GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 27, 26 October 1918, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.")

NASTURTIUMS. How few of us ever realise the many charms of the nasturtium. The flowers themselves are exquisite, for they arc dainty in appearance, end charming in their colouring. Nowadays they may lie had in delicate shades of ninh, cream, and buff, winch are a delightful addition to the old shades of dans red, scarlet, and yellow with which we have been familiar all our lives. Bo you wish to cover an ugly fence quickly at a small expense? Then, buy a pacKet of nasturtium seed. Or is n an ugly cloy,bank that you wißh to hide, or an unsightly corner that you have not, time to attend to? Nasturtiums will make them Beautiful for you in a very short time, Just loosen the soil a. little, about a spade deep, and bow a few Becdß. lou need npt work the soil deeply or make it rich. No sooner have tho seedß germinated than the plants begin to oreep along, covering everything that comes in their way with a- thick cloak of pretty green leaves. Irery soon flower buds appear, and from them ai through the long mouths of summer and autumn, until winter frosts cut down the vines, there is a wealth of dainty or gay-coloured flowers. The plants, ask bo little; they give so K enerously in return. Hence we aro apt to pass them, by, blind to their beauty of leaf and flower, careless of their wonderful, generosity, unmindful of the incredible fact that they flourish and continue to be beautiful without making any demand upon our time. Jack I'rost is their bitter enemy One touch of his cruel fingers and their season of beauty and usefulness is over. But. before he comes, all through tho hot, dry days of, summer, the plants are busy making provision for the uext season. Day after day they ripen thenseeds and scatter them about on the sou beneath. Some of tho seeds become covered with soil or decaying leaves in course of time; others find their way into cracks and crevices in the soil. There they lie snugly hidden till the winter is over, when they in turn germinate, a-nd carry on the work that their parents did before them. It is seldom that-one has to sow again where onco nasturtiums have been grown. Very often, after the bulbs have all been lifted, one finds that there are bare spaces in the garden that ono 1 has no hope of filling quickly. But a few seeds ol lorn Thumb nasturtiums sown in such Bpaces overcome the difficulty, fop in a few weeks from the time of sowing, one has a brilliant show of flowers. Tjnlike the climbing varieties, Tom Thumb nasturtiums are compact in their growth.

FLOWEBS IN BLOOM. Mised borders at the prcseno time have rather an untidy appearance owing to the tremendous leai growth ot violets, primroses, narcissi, and hyacinths, hut these leaves are doing very important worn, and must ou no account be mterlcrcil with, for they are helpmu' the plants to store up food for their next season ot beauty. One turns with relief to where violas make vivid streams and pools ol gold, for the plants aro alrcaoy; a mass oi glorious bloom. , Tulips have reared themselves above a carpet of green leaves, and-flaunt uie gayest of-colours as they open their lovely flowers to welcome the. first rap.,of tne sun. Dainty l'ragile-looking aauilegias nod down at them from tall, well-spaced flowering stems, while velvety-laced pans es nestle against them, findinc in these taller "rowing neighbours the shelter ana smtde is-most attraotivt The largo double flowers are such a rich true shade of scarlet; and arc bonio so gracefully on long, stiff stems, 'the plants arc most effective when erown in groups of from three to five, for then the flowers make such a vivid patch of colour The Argentine pea (lathyrus pubescens is |o, never-ending joy at this time, of the vear. The vines have covered then supports with a sott mat-like growth ot green, which is at Present profusely studded with quantities oi iragrau!, flecp-bnu. new v._. Blue flair irises provide a wealth of beautilnl cofou , Trifle the white ones provide the restful patches of white th.it are so indispensable in a garden of bril-liantlv-colourod' flowers. Arums look clean' and cool as they rise from their clustering fresh green leaves. For some weeks after the severe frosts they were the unhappicst looking, subjects of the garden, for their .persisted in their attempts to flower, in spite of to fact that they had lost the protective shelter of their foliage. Now however, clumps are provided with a, strong new growth of leaves, and the buds creep up Ind h de in their shade till they are ready to push up into the light as newly-opened perfect flowers. . . ... In sheltered nooks dainty, sprays of lily of the valley peep shyly from beneath their leaves. Their glorious scent always betrays them, hide as they will among their thick growth of leaves. Although uch deiicateJooking little subjects they are really very hardy, and -they aro grledy feeders. A little soot water or weak' liquid ma,nuro, following a good drink of clear water or a shower of ram, are alwayß acceptable to them. The antirrhinum garden is exceedingly cav just now. Already autumn : planted bushes are covered with tall - spikes of brilliantly coloured flowers. Here we find almost every shade of Dink, from the palest of pale pinks, to the deepest of rose pinks. Orange-scarlet and orangepink in varying shades, too, are to be found, some of tho flowerß being so Mil- ' liant in colour as to be almost scarlet. The antirrhinum border is onq of tlie driest in the garden, and here mignonette grows happily at. the edge, making sturdy heads of bloom that are a miracle of fragrance. Antirrhinums and mignonette are a happy combination, for both love the dry surtny position, while we cet brilliant colour from the one, and fragrance from tho other. On sunny days, bees of every description find it one of the most attractive parts of the garden.

