GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 282, 17 August 1918, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.")

SUMIfEIi-FLOVvEIUNG PERENSIALS.' (Continued from August 10.) ifontbrotiaii.-Jlontbi'etias like a sunny I position, but :i cool root-run. Tlicbd two ; reeiuisitcs arc ditiicult to obtain naturally, i unless one possesses a stream or pond with a sunny bank. But the sunny position : can bo obtained by everyone without ' itny trouble, and the cool root-run can Uo had by taking the trouble to dig the ground deeply, and to bury a supply of green manure [or tbe bulbs to root into. Tho bulbs increase so rapidly that they should not be left in the ground longer than two years without being lifted and divided. Tho growth of Montbretian, as ■ regards both flowers and foliage, is gi awful in the extreme. The plants look beautiful in the garden when grown in groups in a mixed border, or when planted on the edgo of native bush; or along the banks of a stream or pond. If lelt too long in one place, the plants becomeovorcrowded, and the struggle for exist- ■ enco causes thorn to deteriorate the growth to becomo stunted, and the f!ov,era small. Instead of tall spikes of brilliant flowers, and quantities of strong, healthy- . coloured leavc-B, one sees stunted, yellow- ] ish-greon loaves, and poor little spikes of ' .pale-coloured flowers. Overcrowded plants I not only have not room to expand beneath the soil, but they must necessarily suffer, j also, from eemi-starvation.' j Perennial Phlox-Phloxes like a deeplyI dug soil a;jd a- sunny position, and they dislike- being disturbed. Well-rotted animal manure, or decayed vegetable rubbish i and boneduet, must be- added to the soil. : Water and suitable mulches should be supI plied during the summer months. | Several very beautiful varieties of .pcren--1 ninl phlox are obtainable from nurserymen.

Perennial Poppies.—The ground for perennial poppies must bo very deeply due, Jor the plants make very long tap roots. The iplants like a rich, well-drained soil and a sunny position. Several beautiful shades of salmon may now bo had, in addition to tho old scarlet and dark rod varieties,

lire. Perry is a boautiful varifty, with large flowers of a soft- salmon-pimt shade. The Orientale hybrids are well worth growing, for one then nets these lovely flowers In a variety of shades, including bliish white, old rose, oraneo, and very dark red.

Homneya Ooultcri'.—The flowers of Hopineya Coulteri are like enormous whito poppies with a mass of golden-yellow stamens. Tho ■ plant is quito hardy in our climate, and grows into a fairly largo ehrub. The soil should be trenched, and good drainage should be provided. TJio plants may be a little difficult-to establish at first, as they reEont disturbance of their roots, bnt if they arc shaded from the sun for a few days, and kept molot, no difficulty need be experienced. Scabiosa Caucasica.—The perennial nin- <!>. >. tlower, Seabiosa Caucasica, bcara beautiful palo lavender-colotfred (lowers, which aro splendid for cutting in the summer. The plants like a light, sandy soil, and plentiful supplied of water during hot weathor. Heavy soil should be , deeply dug, and should have sand or road grit added to it. Clumps need not be broken up for several years. Stalicc—Bushes ot statico or sea lavender .we generally left undisturbed for a number of years. They nend their roots down to such a depth that disturbance must moan damage to flieui. Hut the plants should not ho left too long in one postilion. There comes a lime when It is necoseary to lift and divide them. This Rhould be done in the autumn, great, caro being taken to hurt the roots as little an possible. Statices liko a sujvny position aud a deeply-dug, Handy soil. Many peoplo prefer to bow seed and raise freeli plants every few years. Where thie is rtono the old bushes, when worn out, may Bimply be dug out and turned into manure or ashes.

