IN THE GARDEN

Shannon News, 7 April 1926, Page 4

IN THE GARDEN

Some freshening showers would he welcomed in the- “Garden’ ’which is rather dry, many early raised plants are ready for transferring to their permanent quarters; a work which is always most successfully performed in showery weajther. Do not delay the 'planting of bulbs etc. any longer, they need time to make good strong roots. Sow* sweet peas and Shirley poppies in the open ground, the latter niay be thinned and transplanted, in the arly Spring, lit is quite a mistake to say that Shirley Poppies will not transplant, they strike easily and 'readily during- the showery spring months, and nothing gives a greater display, for such a small outlay. A novelty in Shirleys was shown at .some of. our recent’Pose Shows in particularly pleasing art shade's of blues and greys, with’somejtimos a faint touch of • red, combined with the true fluted edge of the Shirley Bud the Chrysanthems as soon as it i's possible to detect the centre one from the surrounding buds. This should be done even when the blooms are not in. fended for exhibition, leaving one bud at the end of each branch. They have a much more decorative effect in the garden, than when left to their natural devices, when a tight bunched effect of blooms is seen at the end of each stem, which is not so graceful nor yet so beautiful as the one bloom effect, all the'stems may be left there being no necessity to confine pncself to just a few blooms.

Dahlias are feeling the effect of the dry weather, needing copious supplies Of weak liquid manure. In The Vegetable Garden

Keep the cabbage and Cauliflower plots free from, weeds to encourage a good healthy growth, and sow any spare plot's with carrot, 'turnip, and onion seed. Dry and store all.eschallots and onions for winter use. Strawberry beds may be made and planted. Prepare lettuce beds, but delay sowing until showery weather sets in. Colour in The Garden A riot of glorious colour delights and charms the eye. at every turn in the “Garden.” Beautiful warm browns, and rich orange tones predominate. Gorgeous orange and ellow Arican marigolds hold up their heads in stately style. Helenu:ms in the richest of browns and yellows form a charming background I to the herbaceous border. The stiffness of the Zinnia, is forgotten in the glorious array of artistic colourings while the favourite browns of the French marigolds with their wealth of bloom are seen to advantage fronting the borders. Bonfire Salvias strike a brilliant scarlet touch while k masses of the soft pink Bella ponna Lily rest the eye, and please the senses, with their delicious fragrance The Asters arc providing the varied shades of purple and lavender, interpersed with bright, and soft pinks; and twining Verbenas are throwing up masses of brightly coloured blooms, Beds of georgeous cannas.some mixed with lovely bright bedding begonias, others with a ground work of' charming nasturtiums which love to peep in and out among the larger lend quite a tropical touch to the borders leaves of the cannas lend quite a tropical touch to borders. Dahlia beds are a mass of bloom, some with stately long flower stalks which hold their blooms proudly erect, others droop their heads, but one and all succeeded in adding unsurpassable masses of colour to the “Garden.” Small Rock Gardens. Many owners of small garden, ( after viewing- the large rock gardens in some of our public gardens, regretfully turn away with the thought that such things are not for them. This' is obviously and incontestably true, whether it is a matter for keen regret does not seem quire so certain as in many cases the rock garden is, .allowed to become a mass of weeds. But it is a pity that the keen owner of a small garden should get the impression, whether from public gardens or elsewhere that a rock garden is necessarily large and costly, or that it is out of place in all but the largest gardens, where it can be fitted into a special landscape of its own. The most sensitive ' gardener who views with disfavour anything approaching the unnatural, may possess a rock garden which shall not seem out of place, oven in the sipallest background. The way of making it is, to dig a hole about six feet across or a size in proportion to individual surroundings, and about three feet deep. Cover the bottom with broken brick of any other similar drainage material, and sink three or four boulders so aS to enclose a central space. A layer of turf should bo placed over the drainage material before adding some suitable soil, but bo very careful to select turf and any

soil, free from couch grass, which is a grave menace to any rock garden. When it is planted it gives the effect of a single flowery boulder,, or an outcrop of the under-lying rock, such as is often seen in alpine pastures. It has the advantage of" displaying to the full the natural beauty of the rock, and is a rock garden in the truest sense. To keep its character we must, ..of course plant it -with restraint and keep to the slow, tightgrowing alpines, w-hich will appreciate tlie chinks of the rocks. Here one may grow a few* charming favourite alpines which will give to the owner, the feeling of the mountains more truly than the largest rock garden that was ever .made. Another way to grow . a few choice alpines is, to make rough concrete sinks about the same height and of similar shape as a pig-trough; a boulder may be placed here and there to enhance the effect, These could be placed in any suitable odd corner, and have the advantage of being easily car4d for. The beautiful blue Gentiana verna, will flourish in such places, and many other lovable alpine subjects which do not seem at home in our borders, and it is also possible to plant a dwarf shrub in these sinks, such as Daphne. They are also specially suitable for mat forming plants, which are never so happy as when interwoven with their neighbours, there too a home is found for some of the beautiful charming little autumn or spring crocuses, which somehow always get lost in the garden These miniature rock gardens are a source of endless pleasure to their owners, and may be planted with the most choice and tender subjects, providing the aspect is suitable for their needs.