GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 281, 23 August 1919, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.") YUCCAS. Yuccas arc very st.Uely pla-nts, and are well udap.od for clou lug in our climate. Tliey .in lor planting on bare and e:ipot:i ,i hillside*, arid also 011 lawns op in sliriiuuerics, but tliuy are not suitable [or small garden bods, 'l'he plan 13 very shuwy when they are in flower, and tni'.v give to ihe landscape, at all tildes, .1 fuh-tronical eiteet. Tliey aro easily pro]iJs«).cu by tho removal of rooti'il suckurs, or young growths, from the parent plant. These may be planted immediately in prepared positions. To ensure go id llowcrinj the plants miißt be given a sunny position, itnd should, if possible, be in a shjrhtly raised one. Tho soil must be well drained. A fairly liffht soil, to which somo we'il-rottwi manure Ims been added, is most suitable for yuccas, especially where the roots can go down into ,i gr.ivrlly subsoil. Where tho subsoil is of clay, it should be well broken up, and should have some coarse cinders and sand mixed with it. PFiBENNIALS. Every advantage should lio talten of the soil being in good condition to push on ■willi the work among perennials. Old clumps that need breaking up may still lie attended to. Lift tho old clump, and plant back Btrong youn.fr pieces from tho outside of it. Before plantins back tho young pieces, examine the roots, and cut olf, with a sharp knife, nny that aro bruised. Where big clumps havo been lifted, work into the soil mme well-de-cayed vegetable rubbish, and a dressing of boncdust. The ordinary amateur gardener who has not mveh time for irarrtcninijr, but who withes to have his garden cay at all times, should make good nso of perennials. With tho heip, also, of roses, flowering shrubs, and a few annuals, liis garden should be attractive all the year round. Tho following popular perennials may be planted now for summer flowering:— Al'jtraomeria,—Tiiis is ft most useful plant, both for gimlet! and house decoration. Tlie plant? have fleshy roots and are sometimes a. little difficult to establish. They require si well-drained, porous soil, and', as it iB advisable to plant the roots about nine inches deep, thorough breaking up of the subsoil is necessary. Once established, .they prefer to be leit undisturbed for a number of years. Good mulohinjr and sullieierit water during the slimmer months are much appreciated lithe plants, and make all tlie difference to the size of the flowers and the length of tho stems. Tho (lowers are splendid for cutting, lor besides beiwr most attractive, they last for a long time in water, and aro easily arranged. Antirrhinums.—Antiii'iunums are most easily grown perennials, and llower for the ([renter part of the year. l'\>r growing in hot, dry districts they arc splendid. The soil should be deeply due anil fairly rich. A dressing of bouedm-t may be added as the Becolinga are put into the ground, riccdlingn may be put out early in the spring for summer flowering, or seeds mav be sown now to provide plants I hat will flower in the autumn. Calceolaria.—These plants are too well known to »ee« ileH'iipt.on. Any deeplyworked soil suits Lhom, and vjiter dliould be supplied during uie summer momus. Campanula. i J ynimidalis. this is n noble plant for growing at the back of a border 'Plus soil should be deeply dug and fairly rich. Stoking is of llu ' ulmost importance, for the nower suilks grow to n height bf two or tlircefeet. the plants flower towards the end of the summer ami well into tho auuiinu. Carnations—Carnations like an open situation, and a, light, well-drained soil, ilwivy soils should be trenched and lipiitened by thn addition ol sand, rond Ei'it. and powdered mortar. Cannae.—Can nas are handcome border plants, anil lire quite hardy, m liio.t parts ol Mew Zealand. At one time tliey were urown mostly for their, folir-sre, but now 1 we "row tlimn for their ncnly-colourod, I «lorhms flower:. VluntH of mimed vaneties may bo bought, or seeds may bo po\ra in sprim:. 'I'hv ecudH jshuuld be Hoaucd ill hot water for several hours before being sown. The soil for canniM sliom.i be deeply worked, and moderately rich. During: the crowing reason water .-•nouid be supplied regularly, and mulching attended to. . DnisiPf.—Anv well-worked sou builr tiicsu most attractive and useful plant,a. 'two splendid varieties are Mrs. uowthitui Hell and Mrs. Sanders, ihe latter I has large double wbitc blooms y/hieli are i Bplcndid for outline. Other good varieties

