Work in the Garden
PLANNING ALTERATIONS My main object in the compilation of these notes is to help gardeners to grow and display their plants to finest effect, and to obtain the best from the soil in floral colour and edible crops. For many years I have always made time to stroll through the residential areas of towns which I happen 1 to visit. The standard of cultivation and maintenance in the average garden is high, and many groups and specimens compel the admiration of any professional gardener. Two points stand out. The first is the selection of . shrubs and small trees which form the background and “ frame ” the picture, as it were. Far too often do we see strong-rooting coarse shrubs without character and of little beauty when in flower. The second point which stands out is lack of planning and grouping to show plants to best advantage. Although plants have their individual likes and dislikes, they should be grouped with plants which require similar conditions. This arrangement should be carefully planned to make the most effective use of material, and the whole blended into a natural picture. Plan Well Ahead All enthusiastic''gardeners plan major or minor alterations with the object of improving their gardens. Whilst this is essentially a job to be carried out in winter, when most plants are dormant, it is much easier to plan and make preparations now. For instance, it would be a pity to plant bulbs or winter or spring flowering subjects, and later find them to be in the way of a new path or just where one intended to plant a new shrub. Now is the time to obtain manure or stack bottom. If obtainable, build it up into a square heap and water the material if very dry. Peat and natural rock for rock gardens are two materials which may be difficult to obtain later when the ground is wet. Diary to Rescue Only when existing plants are in foliage can a true picture be obtained, and it is much easier to estimate heights and the space available. Similarly colour schemes are easier to plan when the background is in leaf. This is where the diary or garden notebook
By J. W. Goodwin, N.D.H., N.Z., F.E.H.S., Massey Agricultural College
comes in handy. When many flowers have completed their growth and become dormant, can you remember their height and spread, or how effectively they were placed? Peg the spots for new plants now, and avoid mistakes. Estimate the height and breadth you will require your new plant to grow to, and with due consideration to soil and sun select a plant from those you have noted as desirable. Shape is important in giving character to a garden, for far too often do we see a cosmopolitan collection of shrubs planted at random with perhaps a fine columnear (upright-growing) evergreen surrounded by strong growing shrubs which almost hide the specimen and destroy its effective habit. Far better to bring this subject forward of tall neighbours and plant only low-growing annuals or dwaf shrubs at the base to emphasise its character. Pageant of Colourings By colour I do not mean the floral display alone, as that is usually quite good, but once the flowers have passed we quite often find a rather monotonous, unbroken green surface. The golden or silver variegated leaves will always lighten heavy green effects, and the evergreen ones are bright and refreshing in winter time. Notable in the latter class are the golden holly, golden and glaucus (blue grey), conifers, pittasporum eugeneides variegata, and for shade the variegated aueuba or ivies. Variegated and golden or silver trees and shrubs must not be planted en masse. Just one or two which appeal will be all that is required to make the greens effective. Purple-leaved subjects are always distinctive, particularly in the early spring. The purple beech is a large subject and makes a fine specimen. Of small garden size are the purple maples, berberis, thundbersin pupurea, rhus cotinus folius purpureus, and many others. Many trees and shrubs which are • light green in the spring are deciduous and take on brilliant autumn tints at leaf-fall. Deciduous subjects may look bare in the winter time, but some of them are among our showiest flowering plants, and others are very effective in autumn foliage. The bare branches of some trees lighten the skyline effect and others have coloured bark.
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Lake County Mail, Issue 43, 31 March 1948, Page 7
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736Work in the Garden Lake County Mail, Issue 43, 31 March 1948, Page 7
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