GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 223, 14 June 1919, Page 14

GARDEN NOTES

Uly "Kowhai.")

OHKIS'IIIAS KOSES. Tho Christmas lioso (llellcbonis niger) is ono of our most reliable winter flowering subjects. "Yet how many ownere of small gardens grow this most useful and extremely hardy plant? Four well-grown plants—two whito and two pink—will provide a constant supply of cut flowers for tho house at a time when flowers are scarce and expensive to buy. Already tho green bude so like two folded leaves are pushing their way up amongst the dense cluster Of sheltering leaves.. They conio so stealthily, these beautiful flowers. There is nothing to betray their advent ae is tho case with so many other flowere. The violet, no matter >how shyly it hides beneath the leaves, betrays its presence by its awect and penetrating perfume. But .tho Christinas roeo has so faint a perfume, and the bud has so much tho appearance of leaves, that there Is nothing to betray it till it rises abovo its leaves and suddenly opens out, a perfect flower. Greenish at first, but pure wb/'c* ae it expands, it is a flower of chaete but exquisite beauty. Tho Chrißtmas rose is one of the easiest of plants to cultivate. It should bo planted in the shadiest part of the garden, where hardly a glenm of winter sun can reach it. The ground should to rich, dcoply dug. and well drained. Once planted Christmas roses should be left undisturbed, as they hate to have their roots interfered with. Even forking round the plants ie objectionable to them. Keep the plants well weeded, and just loosen the surface soil round them by lightly pricking with the Ijf.ttn hand-fork. As soon as tho flowering is over and the leaves begin to die down, coyer tho plante with a mulch made by a mixture of well-rotted manure and decayed leaf-inould. Mix the two ingredients together, and crumble the mixture up with the hands before spreading it over the plants. Do not attemnt ai any time to fork this in round the plants. In tho following autumn the new leaves will push their way up through the mulch. Plants may be planted at. any time during tho winter and early in tho Bpring. DIANTHUB.

Thie is a flower that does well in a dry earden, provided the soil has been well prepared before the plants are -put cut. Diantlnieeß are among'the most ohacmine of'flowers for cutting, for the colours are rich and varied, the habit of the flowers is graceful, and the scent sweet. A bowl of mixed dianthuses is a beautiful sight. Provided tho dead flowers are cut off, and no seeds allowed to form, the plants will flower over a lonp period. They will last, too. for several years if they arc cut hack each year and given a good top-dresßing. The colours of the flowere are scarlet, dark crimson, rose,'purple, f&lmon, orangescarlet, white, and even yellow. Komo are selfs: others are fringed with white, and the flowers are double or single. All are beautifully fringed. ■ Seeds may bo eowii now in pani thrce-partn filled with a mixture of soil, sand, and leaf-mould. The seedlings should be planted out in soil that has been deeply dug and enriched with well-rotted manure. If manure is not procurable, dig in decayed vegetable rubbish. A little sand and a slight" dressing of lime may be added to the surface soil. Giye the plants plenty of room, and , they will soon branch out into spreading ' bushes. Keep the soil well loosened rouii'l tho plants at all times. Aft»r they have ksn out back at tho end of tho season, top-dress the' soil round the plants with a mixture of well-rotted manure or garden rubbish and wood' ashes. The plants will soon put forth new roots into this mixture, n.nd, as a result, they will be strong and vigorous for tho ensuing season. ..•

TREES ' AND SnitUHS WITH OBifAMENTAL FRUITS. During the winter months wo depend lareely upon the beautiful and briurhtly coloured berries of many trees and sffrubs for decorating our gardens and rooms. The brilliant scarlet berries of the,holi" are a most welcome sight during tho dull davs of winter. In the garden, trees and hedges become literally ablaze with colour, so generous, ae a rule, is the load of fruit. For house decoration, too. holly is delightful. So thickly do tho berries crowd up the stem that one can generally pick ouite long branches which are thickly and effectively arranged in large bowls or tall vases.

For tablo decoration, nothing is more charming than the bunches of email coralrod berries of -viburnum sieboldii csncclalh, if most of the leaves are removed with a pair of scissors. In the garden the shrubs nre most useful, for tho foliage is always attractive, and the shrubs are suited to enroll as well aa large gardens. Solarium hybrida keeps un a constant supply of red berries throughout the autumn and winter. The plante are -well ndapted to quite small gardens, and the berries, which are as large as the wild cherries that they so much resemble, are particularly attractive, both for garden and house' decoration. Among tiill-growlng trees, Bpiithamia fragifera Iβ charming. During the whole of the winter it is covered with light red berries which aro as large as a strawberry. Other ornamental berrybearing treos are the Mountain ash, Arbutus unedo (the Irish strawberry treej, Euoiiyinus Europaeus, hollies, and Crataegus in varieties. All of these are suitable for growing as specimen trees on a. lawn, or for tho back of a shrubbery. Cotoiieastcr microphalli is ii smallleaved dwarf-growing shrub, which bears bright ved berries in winter. It ie splendid for growing against a wall, and so Is well adapted for small gardens where space is a consideration. Another cotoneaster that is well worth growisg is '.!. frigata. The plants are literally covered with red berries all through the. autumn and winter, and sprays quite three feet, long can be cut for decorative work. The Siberian crab (Pyrus baccatn), and the common crab (Pyrus malus) both bear attractive-looking fruit. The crabs are also very pretty in the spring, when the treeu are covered with blossom. They "may he grown in ouite small gardens. Berberis Thumbergii is a dwarf spread-* ing Japanese shrub. The foliage is richly coloured during autumn, and throughout the winter tho bushes bear bright scarlet berries. The pepiXT tree (Schinus molle) gives yet another delightful colour among berries, for the trees are covered during winter with long racemes of coral pink berries.

VEGETABLES.

LETTUOES. A pinch of lettuce seed may bo sown in a seed pan at any time if there is likely to he a ehortage of this most useful salad. Place the pan in a. warm corner, and if asheet of glass can be placed over it, the seedlings will very soon appear. Aβ soon as they are well up, remove the glass during the sunny part of the day, replacing it again at night, or during cold, wet weather. In this way the seedlings are encouraged to grow quickly, and oiro hardened oft , gradually. Where sparrows aro troublesome it will be necessary, when transplanting the seedlings, to stretch threads of black cotton over them. KOUTINE WOHK. Make another small sowing, where necessary, of peas (dwarf variety) and broad be*>ns. ' Plant out-seedling cabbage, cauliflower, Ictiuci), and silver beet. Plant new stools of rhubarb in welldug well-enriched eoil. Strawberry plants may still be planted in well-dug, well-drained soil. Procure seed DOtatocs of an early variety, and set them up in shallow boxes to sprout. Plant shallots in well-dug, rich soil. Do not cover the sets vjlth earth, but simply push them well into the Boil. Prepare the bed for the spring sowing of onions at the earliest opportunity. Plant out roots of mint, sage, and thyme. Bend a leaf over broccoli and cauliflowers that are maturing to protect tho flowers from frost, etc. Attend to the staking of peas and broad beans. ' , Hop on snrrny inornines whenever the soil in in n. suitable condition, Garden Notes next week \vill contain seasonable notes about Marguerite carnations, routine work, and vegetables.