are: Lady Hume Campbell, white; Kinp Edward VII, white; Etoiie d'Or, jKile yellow; Whito Pearl, double white. Coreopsis Grandillora.—This is one of the nioßt, showy of our summer (lowers. The lovely golden yelliw blooms are liorne on I 0111; si iff stems in the greatest profusion throuEhout the season. The eult ivation of Mu! plants is of Iho simplest-deeply-worked soil and a- sunny position. A dressing of bonedust may be worked into the toil at planting lime. Provided that Reed pods are removed, the plants llowrf over a very loiur jca-snn.. Plants may he put in early in Iho sprinj. Dahlias.—Single and collaretto dahlias grow splendidly from seed. If it is sown now in a. eold frame or cool greenhouse tho plants will flower all throush the BUinmcr and • autuinu. Tlio nowera n.rti splendid for cutting, and are ohowy in tho ptnrdcn. The soil Bhould Ik; rich, deoply-worked. and loose. An abundunce of water and t"iod uiulche? should bo [riven all through the erowins season. Dormant' tubers may bo started into growth now in centle heat. Delphiniums.—i'hese require well-dug, well-manured soil. If animal manure con bo hod. difr in a rood supply befom planting out tho secdlinps. Where animal manure ifl not obtainable diy in som-3 well-decayed vegetable matter and a dress ins of bonedust. Delphiniums are mo3t valuable both for E arden decoration and as cut flowers, for thoy flower early in the summer and auain in the a.utnmn when (lo;wers in the herbaceous border aro particularly scarce. VEGETABLES. EA&LY POTATOES. A Jew rows 01 eu.ny potatoes may Do planted at auy time iio\v. Open out shallow trenches uiree teet apart. Do tnta, 11 noasioie, iu the mormnK 011 a surniy airy. !( you have soaio tuorougbly decayed aiid "woU sweetened mauiire, spread 11 thin iltyer in the uottom ot tnu wenches, »u.u leitvo 1110 trenches open all day. tly the afternoon tho sun will have wanned the ixuitta of the trenches, ajid also tlio Goil uuit is to 00 'put uac|i 'on top 01 tnti potato sets. Wiiore thoioushly decayed animal manure oannol be na<i, try to get some £Ood stuff irom » compost neaii, or some well-decayed and well-sweetened vegetable rubblßh lor tho bottom t-f tuo trenches. Add aleo the followms misturo of artificial manures -duperphosphate and suljihato of potasn fl.t the raty of two to one. Work this mixture Into the bottom of the trenohes at tho rate of loa. u. the running yard. Potivtoos oa-n do with plenty of potaah and wood ashes, or rubbish lire ashes, whfch contain a large jh!Toent»Qfio of potush, Bliotild. be tiddftd. freely to th.o aoii where they are to bt> crown, If the potato ««t-a su-e uooui tne size of a good lien's egg. they should bo planted "whole. If very larne, they must be out. Leavo only two Btroitff sprouts on eaoh eet, and cuJy potatoes, ti tho ficlfl Jire 'planted duriiig the afternoon in sun-warmed trenemw, and are covered with siin*warmed they aa'o jfiven n» really ffood start, and Bt-roujr growth soon commences. Seeds that may be aowii this week, waere necemry, are:- . . Jiadish.—French breakfast is tho iiest. Row broadoa«t in rich .Arm ground, and iu a warm, sunny poeition. Short Horn Carrot-bow thinly in frills 12 incheß apart. Turnip—iifl-riy Snowball or !bar]y Hhite Btono: Sow in pfround that was richly manured for a pruvious crop of greens, or iu irround liiat was jnanured eaily in tho autumn. -Make the irround very firm. Sow thinly in drills 12 inches apart. I'eas—Sow in drills from two to three feet apart. Ground should bo trenched and manured, and sliouW have wood fishes mixed with it. Dust bonedust 111 tho drills at the time of somnif. boak peafl in warm water for a few houi'H beSow in Rrouud that was well manured for a, previous crop, work the soil to a lino tilth for a depth of .it- least eighteen inches, for an., lumps may causo deformed and worthless roots. V <>rk into the soil ashes from a rubbish fire, and bonodust (ta. to square yard). Onions—Make the soil very linn 19 treading on it before sowiuß. Do this only when the soil in dry.. Blazon tho eoil with soot several times before sowing. Sow the seed in drills IU inches a-part. Garden Notes next, -week will «ntain seasonable notes about piantiue out uweu peas, mesembrynntheuuims, and veget ables. ____________