GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 166, 9 April 1921, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

(By

“Kowhai.”)

HARDY ANNUALS FOB PRESENT SOWING.

Luvateras make a brilliant show in the summer garden. As the plants grow fairly tall and bush out in a delightful manner, an ideal place for them is at the back of the herbaceous border or among low-growing shrubs. They love to grow, too, in a semi-wild state in a damp part of the grounds. As soon as flowering time arrives every plant becomes simply covered, with masses of beautiful silkenpetalled, clear pink flowers. The cultivation of the plants is simple in the extreme. They seem able to adapt themselves to almost any soil, but will of course give the best results on well-pre-pared, rather rich soil. As there is often some difficulty in transplanting the seedlings, it is advisable to sow the seeds where the plants are intended to grow. As the seeds are large, there is no excuse for sowing them too thickly. As soon as the seedlings are up they should be thinned out to about a foot apart each way. In common with many flowering plants, lavateras are particularly showy when thp plants are massed. Among Varieties Sutton’s Loveliness is perhaps tho most beautiful, for the colour of the lovely rose-pink flowers is intensified by the bronzy tint of the leaves and stems. Another good variety is Itosea Splendens. Shirley Poppies.—A few groups of wellgrown Shirley poppies make the garden very gay when they are in flower, and the beautiful dainty flowers are splendid for bringing into the house. It the flowers are cut just before they open out, and if the ends of their stems are burnt in the flame of a candle, they will last well in water. Seeds of both single and double Shirley poppies may be sown now. The plants are quite hardy, and do not mind frost in the least. By sowing the seed now, one gets large spreading plants, and if half a dozen are planted to a group, the effect, at flowering time, will be gorgeous. Double Shirley poppies are exquisite, reminding one of very large ranunculuses, and the colours vary from pure white, through all the shades of pink and salmon to the brightest scarlet. Poppies like a well-drained sandy soil, and, to attain their full beauty, a soil that has been well enriched with decayed manure. Where manure cannot be had, dig in plenty of well-decayed vegetable rubbish, and just before sowing the seed prick in bonedust at the rate of 4oz. to the square yard. As a rule poppies are sown where they are to grow, afterwards being thinned out to one foot apart each way. Double Shirley poppies may be transplanted. Poppies like a sunny posltl phlox Drumihondii—Sow seeds of phlox where the plants are to remain. The seeds that are sown now will develop into plants that will flower in the spring; therefore a part of your garden that gets plenty of winter sun is most suitable for them. Mix some sand or road, grit with the soil, and lightly fork in a sprinkling of bonedust just before sowing the seed. Tho seed should be sown as thinly as possible. As soon as the seed* lings, are big enough to handle, thin them out till those remaining are about three or four inches apart each way. Then nip out their tops to encourage bushy growth. Those seedlings that were pulled out may be transplanted to another part of the garden. They will be a week or two later in flowering. Larkspurs.—Larkspurs are among the finest of our annual plants, and are splendid for mussing. Their rich colour, their height, their branching and light graceful habit make them - deadly popular. From autumn sown seed it Is nos»ible to get plants nearly six feet Fn height, and such strong side branches are thrown out that tho plants in the group become well interlaced and very Uttle P staking is necessary The. colours of larkspurs are generaly different shadesj of nink, rose, light blue, royal blue, and ourule Rosy-scarlet larkspur is very atKe.Larkspurs like rich generous treatment, and repay one well by a wealth of long-stemmed flowers when tney g Nemesia.-Nemesia is a delightful annual that has come to us from South Af rica The flowers -gre very beautiful, ana useful for cutting, and varied. The plants are a little particular as"o soil, but nearly every gardener can so treat his soil as to satisfy tiieir re niiiroments The plants object to a cold TampX and they equally objeet to a very light dry one. Apparently. JiKe so many of the South African plants they like y sun. warmth, and welldrained soil, but'sufficient root moisture. Cold, damn soils should be deeply dug and trenched, and should have well-decayed hone manure and coarse sand added to inem A very light soil, on the other hand, S d re it* He six inches apart each way. SchFnzanthus.-If seeds . are eown: now in a well-drained sunny position, not _t oo exnosed to frost, the plants will grow into large spreading bushes which will, late in the spring, be a mass cf damty brirht-colourcd flowers. As out nowerthdy are delightful, for they last a long sms able rubbish, and some sharp sand. A little bonedust may be pricked into the surface of the soil. Make the soil firm *M«V^e%a h rnations.-Marguerite carnation* are easily raised from seed arid if crown on without check will flower during the summer and yield quantities of delightful flowers for cutting. plallt out every seedling and aliow it to flower for very often the most backward ones have the. best flowers. 4; sandy soil with a little c °''' ]| ma T u Cavy into it suits carnations well. A nenvy elav soil should be lightened with horse manure and sand. carnations form nice compact bushy plants. rule the nlants "break" naturally, but should they fail to do so the: topg should be nipped off as soon as they are tnree or four inches high. , . . .. Double Pink Godetia.-Thifli is one of the most charming of our a " nua 1 1 „ s 1 ’ i _ h ? ful large double flowers are a delightful nhade of pink, and are well spaced on stems. If. the plants are pinched in the seedling stage, they grow into quite large bushes, antl ma there fs re room they’ h should & Mown in groups? the Plants being six or eight inches apart each aS ir bowls. Any well-dug garden soil is suitas. wm. sffsS&i... some bonedust. — . ■ T think Lavender Gem Godetia.-Thia is. 1 ttiwK, the most beautiful of all The large, pure lavender, single are well spaced up long sterna and as the plants, when seedling stage branch freely’ main stem, they nave » ~ nrf i pn light and dainty effect in F . . Seeds may he sown now. and the plan 8 should receive the same treatment double pink godetias. SOWING SEEDS IN THE OPEN.

1 Have the ground deeply dug;, made fine arid made firm again. 2.' Work in lime several weeks befor in bonedust (if the seeds are sown where the plants are to grow) ju before sowing the seed. se ,_ < If the ground 18 . dl 'y 'I nt a e „ r pd lt eral hours before sowing the seed. 5 Sow seeds very thinly. 6; Just cover with fine soil rubbed gentlv through the hands. _ . 1. Shade b from direct sun s rays till the Bt B. dl Thtn a out U as soon as seedlings can be handled. VEGETABLES. Lift onions that are ready and store them in a cool dry place. Bend over the thick-ncckcd ones to help the bulbs to swell. Lift potatoes that are still in the ground. , Beetroot and carrots may. be lifted and stored in dry sand; parsnips are better left in the ground and dug when reTake advantage of any plots being vacant to trench and manure them in readiness for a future crop. ‘ . The following seeds may be sown where necessary:—Carrots, onions, turnips, broad beans, silver beet, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflowers, and winter spinnach. The sou should be made very firm before onions and turnips are sown.

Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about the for humus, routine work, and vegetables.