GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 191, 8 May 1920, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhal.") FLOWERING SHRUBS. Flowering shrubs arc already beginning to make tneir appearance in nurßerymen'B shop windows, and warn us that we must hurry on our preparations for planting. Among the lim to appear waa that lovely little pink heather, erica autuinnalis. Tiie" plantß are 111 small pots, and in lull flower, but they may bo safely transferred to the garden at this -time of tho year. Before transplanting- them water the plants well, so that t-ne ball wf soil ia thoroughly moist, and when transplanting ram the soil well .round thiß ball. Heathers are very Impatient of drought, and care should be taken to keep tn« roots cool and moist. The soil about them must, however, be well drained, 'Ihey will grow in almost any' soil, with the exception of one in which lime is present in any quantity. But preferably they Ike a sandy soil, rich in decayed vegetable matter, and if tlicy can have a cool clay subsoil, bo much tho better. During dry summer -weather it is necessary to provide a mulch of well-decayed vegetable matter. Indeed, if amateur gardeners would pay a little more attention to the roots of these lovely shrubs, there would lie fewer complaints about the difli culty of establishing tlicm. Erica autumnalis is one of the earliest to flower, and by having several varieties one may have ericas in flower tho whole year round. PLUMBAGO CAPENSIB. This is another flowering shrub that is being displayed in pots ready for transplanting. In our gardens established busheß are still bearing their beautiful pale blue flowers. The plant is quite hardy round about Wellington, and may be safely planted out in* tho borders, but where heavy frosts are experienced, some protection is necessary for the first year or two. Plumbago Is a semi-climber, but may also be grown as a bush. In most gardens the plants need rather severe pruning, for they make such rapid growth. Any well-prepared fertile soil is suitable lor plumbago capensis. , AOAOIA BAILEYANA. Acacia, Baileyana, known as the Cootamundra wattle, iB a flowering shrub or tree that is well worth growing. Tho silver-grey-green foliage is always attractive. but when, early in spring, the plant covers itself with masses of fragrant softlooking yellow flowers, it iB wonderfully beautjful. The fact that acacia Baileyana flowers so early adds much to its charm, for each tree provides a splash of dainty colouring in the otherwise somewhat dreary landscape. Any well-dug, welldrained soil is what the plants like, and, provided they have :v cool, moist root run, they should do well. LASIANDRA. Lasiandra is already in flower, and the noh velvety voilet-coloured flowers hayo brought suoh a, wonderful bit of colour into the garden that those who poutest a tree feel a glow of satisfaction, while those who do not feel that they must have a plant brightening their own winter gardens. Heavy frosts are apt to play havoc with lasiandra, but if tho plant is kept to a shrub and not allowed to grow into a tr-ic, it can easily be protects by throwing scrim over it on frosty nights. AURICULAS. Few early spring-Powering plants are more fragrant than the auricula. Of recent years great improvements havo been made both with regard to the size and the colour of the flowers, till now wo oan have large-flowered varieties in wonderful shades of heliotrope, cream, and yellow. Nurserymen have seedling plants ready now for planting out. Old plants that have grown too largo may still bo broken up and replanted. Auriculas grow best on the shady eido of a house, or under the shado of a do ciduous tree. In the latter position they get the sun during winter, and shade during summer, and that is what they like. Before planting auriculas mix with tho soil plenty of leaf mould, river sand, and well-rotted and well-brokeii'iip cow man* ure. Eacli year after the flowering is over, tho top inch of soil should be removed from around auriculas, and should be replaced with a mixture of loam, leafmould, sand, and broken-up cow manure This will give the plants a new rooting ground, and will help to build them up for ahe next season's flowering. ANNUALS FOR SPRING. Certain hardy annuals may be sown now, and tho plants will flower towards the end of the spring. Autumn-Bown annuals are often tho beßt, for tho little plant! have a long time in cool, damp earth before they begin to flower, and this gives them a chance to form strong rootß and develop into fine plants. Spring-sown ones have to contend against hot nor'-westcrß, and very often drought, with the result that they flower prematurely and tho flowering is soon over. .'The seeds may be sown in patches in the garden where they are to flower, ,r in seed pans for transplanting. Make tho soil very flna and mix with it some sand, and a little bonedust, and a sprinkling of ground liine. Most annuals appreciate tho presence of lime in the soil. It is a good plan to mark off part of the back garden wlierein to eow annuals that may be allowed to go to seed. Dig the ground very thoroughly, and prepare it in the same way as in tho beds. Then take a stick and mark it off into irregular patches. Fill in each patch with seeds of different annuals. When the seedlings are far enough advanced, thin them out, and grow them as carefully as the ones in tile garden. This out-of-the-way plot will provido a flnti supply of cut flowers, and certain of the plants may bo left to go to seed. In this way a constant supply of Eecdlings will be ready whenever they are wanted for filling in bare spaces in the beds. The following annuals may be Bown now:—Annual gypsophila. candytuft, larkspur, godetia, clorkia. mignonette, sweet scabious, poppy (Shirley and Iceland), nemeßia, stock, ageratum, phlox drummondii, linaria, and sweet sultan. 'VEGETABLES. BROAD BEANS.. Broad beans will be engaging our attention during tho next few weeks. A small sowing, say one row, may be made every few weeks. Broad beans like a deeplydug soil, and a certain amount of lime and potash is necessary to their we'l being. A good dressing of lime should be mixed with the soil "before Bowing tho seed; wood or rubbish fire ashes can bo used as a top-dressing, and will be hoed, into tho soil as timo goeß on. Staking should be attended to early. A row of broad beans well staked makes a good protection for other vegetables growing in the garden. ASHES. ABhes obtained from burning weeds, cabbage leaves and stumps, rose prunings, etc., contain a. large percentago of potaßh. Potasli is essential to the successful growth of potatoes, carrots, parnnips. and onions, therefore all weeds, hedge clippings, etc., that are not suitable for rotting down in the refuse heap, should be turned into' ashes by burning, and the ashes stored in a dry place till they are wanted, ONIONS. A small sowing of keeping onions may bo made now. Very often one runß out of keeping onious by the end of tho spring, and a small sowing mndc now will provide n supply that will come in by the summer, and last till the next maincrop is ready for use. Should seedlings or plants need watering during the winter months it should be done during tho morning, and tepid wat»r used. TOMATOES. - As soon as all the tomatoes arc gathered the ground should nt once be prepared for the next crop. If the same pieco of ground ia to bo üßed for tomatoes again it should now be deeply dug, and a sowing made of some crop to bo dug in for green manure later on, The best crop for this purpose is peas. Sow them broadcast, and rather thickly. The ground should bo well sprinkled with superphosphate before sowing the peas. These may then bo left to themselves till the groim4 is wanted for the new tomato plants, When they should be turned deeply in. Garden Notes next week will contain sea. nonable notes about:—Delphiniums, routine work, and vegetables.