VECETADLES. SCARLET RUNNERS. The ground for scarlet runnors should bo deeply dug, aud the subsoilwell treated with decayed manure. The . plains should be encouraged to root deeply, so that they .may withstand any amount of drought.- At the time of sowing the seed sprinkle a dressing of bonedust in .the drills. Have the seeds from six to eight inches apart in the drills, and about two inches deep. 'Dover with fine earth, pressing it firmly down with the back of the hand.' As soon as the seedlings are well up, sprinkle a little superphosphate along the row. Stakes must be driven m before sowing the seed. The plants will "want I little further attention with the exception of regular hoeing.

' WINTER GREENS. Sow this month whore necessary: Brussels sprouts, cabbages, savoys, broccoli, and cauliflowers. In small, gardens just a pinch of seed of every variety will be sufflcent. These crops do well if Pl£n tcd between the' rows of potatoes after they have been earthed up for the last time. As soon aB tho earthing up has been finished, dig, if possible, some well-rotted manure into the bottom of the trenches formed by the ridges. Broccoli,, cabbages, etc., like to root into soil containing wellrotted manure. Make tho soil firm, and plant out the seodlings, taking he .precaution of "puddling" each one into place. Where seedlings are not available seeds may be sown straight into the, prepared places," two or three seeds being sown where each plant is to grow. If all tie seeds germinate, surplus plants may be cut out, When the potatoes are lifted later on. the cabbages, cauliflowers, etc., will be far enough advanced to appreciate the earthing u.p they will receive during the potato-digging process. PUMPKINS, MARROWS, F/i'O. Seeds of pumpkins, marrows, pie-melons, and cucumbers may be sown in the places prepared for them. Where water is Bcarco during summer it is as well to sink a small drain pipe vertically here and there among tlie plants. When in position the tops of the' pipes should be an inch or two above the level of the soil. Tf water is poured down these pipes one can feel bblisv fled that it reaches the roots of the plants" where it is wanted, instead of running all over the surrounding ground, where it is wasted. Another adva-utage of the pipe svstem is that one can supply water to the roots of the plants without caking the surface soil.

ROUTINE WORK. Plant out now:-Tomato plaute, pumpkin*, marrow, pie-melon, and cucumber plants, cabbage, and cauliflower plants. Keep the soil free and open, mid plants will bo ahead nuic.kly. Keep silver beet well cut or it will go to seed. As soon as the plants have been pretty well striped of their leaves, a good watering, a little weak liquid manure, and frequent hoeing will soon them going a-jnin. Keep potatoes well earthed un. Keep neas and broad beans well staked. Tliin out carrots and nnrsnips aB soon as the plants can be handled. Keep the lioe at work whenever possible. Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about popular autumn flowers, routine work, and vegetables.