GARDEN NOTES.

Shannon News, 1 April 1927, Page 4

GARDEN NOTES.

; ' Recent rains n>ade all garden plots friable, working j condition,..and. ; all necessary season- - able work should be quickly undertaken. V The Present is a good time ./ to, ~m.&4 an y desired alterations to and shrubberies. Perhaps, there is a new border wanted, . a pergola to be erected, a new path to bo', formed, a hedge to plant, a rock garden to form, or more perfect 4- drainage to be supplied. A ■ pointment is in store for the gardener, who leaves these little improve- > ments until spring. The spring ; ninths-are usually accompanied with so,-*n,uch. moisitpre that all favourable momewts are usually fully taken up with keeping th 0 weeds down and our ,pherishe,d plang have perforce to > wjtft..another twelve months. Gar- - dsp. paths especially should be seen to. 'iThe comfort and convenience derjyed from good garden walks can scarcely be over-estimated, as they enabfe both gardener and visitor to eniioy a slroll under conditions of / wea±her ihat would ..render it any-. thing but a pleasure -to make use of . them .were they not well made. » jta places where limestone is plenti- -. ful <shis .difficulty is easily overcome, -asithe.chrushed limestone rock placed on a -firm foundation of metal, and well, polled down, forms splendid and serviceable garden .paths and drives, in which weeds do not thrive Many gardeners .prefer a metalled path or. . drive to one of concrete which is tho most lasting of all, the former has -to be weeded periodically, .or weed killer applied, but to the. gardener of limi- "~ ite4 )time, ,the concrete appeals, as, noi time is. lost in .keeping down; weeds * and*the-first expense is the last. Routine ;Work. .Continue .giying stimulants to the chrysanthemums and dahlias, and be careful'to,pluck all faded blooms from .the latter. Plant liberally of alUbu.lbQUS subjects, form new rose '- • beds,,and sow seeds Of sweet peas, and all /hardy Pansics, .violas, and stocks -may also be sown. A paeket .of. Beauty Stocks sown now will produce some beautiful spikes of bloom during the early spring months. . Strike, cuttings of hydrangea. Coameasitare, making luxuriant growth, see 'that they are well staked. Make fresh pansy beds, and plant as soon as the .soil settles. Transplant violets iand primroses, .layer shrubs and clenxatus. The .Vegetable Garden. that are not wanted, until spring, if any are .poor, in quality, sow with, oats or ; othe r green fodder, digging it un- * der.a-iew- weeks before the plots are wanted. Good crops will result from this treatment. Where it is advisable to apply basic slag it is best done, now, as it is a slow-acting manure. Wheel all manure available into the garden .and as the autumn, leaves begin to fall,, gather.as many as possible and. place them in a hole dug """ for the purpose, placing a little soil and lime oyer each layer. Seeds to Sow. Lettuce is one of the most useful to sow at this season of the year. Also Short-horn carrots, beet, silver beet, spinach, onion, cabbage and cauliJlower. ..Mound. up each plot well, ' thereby providing better drainage. Plant new strawberry beds. Many growers find the barrel system very productive, holes being made at suitable, distances apart. It is possible to obtain a large quantity of fruit in this way, besides saving a lot of valuable space and time in weeding. The system is to be strongly recommended. T" " Prepare all ground intended . for V" the planting of fruit trees. The ''"■',-.- situation- chosen should be well sheltered with a northerly aspect if possible. Shelter is absolutely necessary ", '• for the production of most fruits, and where it does not exist naturally, shelter trees must be planted. Damp land should always be drained, as .. trees .will never thrive if they have atagnant water at their roots. Trees grown on a slope or hillside will usually ; thrive and crop well. Such fiuits as apricots, peaches, and nectarines will not thrive on any but well drained soil. Apples and plums are not so fastidious Autumn planting, is to be preferred in localities where much rain: .falls during the winter and -J. spring months.

