FLOWER GARDEN

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 10 May 1917, Page 3

FLOWER GARDEN

Any alterations that are required ought to be completed by the end of this month, such as manuring and trenching, fciming new lawns, and renovating old by top dressing with a good rich compost, "swept and raked well into the ground, and by sowing a little fresh seed. With the exception of the crysanthemuins, salvia splendens, bouvardias, and a few other late blooming plants, there will bo little in flower, Lift dahlia roots as they ripen, and lay out to dry, previous to storing away for winter. Plant out te crop of bulbs for spring flowering, 'viz., iris, ixia, hyacinth, narcissus," sparaxis, tulips, etc. Anemones and ranunculi pre" pare beds for same. The best soil for these is one which has been well manured the previous spring, adding a sprinkling of basic slag, as fresh manure placed in the beds'or bordeis is apt to generate a little white insect, which is very injurious to the tubers. They succeed, best m a somewhat moist and cool situation. Fork, manure and dig all flower beds anc borders j remove all decayed flower stems, and maintain everywhere the most perfect neatness, Ginerarts can be planted with effect, and numbers of them can be used in masses, but only in snch positions as are not subjected to much frost. Cut back and trim all herbaceous and' soft-wooded plants, divide those that are over-grown, regulate and replant.