Repairing winter's damage

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 561, 8 November 1994, Page 11

Repairing winter's damage

By

Bea

Barnes

After the long wet winter what ajoy to feel the warmth of the sun again. It has even inspired me to put pen to paper. The wet winter certainly created havoc in our gardens and after a frantic spell of weeding and generally tidying up we now have large spaces where never were spaces before. A lot of the nutrients have been leached from the soil by the persistent heavy rains and the whole garden will benefit from a dressing of fertiliser or manure before any further planting takes place. The spring bulbs took a beating from the strong winds and heavy rains just as they were about to flower and the narcissi family seems to have suffered the most. People have told me that so many of the daffodils have come up blind and there have been less flowers than usual. This could be because the parent bulbs have rotted away in the ground which was so constantly wet, but some of the little side bulbs may have survi ved to put out their first green leaves. This being so they will flower in their turn as they become more mature. There is an advantage in planting bulbs in tubs or planters as, if conditions are too severe, these can easily be moved to shelter. The tulips have fared better as they flower later and are putting on a good show at the moment. I planted a large tub with two different varieties of tulips. 'Maureen' which is a soft cream with a green centre and a new variety call 'Pink Diamond' which is the softest pink I have ever seen in a tulip. I set the tub at the base of the flowering crab apple Malus 'Ballerina' and both have flowered at the same time. The deep rose of 'Ballerina' complements the delicate colour of the tulips and together they are quite striking. All the flowering trees seemed to have excelled themselves this year, no

doubt appreciating the overadequate water supply. The magnolias were a wonderful sight until all the blooms were blackened by the stiff frost a few weeks ago. Pruned back to the first undamaged leaf shoot, they will send up fresh growth to flower next year. Some of the stronger growing camellias have put on a wonderful display this spring, the flowers being very abundant, larger than usual and of much deeper colour, no doubt benefiting from all the rain in the early part of the summer last year. Unlike most flowering shrubs camellias flower in their dormant period setting the buds in the summer months to flower the following spring. Deprived of water during the summer months they will not set flower buds so, if we do get a long hot summer as promised, make sure the camellias are well watered. Some varieties, particularly the whites, have suffered badly from the harsh conditions. Two of mine have failed to flower at all and the foliage is yellow and unhealthy looking. A dressing of flowers of sulphur or epsom salts around the dripline will soon improve the colour of the foliage and some sunshine will soon have them looking green and healthy again. One of the small flowering crab apples malus 'snowbright' growing only to six feet which we planted last spring is this year smothered in dainty white flowers on long pendulous branches. She looks wonderful at night and would

be a perfect specimen for a white garden. When the flowering period has finished tiny little crab apples no bigger than a cherry line the branches. Hopefully the sunny weather will continue and we can go to town planting masses of summer annuals and perennials to give a glorious display of colour until autumn. This will surely lift the spirits having been so starved of colour for such a long time but please take care to buy only strong plants which have hardened off to outside conditions if they are to give the best results in our somewhat variable climate. The plants you buy at this stage of the year should be sturdy and compact with rich green foliage. Avoid plants which are tall and spindly with pale unhealthy looking leaf growth as they will stay that way for a good part of the summer. For tubs and planters try petunia 'blue ice' with lobelia 'rose queen' or petunia 'falcon white' with . 'strawberryparfait',smashing. For those hanging baskets try petunia 'cascade' with dianthus 'pink parfait' , dianthus 'strawberry parfait' and lobelia 'cascade' or 'crystal palace'. If you have snapdragon wintered o ver from last year cut them back quite firmly to about four inches from the root base. All chrysanthemums should be cut back to about the same level. Trim the chrysanthemums again just before Christmas and then leave them to set their flowers for the autumn. Go to it. Have fun!