THE GARDEN.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 35, 7 February 1929, Page 7

THE GARDEN.

(Supplied by Hutt Valley Horticultural

Society's Special Committee).

Gardening is one of the fine arts, and by no means the least difficult.

The painter can create his effects at once, but the gardener has to consider, not what liis work is now, but what it will grow into, ten, twenty and fifty years hence. He has to take into account,, not the present aspect of Ms materials, but what are their capabilities in the future and their relative powers of development. If he has a background ready made to his mind he is, lucky, but if he has to make it, he has to do so with whi(eh are mostly far slower of growth than the more immediately effective plants which it is 4 their office to set off.

Background is the most important point in all gardening; if this is unfitting all the work is wasted. .

Colour^ form, light, shade, grouping— all have to be studied in the composition of one of those living pictures which the gardener creates.

It is strange how the value to be obtained by planting great masses of one flower is neglected. How often one sees, stowed away in some corner a single plant' of some flower which should be grpwn by the hundred. If expense has to be considered, it is better to have one effective group than fifty spots.

The art of grouping is to select plants whose flowers blend arid help to set off each other, at the same time introducing others which bloom earlier or later to get effect over as long a period as possible. Standard flowering trees, these bloom either before or after, help to lift up the effect as well as giving shade, which, in the case of some subjects^ is of great importance where groups have to be made in the full sun.

Herbaceous borders are fast going but of fashion but if one is desired, group the plants with suitable shrubs and grasses and let it form a pleasing picture. Avoid straight borders where you can.

Perennials look much better if grouped with shrubs on the lawn. The choice of sites is much more varied and the shrubs in many cases prevent the necessity of stakes.

Colour effects in the autumn are by no means dependent on flowers alone.. Picture a garden blazing with, the. rich autumn colourings of Rhus, Acers, Ldquidambar, Prunus and a host of others.

By a judicious grouping of coloured foliaged shrubs, carpeted with winter flowering heaths,, pansy, himalayar, calendula, etc., a garden can be made beautiful even in the dull winter months.

Every advantage should be taken of banks and such like places by making rock gardens. They are a source of endless interest and pleasure and will trans-r form an unsightly spot into a place of beauty. In planting gardens, things beautiful in themselves may be so misused as to produce quite a wrong effect, and this, one should always bear in mind in plant-ing—-for it is on the use, not tke .abuse, of plants that the garden depends. After all, Nature is the greatest gardener, and one can only endeavour to follow her methods. ?

Above all, plant thoroughly; have the site properly dug and manured before starting to put in the plants. See that plants are securely staked to prevent rocking in the wind. Plants often become loose at the stem after the ground settles, and if allowed to rock in the wind it is .impossible for the roots to do their duty in the soil. This is a point overlooked by many planters and one frequently sees failures which could have been avoided had this little point been attended to.