Hedge Plants. A well kept evergreen- hedge is al-

ways an. asset to a home where the surroundings are on a large, enough scale to, admit them, providing shelter * and' privacy. On small holdings they are not to be recommended as they usually take too much nourish- ;' ' ment from the surrounding soil. For small plots a wall is to be preferred 4- If flowers .and vegetables are to grow |v to perfection. When choosing hedge |'<"- plants, the ..situation where it is inJp'7 tended to. plant them should be carcf ' fully-studied, .and if in a very exposed %'"'' situation, nothing but the. hardiest f *• should -be thought of. The .Japanese J and Chinese Privets are both good. !' hardy, evergreen subjects, but these should not be chosen if a flower bor- ! • de r is wanted in .close .proximity, as | % their roots take much nourishment $r- from the soil; In such places I^aurr |£4estiiW9,,,<the., ..common Viburnam) fe ra&kesa-fiiw-evOTgreen hedge and will ifcttow'to any height required; Abelia

Floribunda is also -very attractive. The various JEx;caW ! 9nla.!a. are much admired as hedge plants but these also are largely surfa.ee ropting and. take from nearby plants. Many kinds of roses can be used quite successfully as hedge plants, providing good shelter when well traind. The Rambler varieties require a wire or rough rustic fence when grown alone, keeping the plants well pruned to facilitate thick growth When grown in combination with Prunus plums or other such subject? this is not necessary, as the trees siipport the growth of the Ramblers; these form most attractive and ornamental hedges, where a low dividing hedge is required. The dwarf Polyanthus roses, the bright and dark red varieties being particulaly good and very free flowering, these, combined, .with the spring flowering Japonicas form a bright and attractive hedge for the greater part of the year, and ' do not take very much from the surrounding soil. The ground for all evergreen hedges should be prepared as .quickly as possible, and prepared thoroughly. A well prepared trench, enriched with manure will well repay the extra .labour envolved, as .the young plants < will make rapid head-; way if ho£d occasionally,to tkeep down weeds. Even the much liked holly, ; which is always jp.ok.en ,Qf „as slow growing, will respond readily if care be taken in -preparing -the «oil -and cultivating around r.the plants until they have attained.some size. •The Sea Buckthorn. (Hippophaerhamnoides.) This beautiful shrub, or small tree, one of the most ornamental of berried -subjects, but has often been discarded and thrown .out on account.. of its failure to produce the attractive rich orange-coloured berries for Which it, is famed. The reason for. Ijhis is, that the Sea Buckthorn does not fruit unless both male and fe-. mal plants are obtained. It is neces s.ary when planting to place one rri'ale bush amongst six or eight , female plants. Giving this proportion it isPossible to obtain a profuse crop of tjhe much desired berries. Although it is usual to meet with it as a bush eight feet to ten feet high, it ■is possible with a little attention to pruning in the early stages to get it to form a tree fifteen feet to twenty feet high. Examples such as these have, an advantage over dwarf plants as the fruits are more qonspicuous. Some difficulty is experienced in propagating the species oy other means than by seeds, for quttings do not root well.; Branches may however, be layered, but it is a rjather slow process. * Seeds germinate well, but it is no use planting the seedlings in permamnet positions until the sex can be determined as no more males should be planted than are absolutely necessary. A large group of these plants massed in the shrubbery, or pleasure grounds, or on the outskirts of a lawn form a wonderfully fine and conspicuous group. IJachenalias as Basket Plants. * Lachenalias, sometimes called (Cape Cowslips). are among our raoA effective subjects for planting in pots, bowls and wire hanging baskets. The letter way shows off th prtty pendulous spikes of bloom to perfection, and is largely used for window and greenhouse decoration. They should be-potted as soon as possible as they are among our earliest spring bloomers, a compost of loam, leaf soil, sand and well decayed, cow manure suits them admirably. Planting them from J to 1 inch below the surfave, give very little water until the bulbs have made foliage, the curiously spotted leaves of the plants are always attractive without the handsome spikes of yellow and orange hues. Most of the older varieties are plentifully supplied with, greenish tints, t.nd although these are showy they are not so generally liked as the bronze shades. The lasting quality of their blooms i 3 another factor in their favour. When g;rown in the borders and used as an edging they are a beautiful sight for many weeks. Sometimes one hears complaints of Lachenalias not growing .satisfactorily, but this is usually due to the bulbs having been kept too long, and planted when in a shrivelled condition, or lifting them when the roots are active and the leaves making their appearance. This is very harmful to . Lachenalias, and they cannot be expected to give sat-isfaction-after, such, a .check. In order to give them a reasonable chance, they should be planted now. If planting In a wire basket, line the basket with a . good layer of moss before adding the soil and keep them in a cool, dark place until they are well rooted and an inch of growth showing above the. surf ace.

Another, plan is to place the pots or baskets outdoors on a bed of .weathered ; ashes, covering them .well with moss or some fibrous, material, leaving them exposed to all until showing signs of active growth. Hyacinths may -. be. treated in, exactly j the same way, requiring the same, soil condition*. j >