GARDEN NOTES.

Shannon News, 21 July 1925, Page 1

GARDEN NOTES.

With an improvement in weather conditions, the planting: of shrubs etc., may be gone on with. Where space is available plant generously of trees and shrubs, that is, as generously as your purse will allow, remembering that planting time only comes at one period of the year. Trees are always a valuable asset whether planted for shelter, firewood, or for timber purposes. On farms, grass grows better and stock thrives better where plenty of warm sheltering plantations are available. It is often said that early August is the most favourable period for the successful planting of macrocarpa and pinus insignus. Cuupressus Lawsoniana is much favoured, although not so quick in growth as the former varieties. It has the great advantage of standing plenty of cutting back, and of growing thickly from the base upwards,, providing shelter where it is most needed.

The purple plum (Prunus Pissardi) • —Like most flowering trees, the cherry plum varies considerably in its date of blooming. A curious point, about these trees is the habit of some of the kinds flowering weeks in advance of the others. In some localities trees will be in full bloom, others not showing a single flower. Most people will have noticed the beauty and charm of a well flowered Prunus Pissardi, its graceful aspect and handsome leaves which make their appearance after the first flowers „ are fallen, and render the tree interesting and attractive the whole summer and autumn. There is the old cherry plum, or Myrobalan, with bright green bark and twiggy growth, studded with wee pink buds which open pure white. There is also the typical P. Pissardi, with its purple leaves and white flowers in their thousands,, also a lovely pink flowered form of this same tree, the most desirable of the group, exquisite for cutting. Both these picturesque trees are occasionally laden with cla-ret-coloured • fruit, enhancing their" beauty. The variety Bliriana, with double rose-coloured flowers and purples leaves, is a worthy occupant of the best of gardens. All varieties of Prunus are usually easily propagated by cuttings. Alternately used in conjunction with hardy red or pink roses and kept trimmed forms one of the niost charming ornamental hedges imaginable.

Planting and Pruning Roses. There is often a tendency among amateurs to plant roses too deeply. On examining rose beds which appear to be doing particularly well it is always found that the better supply of roots are near the surface. Observation leads the writer to think that deep planting causes no end of trouble. For instance, advice is often given to the intending planter of dwarf roses to plant so that the junction where budding.has taken place

be underground. This all depends as to how. low or how near the roots that operation has been performed. Sometimes three or four inches of space are noticeable, and obviously here a mistake would be made if the whole were underground. Shallow planting, with deeply trenched beds, and properly securing each plant whether it be a standard or a dwarf, so that rough winds cannot sway them thither, are likely to lead to satisfactory progress. Rose work in spring or at the present time consists principally in pruning. Take first the climbers. Here it is desirable to fill as much space as possible, and not only this, the majority of the climbing roses blossom better on the growths of the previous year. It therefore becomes more a matter of cutting away old branches entirely so that the new shall have room. The unripened points may be shortened, but principally it is a question of thinning. A similar way of treating tall standards, weeping habited, and pillar roses would be correct. Coming to bush roses and standards, the established rule is a good one, namely, the stronger the growth the less it may be cut. It is a good rule, too, to cut back pretty close to the earth newly planted bushes the first year, and the standards may be severely cut also. In this case the flowers the following season should not be the first object, as it is desirable to build up a good plant. Those who grow for exhibition blooms continue this close cutting year after year, the object being a few strong growths. When a display or quantity of blooms are looked for the trees simply require a little heading back, also a little judicious thinning out of the branches. Often the tops are made to look trim Avith no thinning, resulting in a mass of Aveakly shoots, Avhich tend to smother each other. The habit of Hybrid Teas, a class Avhich is noAv quite the predominating one, is to go generally to bloom. Here and there, among the varieties, may be one Avith a trait of sending up one or tAvo strong stems rather than a lot of shorter ones. These are often pegged down'by bending the growths and fastening to sup-

ports in the ground, alloAving the blooms to come along the whole length. Typical kinds for this method are Hugh Dickson, Juliet and Frau Karl Druschki. Pegging dOAvn may not be a pleasing idea in beds of roses, but it ans Avers very well Avith pleasing results, when applied to individual specimens in the garden. Most perpetual flowering varieties blossom better on wood made early the previous year, which has had time to become thoroughly ripened. This may be distinguished by its hard character, and