GARDEN NOTES.

Shannon News, 7 June 1927, Page 4

GARDEN NOTES.

The unusually mild days lately experienced has induced rapid growth among many of our bulbous subjects. Anemones are producing quite a wealth of foliage, and various varieties of Narcissi are several inches above j ground, while the early polyanthus rieties are showing flowering stems. A fair scattering of fragrant violets lands a spring-like air to the garden, but near by deciduous shrubs and trees with their beautiful and gorgeous leaves gradually forming bright carpets beneath, brings us sharply back to the fact that winter days are yet to come. The late blooming chrysanthemums continue' to brighten up the garden, while the frosts have not yet been severe enough to dim the lovely bronze flowers of the French Mari-. golds. The hardy antirrhinum is blooming freely, asserting the of its usefulness as a free flowering subject of the garden. SEASONABLE ROUTINE WORK. Order, and plant all roses required. Plant evergreen shrubs and trees. Plant hedge plants, and top-dress lawns.

Plant all perennial subjects such as phlox, paeonies, mi'chaelmas, daisies, holcniums.-etc Continue planting out hardy-, annuals. Transplant violas, primroses, and violets. . Prune hydrangeas, geraniums, and pelargoniums. Dig and manure all borders as soon as vacant, dig in as much green material as is available, this helps add humus to the soil ,where farmyard manure is scarce.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN,

Sow broad beans, cabbage, early cauliflowers, lettuce, and other saladings. In sheltered nooks a few early peas may be sown together with a few potatoes.

Plant potato onions, eschallots, cabbage, and cauliflower plants. Topdress asparagus and rhubarb bodsi also plant new beds of these- Form and plant new strawberry beds without further delay. Prune all small fruit bushes. Dig all vacant plots,' and trench in all available refuse of a manurial nature. Gather autumn leaves for leaf mould. Earth up celery and leeks as required, many gardeners protect the former with a sheet of paper wrapped securely round the stems; this keeps the soil from getting in. The winter feeding of the fruittrees should also be attended to. Fruit trees growing in the average garden soil, until they arrive at bearing stage, need little in the way of stimulating foods to keep them going. But once they are cropping heavily, then liberal feeding is necessary. Chis is a fact which is often lost sight of, the variety and the soil being often blamed when a want of proper food and nourishment is all that aids the tree. Manuring remains largely a winter operation, although a little is often done when the roots are active as in spring and summer. Farmyard manure always forms an ideal top-dressing. Of the artificial manures to be applied in winter time, basic slag, rich in phosphates, is one of the most important. Phosphates promote fruit-fulness, and early ripening. Basic slag is essentially a manure to be applied in early winter, as

it is somewhat slow in' action, and if applied late in the season the trees will not derive the full benefit during the following growing year. It is invaluable to all fruits, and unlike the nitrogenous manures, such as nitrate of soda, no ill effects can follow a too liberal dressing. A useful dressing is from four to six ounces per square yard, which should be spread over the soil and lightly forked in. Bonemeal is also rich in phosphates. Another good artificial manure is kainit, which is rich in potash, increasing the quality and flavour of fruit, from two to four ounces to the square yard is a stiffcient dressing. Kainut makes for good, healthy, dark coloured foliage.

GYPSOPHILA. " BRISTOL, FAIRT." One of the most notable novelties of recent introduction'is the double white gypsophila. Most lovers of flowers are familiar with the small double variety, but the flowers of Bristol fairy are at least three times the size of the placer variety, with the same free branching habit. Bristol fairy grows to a height of from four to five feet, and, although the individual flowers are larger, this does not in any way detract from its graceful appearance when mixed with other flowers for decorative purposes. Another advantage of this splendid new variety is, that when cut and dried, the flowers continue to maintain their whiteness and size, instead of turning to deep creamy tones.

PLANTING HERBACEOUS BORDERS. The term " herbaceous border" is used when planting a border of various types of perennials, such as delphiniums, oriental poppies, irises, etc. In planting, there is one important point which should never be lost sight of, and that is that a better effect is always to be obtained from groups, rather than from solitary plants. In the average sized border three to a group suits large.plants like delphiniums, golden rod, tritomas, and helen. iums. Medium-sized plants taWe up to 12 in number to create an effective display, with much the same of small growing plants which fill the front of .the border. The herbaceous border should receive as generous a treatment in the way of manures as is possible. It is much simpler to well dig and manure the border before planting is undertaken. An occasional top-dressing is all that is needed in future years, with an occasional thinning of some of the plants. This border, when well planted and a little attention given to colour blending is always an attractive feature of any garden.

SOME BULBOUS SUBJECTS. v, • > Although it is a little late in the season for planting any of the narcissi family, there are yet many other bulbous subjects which may be planted with, good res ults. It is not too late to plant the beautiful and stately Darwin tulips some exquisite combinations of colouring are available in these favourites. A beautiful spring-like border is obtained by using a ground work of forget-me-nots with pink tulips dotted here and there among them. Hyacinths also may still be planted, these are one of the mosl popular of bulbous plants. In the liliums we have a group of bulbour plants which, in the estimation of many, represent the most beautiful of all hardy plants. Certainly many gems of exquisite charm are included among their number. • The white lily has been universally acclaimed the emblem of purity for centuries, while the auratum, or gold, en-rayed lilies and lilium regale are rarely surpassed in beauty or grace, if to-name but a few of a host of species which occur to the mind. The earliest crocuses are always welcomed, in fact, all early flowering bulbous plants are invested in the mind of most gardeners with a charm which is all their own. They are recognized as the real harbingers of spring from the cheerful crocus, which pushes its bright blossoms through the garden mould almost before the frost is gone, followed by graceful daffodils, and many other early spring beauties such as anemones and ranunculas. The beautifully scented freezias are always in demand, a few of these may be planted with advantage prolonging the blooming period, the earlier planted ones will be making' growth, and should come into bloom a few weeks earlier.

HANDSOME GLOBE THISTLES OR ECHIIfOPS. The possibilities of these highly decorative plants might well be considered by those who are now engaged in planting perennials. In large gardens they may be advantageously employed in various ways, and when rightly placed they add much to the importance of a garden. In large herbaceous borders they have an inestim. able value in the formation of imposing groups, and they associate well with many of their occupants. Some very telling effects, too, may be produced by their introduction into the shrubbery border, where their showy blue flower heads and prettily/cut greyish foliage harmonize well with the surrounding colourings. In the rougher parts of the garden, or in

what is generally spoken of as the wild garden, these plants are especially welcome, while stately grclips might be placed at intervals on large greens. The thistle-like spring foliage is particularly handsome, while the globular heads of bloom complete the beauty of these highly attractive plants. * Globe thistles are not fastidious in their soil requirements, but, like most rampant growers, they do best in a deeply dug, well manured soil in a fairly open situation. They are also good plants for dry situations, and good drought resisters. The plants are readily propagated by division of the roots, while slips of the roots will readily strike if taken during the spring and inserted in sandy beds or in a cold frame. There are also some.species which bear white flowers but they all have the same beautifully cut somewhat spiny foliage. The average height of the plants is from three to five feet, Bees show a special liking for these plants, and where any hives are kept it is quite worth while having a few bold clumps of globe thistles.