I Verbenas— Flowering verbenas arc most useful summer-llowerim; perennials. They begin flowering early in the summer, and go right on till they are cut back nt tho ■ end of the autumn. They like a light I sandy soil, into which some well-decayed rmanuro has been dug, and a sunny posi- ! w° n ' J Agnpantlmsee, liliums. irises, glndiyh, ; kniphofias, and wfltsonias iiro almost ini dispensable in a garden. In large gar- ! dons they may bo used freely with great effect, and, even in small gardens they should bo used as much 05 possible. SEED PANS. Sect! pans should not. bo too deep, as a great depth, of earth holds too much mole- ! ture, and ie, therefore, cold and apt to I become sour. Three or four inches of ; earth in deep enough for seedlings, and i tho sun-warmed air can penetrate this '■■ depth. Have the pans thoroughly clean, ! attend to tho drainage, and then thren- ! parts iill them with a mixture of earth. ! «and, and ashes from a. rubbish or wood fire. Mix up tho ijigredi- ! ents thoroughly with tho hands before ! .putting the mixture into tho pans. I'lauc I the Dans in a warm, sheltered spot. An I hour or two before sowing the seeds, wator [ the pans with tepid water. Cover' the seed i with the merest sprinkling of fine earth. If seeds are very small, mix them in a saucer with n, iittle fine earth or sand. I Tho seeds will then be more ovcnly distributed »ver the seed pan. Never sow seeds thickly, or the seedlings will come up crowded together, and run up into I weak, Bpindly plants. Those that are well I distributed over tho seed pan, and thinly sown, have a chance to grow into sturdy plants that will make strong growth right i from the start. Also, one is .saved tho necessity of pricking out the seedlings into another box before planting them I out in the garden, i'rotcct tho pans from ; hot sun till the seedlings appear. Do not allow heavy rain to beat on to tho Boil in which seedlings have been sown. A I piece of glass placed over the pans will j protect the seeds from rain. Seeds that I may he sown now are:—Ten-week stock, .Shirley poppies (double and single), icelaud poppies, asters, candytuft, gotletias, sweet sultan, sweet scabious, annual k.vusophila, coreopsis tinctoria, primroses, verbenas, aquilesiaa. lobelia, pansies, violas, and sweet peas.

vecetabi.es. early potatoes. A few rows of early potatoes may bo iihutud at auy tiuio now. Oiiou out shallow trenches throe fcoi apart-. Do this jf possible in tho moraine on a sunny day. If you have somi thoroughly decayed mid well-sweetened manure, siircad a tnin layer in the bottom of the trenches, aiid leave the tnyietiisi oura all day. By the alternoon, the suu will lmve warmed the inside of the trenches, and also tiie soil that is to bo nut back on top of the notato Bets. Where thoroughly decayed animal immure cannot be had, try to set some good stuff from a compost heap, or some well-decayed ami. sweetened vecetable rubbish for the bottom of the trenched, and add also the following mixture of artificial uiauin-es:—Sujierpiiosnhuto and sulphate of potash at the rate of two to one. That is, two pounds of superphosphate to one Bound of sulphate of potash. Work this mixture into the bottom of the trenches at tho rate'of loz. to thn running yard. i'otiitoea can do with plenty of potash, and wood ashes or rubbish fire ashes, which contain a lareo percentage of potash, should be added freely to the soil where they a;o to be crown. If tho potato sets aro about the size of a good herns egg, they should be planted whole, if very large, they must be cut. Leave only two strong sprouts on each sot, ami chooso only well-shaped potatoes. If the sets are planted during tho afternoon in sun-warmed trenches, and are covered with sun-warmed earth, they are Kivcn a really Rood start, and strong irrowth soon commences.

Seeds that may be "sown this week, where necessary, arc:— Ratlisli.—French breakfast is the best Sow broadcast in rich, ilrm ground, and in 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, previous crop of greens, or in ground that was manured early in the autumn. Mako tlio ground very ilrm. bow thinly in drills twelve inches apart. Peas.—Sow in drills from two to three feet apart. Ground should be trenched and manured, and slinuW have wood ashes mixed with it. Dust bonedust in the drills at the time of sowing. Soak peas in warm water for a few hours before sowing. Parsnips.—Sow in ground that wne well manured for a previous crop. Work Hie soil to a fine tilth for a depth of at least eighteen inches. Any lumps may cause deformed and worthless roots. Work into the soil ashes from a rnbbish fire, and bonedust, (4oz. to square yard). Oii'ons.—Make tho soil very ilrm by treading on it before sowing. Bo this only when the soil is dry. Elncken the Boil with soot several times before sowins. Sow the seed in drills twelve inches apart. Brown Riianish nnd Janice' Keening or» the best for Scenins. Oai'den Notes next week will contain soaFonablo notes about:—Autumn-llowering perennials, hardy annuals, and vegetables.