IN THE GARDEN.

Shannon News, 29 December 1925, Page 3

IN THE GARDEN.

From now- on, hot and dry weather may be expected, and watering and mulching- ail growing plants, combined with the constant hosing and stirring of the soil is highly important and necessary for their progress. Lawn clippings are helpful among the dahlias where nothing else is available dahlias especially, need a cool root, run. Burn all dry garden litter utilizing the vegetable ashes for top dressing. Chrysanthemums that are. well advanced should be assisted with rich top dressings, preferably, rich loom mixed with a liberal quanity of blood and bone manure. To get the most out of your borders, pick off all dead and faded flowers. The ground for replanting bulbs should be prepared as soon as possible, and do not plant the bulbs in the same plot as the previous lifting, if you can avoid it The Daffodils and Narcissi, are rapidly drying off and in most cases are i eady to lift leave them on the ground for a few days before storing. Shrubs should be pruned as they go out o ( f flower, a little systematic pruning iS often beneficial. Wi,th the. recent heavy winds a good deal of staking is necessary in exposed gardens, the plants never look the same when,once they are broken down. It .is a good plan to sow' seed of hardy perennials and biennials now, such as Wallflowers sweet-william, forget-me.not, carnation, canterbury bell, gcum, iceland poppy Antirrhinum, pansy, aquilegia, anything In fact that will stand the frost. If watered and cared for study plants will be available for early aulumn planting which will ultimately mean early spring blooms. Dry weather does not suit the sweetpea, and if the plants are to continue in flower copious applications of water must be given the plants.

The V egetable Garden. The planting of Celery must occupy the atttention of those who wish to grow a row or two of this valuable winter vegetable. Good crops may be grown both in trenches and on the flat, the latter method is probably the best where the soil is shallow, drawing the soil up to the plants when “earthing” time comes. If trenches are made six to eight inches is a sufficient depth and if a double row is to be planted make it eighteen inches wide. The ground should of course be well -prepared with plenty of. manure underneath. When planting on the level it is essential to get a layer of manure underneath the row. The rows should be at least three feet apart, and where space is limited “catch crops” of spinach, lettuce or any early maturing crop may be grown. Plant a few rows of Leeks these are hardy and are usually free from insect pests, with the further advantage of coming into use when supplies are short. They are gross feeders, and should be treated/similar to Celery. Asparagus beds \v £ ill benefit from an application of nitrate of soda used at the fate of half an ounce to the square yard. All available space from early potato crops should be refilled with winter vegetables, savoy', cabbage, cauliflower brussels, sprouts etc. Thin the crops of carrots, parsnips., swedes and mangolds at an early stage in their growth and keep the hoe going as often as possible. Sow pumpkins, marrows, and sweet corn also runner and dwarf beans,

. Watering During Dry Weather At the American Gladiolus Society’s there is always a certain amount of planting out to be done, both in the flower arid vegetable garden. Watering is essential, but at the same time it is not advisable to set. the plants in, and follow with an application of cold water. By following this method the plants are often checked and sometimes even killed,, the better way is to make the holes and then pour in the water, setting the plants in when the water has soaked in. The roots of the plants ar.e then in a nice moist soil and the dry soil on top will prevent the evaporating of the moisture. A New Type of Gladioli.

At the American Gladiolus Societys exhibition held at Rochester. N.Y. in August last, the most extraordinary breakaway since Kundred’s Ruffled Gladioli were introduced, says the official Bulletin of the American Gladiolus Society, was exhibited by three paintings of “The Orchid’’ orininated by A. R. Sprague, of the Rancho Santa Fe Bulb Co, San Diego County, California. It was said to resemble no other flower in the Show, either in colour or form, and was fittingly named “The Orchid” as a single floret worn, would readily be mistaken ‘for one a few feet distant. The description is, of long, narrow, ruffled and laciniated petals open to a width of six to nine inches, -with a ground colour of very pale lavender flecked toward the edges and ends with lavender pink. The upper petal being usually incurved, partially concealing a touch of yellow in the throat crossed by two very narrow feathers of amaranth. Four to fiv ( e florets are open at one time and are gracefully placed on the spike, not opposite but all facing the front. While most interesting varieties in from and colour of this remarkable flower have been brought out from time to time during the last fifty years not so distinctly new a type as “The Orchid” had ever before been shown.

The of the Veldt. All garden lovers value the flowers that will bloom in very early spring’ and the Dimirphotheca in spite of its appaling name is one of our most useful bedding subjects. These Stars of the'Veldt have proved themselves very lasting remaining in bloom for long preiods standing the frost well, and if the dead flowers are picked off they will bloom almost continuously. They are neat in habit, usually growing to a height of fifteen inches. Perhaps the most showy of the species is the original Daurantiaca, sometimes called the Orange Dainy or Cape Marigold, but the neewr hybrids are gold, but the newer hybrids are charming and as sturdy as the old type including a delightful range of colour, The flowers vary from rich deep

1 orange, sometimes tinged With purple the softest apricot, salmon gold lemon primrose and' white some of which are delicately tinted with purple, with deep purple centres. The centres of the blooms are always very attractive the whole flower radiating a beautiful satiny sheen. They are valuable summer bedding subjects, but 'are most appreciated when planted out in the autumn in a slightly raised bed, where they will bloom very e arly, and at a time when flowers are particularly scarce and are most useful for table decoration.' Where the orange, and yellow, iceland poppies succeed an admirable early spring flowei'ing border may be arranged. The poppies blending well with the orange shades of the Dimorphotheeo, the border having the further advantage of being a mass of bloom for a long period. Iceland Poppies., hovers of this dainty flower will fully appreciate the new charming hybrids, .lately introduced. The colourings are delightful, in shades of pink, salmon and soft apricot, some suffused with faint touches of old gold and lemon. As decorative subjects they are a great accquisition and will rapidly come into favour. Their rich appealing colouring, combined with the long blooming period of th e iceland poppy will be fully appreciated by all garden lovers.

