GARDEN NOTES.

Shannon News, 17 March 1925, Page 4

GARDEN NOTES.

Take advantage of autumn showers, and make sowings of early bor eal- j rot, cabbage, cauliflower,, spinach, lettuce,, turnip, and parsnip. Earth ; up celery and leeks aJnd plant strawberry beds. Lift onions as they ripen off and store, also burn all refuse, not fit for the compost heap, and. apply the ashes as a top dressing to the soil. Colour In The Garden. One of the chief attractions of the March garden is the dahlias. Handsome blooms of sunset, autumn tints, and king of autumn (paeony types) are .to be seen with their glorious colouring. Group of cactus dahlias, varieties such ■as kingfisher, pierrot, pearl, champion beaufort-beauty, ana yoeman making a lovely display, with clumps of dainty singles and collarettes. The large decorative types with stiff upright stems are very suitable for the background,, adding an air "

aiStinULlOU. perennial tree phlox are at tneir best, dazzling the eye with their vryM colouring. Delphiniums are adding soft tones of blue to the borders, with noble spikes of lilium auratum m the background. Beds of annuals freshered by recent showers, have acquired an added brilliance, while handsome stately, sunflowers are to be see's in the old well known yellow variety, and the more attractive bi-colour species. The latter provide numerous dark and red and brown bronzy tinted blooms. Hawthorn ok quick hedges are bright with beautiful red berries, while those of berberis aquifolium are a picture with glossy green foliage and lovely berries of a bluish colour with the'“bloom” the colour of wild grapes clinging to them. It may not be generally known that these Continue sowings of hardy annuals, and perennials,, also sweet pea®. Plant hemerocallis or day lily, hyacinths, germania, or bearded flag irises, morphixia paniculata, a dwarf ixia like plant with soft red tubular flowers, iachenalia >(cape cowslips) dwarf spring flowering bulbs • with long, spikes of tubular bells. . Plant clumps of lily of the valley (convallaria majalis) in partial shade, divide primroses where necessary and violets. Disbud dahlias if large blooms are wanted. In The Vegetable Garden, berries have a practical use, if gather, ed and made into jelly. The result is a delicious jelly somewhat tart, but of very fine flavour. The berries of berberis irepens may be used in the same way, but its variety is not so generally known here, its habit of growth is decidedly straggly, growing close to the ground. Interesting comparisons are often made among gardeners,, as to the most suitable method of laying out gardens. But in all cases much attention should be paid in endeavouring to make the grounds harmonize with the house, both regarding position and the views to be obtained from windows. Even in dealing with the smallest villa, each feature of the garden should be considered, in its relation to the residence. Interesting adaptation® of the Japanese style of gardening are often to be seen nowadays. In the land of the rising sub the laying ont of a garden is controlled by certain fixed rules and laws, which are only partially understood by Westerners. Still some delightful effects can be secured by following the leading rules, on which ,the Japanese gardener works. A Japanese garden always makes a strong appeal to the amateur on account of the fact, that it can be developed on a very small area of ground In planning, one of the important points, which should not be overlooked, is to consider the effect of the garden as a whole. Every plant, arch, pergola, and each piece of rockwork, must be thought of in. its relation to the general scheme. All parts of' .the garden must be true to their particular characters. Any elevations, such as may exist or be built up, will be suggestive of mountainous country, the plants must be in keeping with the idea. Trees and shrubs of a stunted dwarf nature should be planted, thereby giving the impression of a wind swept area, all low growing shrubs are well adapted to the hillv parts of the garden. Low flat areas of ground give the impression of pasture, and should be planted with subjects having a free habit of growth, and nothing of a formal nature should be introduced. No Japanese garden is complete without water. This effect may be made in the form of quite a tiny pool, and if a stiff outline is avoided the pond will prove one af the most attractive features of the garden. On the banks of the water moisture.loving plants can be allowed a freedom of growth, that is entirely natural in such positions. If the pond is large enoug*h, the placing of a small island in the pool is to be recommended. Where the water can be narrowed down to give the effect of a stream, a rustic bridge might be introduced. In situations where there is a natural supply of water more ambitious schemes may bo attempted. Native Japanese plants should predominate in the garden Especially suitable are the beautiful spring flowering trees, so widely used in the East, such as flowering cherries, prunes, flowering peaches, almonds, and orabapple trees, which usher in the spring with a wonderful display of bloom. Japonicas in many attractive shades, should, not be overlooked. Azalea mollis will be used for giving

line splashes of colour iu the early summer followed by lovely autumn tinted leaves, while wistaria should be freely used for training over the pergolas. Japanese irises should of course be made a special feature of in the garden and a selection of chrysanthemums will give a good effect in the fall, especially if give'n a background of Japanese maple, providing splendid autumn tints just Avhen there is need of colour. Other interesting plants which are very suitable fox-, if 'not inseparable fx-om Japanese gardens include foi-sythia suspensa, Japanese ’'heaths, Japanese lilies,, paeonies, pliy- | salis alkekehgi, pi-iniula Japonica, and tricyrtia hirta. Larger specimen trees may be obtained in the Japanese I hemlock spnice (tsuga sieboldi) Jap- j ; anese larch (larix leptolepis) JapanI ese oak (quercus glabra) Japanese quince (cydonia japonica) Japanese I torreya (torreya tiucifera) Japanese J silver fir (abies firma) Japanese thuya (thuya dolobrata) and many I others. To those who admire the for-" mal style, ,the Italian garden makes a strong appeal. Formal beds of rigid design predominate, and are always filled with the most gorgeous flowers. Sculpture, balustrades, sundials, and stone seats are f-reely used. No Italian garden is complete without a terrace, there is always a fountain too, and quite likely a cascade. Alleys of trees, preferably those with dark evergreen foliage, such as the cypress are considered essential features. Altogether the whole effect is so skilfully arranged that ,the formality taevor gives the impression of stiffness.