, French and African marigolds, and zinnias will already be sown. But many there are who wait till tho soil is warm enough lor sowing in tho open. How many packets of seeds of annnale are wasted every year, I ■wonder? The temptation to buy and sow is not to be resisted. One always hopes for better luck next time. But how often do we see in cottage gardens really well-grown annuals? Not often, lam afraid. Yet cottage gardeners depend, to a great extent, upon annuals for their summer and autumn display. Annuala aro lovely -without a doubt, but they must be well grown. The halfstavved stuuted annual is not irorth. having. Personally, I think there is too much risk about sowing in the open. Seeds and seedlings hare eo many enemies in the garden. It is much safer to sow in seedpans, and if an early sowing ie made the seedlings will be ready to transplant as soon as the early spring flowers are over. Where annuals are to be growr the soil must be well prepared. Tho nlants have only a short time in which to crow before they flower, and they must be given every chance to make good growth in that time. Also, provision should be made to have 03 long a flowering time as possible. It is sad to see a fine lot of annuals "go off quickly because there is not sufficient root moisture for them. The chances are that their too short season will leave a nasty blank in the garden. The soil should be deeply dug. The top spit of soil should be removed, and a, layer of well-rotted, manure or welldecayed vegetation should be euread. A good dressing of bonedust should be mixed ivith this lnyer. Tho top soil may then be returned, and the surface left rough till planting-out time. The seedlings should not bo planted out till tho soil has had time to settle. Annuals Jovn bonedust, and a little may be worked into the top soil where each plant is to go. When planting out, the seedlings should be given plenty of room to develop. Oare should bo taken not to have the layer ol manure near enough to the surfaco for tho teuder young roots to come in contact with it. If it is about one spit deep the roots wilt find it when they need it, and the plants will be helped through the dry, hot months of summer. In many gardens water cannot be had. This i 9 sometimes a, blessing, for unless watering is properly done 1 if does more harm than good. Where water cannot be had, gardeners are forced to attend to mnlchine, and plants eio much bettor off with an occasional good watering and a mulch than they are with frequent insufficient waterings, and probably a caked, surface soil, Suitable-stakes should be provided early. Well-grown annuals soon spread and take up a, good deal of room. Even mignonette and, phloY, drummondii aro all tho better for having short twiggy stakes placed round each plant, 'me slicks help .to keep tho plants orderly, and aro a great help during the gales that sweep through moat New Zealand gardens. Tlioy aro aot unsightly for long, for the plants soon grow and hide them. i A PEW PERENNIALS FOB SONNY GARDENS . (Continued from Sept. S). Auchusa Dropmore. This is a lovely plant for a sunny border. The colour of tho flowers is rich royal blue, a colour that is only too delightful in any garden, and the flowering season is. a- long one. Tho effect is gorgeous when the plants are massed. States should bo driven in early, for tho plants grow to a height of at least three feet. The soil for auohusas should bo fairly rich, and a. mulch in summer is much appreciated. Coreopsis; Passing from tho rich bluo of Auchusn Dropmoro, wo como to tho bright colden yellow flowers of coreopsis crandiflora. Tho plants are wonderfully showy, bearing, as they do, such numbers of beaittitul golden flowers. Tho flowers, too, are borne on lone stems, and aro most -useful as cut-flowers. Tho flowerinir nuriod of coreopsis is a, very lone one, provided all dead flowers aro immediately cut off. Any good gardon soil Iβ suita-blo , for tho plants, buf tho position should be a. sunny one An occasional good watering irilh -woak liquid manure; following a watering with clear watdr, helps h> prolong tho flowering season and to preserve the sisc and auality of tho blooms. . . Gaillardias.. . . . Of caillardias for a sunny earden I cannot speak too highly. Tho plants flower over a. vory long period, and.the B/>wors aro beautiful. Some aro rich golden yellow, others aro wonderful shades of velvety brown , or crimson and yellow. Gaillardiaa will grow in any eoil, even poor sandy soil, but at tho eamo timo they appreciate, cood treatment. It somo well-rotted manure can bo *luß into the coil where they aro to bo grown, tho re. salt a* nowcrine time will be most satisfactory. Seed heads form very quickly, end should bo promptly removed. Pcntstcmons. Pentstemona Mo grand plants to grow; they aro exceedingly ahowy, most- accommodating as to eoil, and are still dowering at a- timo when there ia rather 'a

ecerclty of flowers. Tho plants .may generally be depended upon to make a good show during I'obruaj'y and March.. Tho host fiowera aro produced on younc plants. I'lowe.ring Verbenas. . \. . As a caraot plß.nt. for a. minny cardcu tho flowering vorbona is splendid. There are some very bright shades among- the varlctte-s, those with scarlet, salmon, or-Tlolet-coloured flowers being particularly beautiful. Some ivell-rotted manure should be dug into tho soil where the plants aTo to go. Each plant ehould be given plenty of , room, and the growths Ehould bo pegged down ae they, creep over the ground. Early in the -winter the plantß should bo cut right back, and a good mulch of half-rotted manure spread about each one. Plants so treated will last for many years. VEGETABLES. Beede tha.t may be • eown this iveok, where necessary, are:— Eodish.-Prench breakfast is the best. Bow broadcast in rich, firm ground, and Jβ a warm, sunny position. Short Horn or Nantes Horn Carrot.—Sow thinly in drills, 12 inches apart. Turnip.—Early Snowball or Early White Stone. Sow in ground that was richly manured for a provious,crop of greens, nr ( in ground that was matiured ca.rly in tho ■ autumn. Make tho ground very fli-m. Bow thinly in drills, 12 inches apart. Peas.—Sow in drills from two to three feet apart.. Ground should bo trenched and manured, and should h aire wood- . nshos mined with it. Dust boneduet in tho drills at tho timo of sowing. Soak , peas in warm water for a few hours bo ■ foro sowing. Parsnips.—Sow In ground that was well manured for o. previous crop. Work the soil to a fiuo tilth for a depth of at least 1 ]8 inches. Any lumps may oauso deformed and worthless roots. Work into the soil ashes from a rubbi6h-llro and bone- £ dust Moz. to sti. yd.). Sow in seed-pans-.-Celery, looks, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, and tomato, , _ ■ TOMATOES. Tomato seedlings that l»vo been raised, in heat are sometimes very much drawn <i np. In planting these out. the tendency is to bury tho plants a little deeper so g that part of tho-long stem is under the soil Unless the .plants havo been so well "hardened off" that tho stem has had . timo to harden, this should not be done. It would bo better to plant the seedlings at tho same depth as they wero m the boxes. Then when tho stems havo had ; time to harden, tho plants may be oartli- ■ ed up. One may bury the stems of older plants, but in young seedlings the stems I aro so tender that burying them may cause "damping off."

"Garden Notes" next -week will contain seasonablo notes about r-Antirrhinuins, Aquilegia Ohrysantha, and vegetables.