The “Garden” has benefited largely owing to recent showers and all growing things have made some headway. . The soil was in a very dry condition and the showers were badly needed. A great deal of necessary work may be accomplished now, beds which have contained anemones, narcissi or any of the early spring flowering subjects, may be hoed up and hilled with autumn flowering annuals. The anemones and bulbs will have ripened off sufficiently to allow of them being dug and stored for future use. These vacant beds and borders may bo filled with drummohdi, zinnias asters, marigolds, sunflowers, and cosmos. To grow annuals successfully the oil must be kept loose among the plants, this enables the moistufe to rise to the surface and helps the plants through the hot weather. Make on effort to fill all spaces which are vacant with flowering annuals, the garden will then present a gay appearance through the the late summer and autumn months. Both dahlia «nd chrysanthemum planting should .be completed and stake them at planting time. It is diflicult to drivo a stake in afterwards without injuring fcho roots of the plant. As the rhododendrons, azaleas, and roses go out of bloom, remove the seed pods. Tulips and hyacinths may be lifted while the . foliage is yellow, but the narcissi family should be left until they have completely ripened off. The present is one of the most favourable times to strike cuttings of geraniums and pelargoniums.

The Vegetable Garden. ’ Thorough cultivation is necessary through the dry weather for success, ful crops, and all available moisture is needed for the plants, weeds oniy act as robbers. Plant Kumaras on raised rows, setting the plants on a sloping angle. Plant celery, tomato, savoy cabbage and •winter cauliflowers. Sow peas, broad, French, ninner raid haricot beans. Sow lettuce and radish on well manured plots -where they are to remain. Pumpkin and marrow seed may still be sown, also water and citron melons;

Sliowy Border Plants. Among the bright autumn plants, the amaranthus is perhaps the most showy, chiefly on account of the many brilliant colourings obtained from a packet of seed. They arc strictly foliage plants, which delight in well manured soil in a sunny portion of the garden, the more sunlight, the more brilliant are the colourings. They grow to a fair height and are charming as a background to bright annuals. Another very ornamental addition to the autumn garden is kocliia (Nat Ord Chenopodiaceoc) beautiful compact foliage plants. Their chief charm lies in their unusual symmetrical shape, forming a bush about two or three feet in height, a lovely light green through the growing period.’which changes to blood red in the autumn. The leaves are very narrow giving the plant light graceful appearance, not < withstanding its decidedly compact habit of growth. Celosias (often called feathered cockscomb) is another valuable bright border plant, which seem to thrive best during a hot season, they are exceedingly decorative whether used in group or as edging to the herbaceous border, The heli. chrysum (hardy everlasting' annual) is well worth a place, apart from Its garden decorative possibilities ,the flowers are very useful for winter decorations, if the blooms are cut and allowed to hang heads down nil. , til dried, and then placing among natural foliage. Bright coloured foliage plants greatly enhance the effect of the autumn garden, and should be planted as freely as possible. Dark leaved cannas with their brilliant hued flowers are always very, attractive and it is not too late to p'iant of the above mentioned varieties.! Colour in the Garden.

The roses take pride of place and are blooming freely, arches, fences, and pergolas, which are covered with tumblers are growing daily brighter as the blooms 'of dorothy perkins. american pillar, and many others equally as delightful are expanding. Sweet peas are making a great display, tilling the air with heavy perfume. Stately heads of delightful blue shaded delphiniums stride a softer note in the garden, together with beautiful lupins, iq soft blue and pink tones. Annual popples swaying gracefully with every breeze are a gay- and dominant feature of the garden, a charming combination of salmon, pink and all shades of reds and scarlet. The double fringed varieties are also a pleasing feature with their grey tinted foliage. Iceland poppies arc blooming freely on long graceful stems. Massed effects of antirrhinums charm and delight

the lover of the beautiful, while the beds are a mass of bright appealing faces. Many of the early an. nuals are daily adding more colour to the garden, including the bright daisy like dimorphotheea, godetias, and nemesias, with bright coloured nasturtium peeping forth from among green leaves. Walls are gay with bright pelargoniums and geraniums, with graceful fuchsias full of lovely pendulous ouds and blooms. Satiny eschscholtzias in new shades of pink, bronze, and mauve are to bo seen, while the warm orange and bronze shades of the perennial gaillardias tend to tone down the more gundy colourings of the garden. Fashionable Flowers.

In the Horticultural world a craze often arises for a particular kind of flower. For a few years everyone grows poppies, roses, or whatever maybe “the rage” of the moment- At the present time tli e growing of dahlias is rapidly coming into favour, with gladioli a close second. In fact so much interest is being centred round the cultivation of the latter at the present time, that a gladioli show in , one of our centres, is to be held in the near future. Paeonics, which.for years have been little sought after are coming to the foreground, with many beautiful improved colours. » Thev form handsome subjects for the herbaceous border, and it is rather difficult* to account for the lack of interest displayed in their cultivation. However, amends are likely to be made in the future for the seeming neglect in bygone years..