THE GARDEN.

Shannon News, 26 August 1924, Page 4

THE GARDEN.

liOTk to THE AMATEUR. With the advent of a few weeks of warm, spi tag-iiiio days the gardenexs extra bu_y umo will be here, when empty flower Jooai'dei’s and beds will need refilling’ with plants according to individual fancies and tastes. Early plants of larkspur, godetia, poppies, nemesia, eschscholtzias, candytuft, and Virginian stock, if planted out now can be replaced when theii' flowering period is over was asters or cosmeas.

Annuals, such as phlox drummondi, bedding petunias, zinnias, marigolds, dimorphotheca, nastui’tiums, and lobelia have all a much longer flowering period. If the ground is still too wet to permit of .much planting, fill in the waiting time with cleaning garden paths, trimming hedges, pruning roses and other trees, and top-dressing lawns. There will be endless other things to occupy the time later on. The amateur will still find it too early to sow small seeds, unless favoured with a sun-shiny verandah that could be utilised for the purpose.

Cuttings may be taken from antirrhinums now. They are quite easily grown, and a bed of any particular colour can be arranged for in t-his manner quite successfully. These hardy flowers thrive in any soil, and arc great favourites, many beautiful new shades having been introduced recently. The Old-Fashioned Garden. The old-fashioned garden still has a charm all its own, where a little of everything finds a place. Spring is hero and is calling the sleeping flowers in the old-fashioned borders. The violets are the first; to answer the call, closely -followed by thc primroses. Then the sfiowdrops shake-th-cir w r hit e bells, and the golden daffodils answer. The hyacinth, too, comes forth, and latex’ the tulips vio with one another in brilliance. Theie will be an abundance of roses, sweet briar, too, and moss, roses. Pansies will lift tlieir bright faces from bpi'ders of sweeti alyssum, . dusty miliar, marvel of Peru, coleus, forget-me-not, and mignonette. Iris, bluebells, and ribbon grasses will nod ,in the soft breezes. Peonies, red, white, and pink„ will sway gracefully above theii' rich green leaves. A little later, the golden lilies, amaryllis, tuberoses, and other sweet-smelling things, hollyhocks, foxgloves, sweet peas, gladio-

lus, ladyslippers,- and gay poppies, will make the garden a riot of beauty. Then, still later, nasturtiums, climbing the fence to peep at the road, dainty cosmos, sturdy zinnias, asters, white pink, lavender, and red, followed by everlasting flowers, dahlias, chrysanthemums, and autumn foliage, laying a new beauty over the garden. In the backgi-ound will be found sycamore trees, walnuts, and chestnuts, pear trees of huge dimensions, "'apples and plum trees shedding ovei all tihe warmth and welcome of home; which is th c corner-stone of the nation. With this picture of the garden in your minds, commence operations now. Don’t wait until your neighbour’s garden is full of flowers. Regrets for the wasted time are useless. For the work that is put in now full , recompense will be given throughout the year. Colour Schemes. If you want a border full of colouring, prepare a long-shaped bed. In the centre plant a row of the beautiful scarlet salvia, theij on either side plant amaranthus, a handsome foliage ’ plant of tropical appearance, and border the whole with bright-coloured plilox drummondi. A change can be had equally as effective by using the glorious dark-leaved varieties' of cannas for the centime row. Your bed, which should be - from five to six feetwide, will be an attractive and striking mass of colour for months. Seeds or plants of these may be ordered now to avoid disappointment later on, , when stocks may be run out. Hedge Plants. Some readers may be thinking of planting a hedge to divide some portion of the garden. It is rather remarkable when you look around and note the sameness of each garden. Why not strike a note of originality in yours. With the endless varieties offei-ing, it is astonishing how little we make use of them. A hedge that is needed to divide a garden should not be planted with varieties that take up too much room. The small-leaved variety of prunus, with its beautiful warm colouring, would be ideal with alternate roots of a bright-coloured species of japonica. Train and prune, and in a few years your hedge will be an object of beauty. The japonica would make it gay with colour in the early spring, closely followed by the opening dark leaves.of the prunus. Trees rnay be obtained from anyi nursury.

Another pretty hedge could be made with what is commonly known as flowering currant, mixed with hardy