Garden Notes

Shannon News, 28 June 1927, Page 4

Garden Notes

[[>’' SEASONABLE ROUTINE WORK. UtifeiaHN - As"ivpather conditions and soil porimit plants, trocs, and shrubs. • Continue planting herbaceous perennials. ■’ In The Vegetable Gawien. • Plant rhubarb, herbs, garlic, shalf lots> and potato onions, sow cabbage, . lettuce, and cauliflower in boxes in a A' warm sunny corner, fte '.** Early Vegetables. & ’ All green vegetables will be scarce , ~y , as the spring advances, and with this supply arises the question, how to forward early crops. For ; those who have provided the vegetable plot with a few glass frames the matter is simplified, as with a slight hot bed many things can be raised in them. At the present time early, dwarf peas may be sown in ‘v them, with early lettuces, or radish, between the row's, or again, between tho rows may be sown a. few' cabbage , and cauliflower seed for the planting out. For those early crops the beds should be raised as much as ■possible before covering with the frame. Carrots and early turnips are often grown in the same way for early use.

In the open ground where a nice sunny sheltered spot is available, a few potatoes may be planted, early dwarf peas sown, and broad beans. This plot should be raised up as much, as possible thus providing better drainage which enables the plants to come away quicker. The first green peas are always so thoroughly appreciated that it is well worth while to go to a little extra trouble over them. The early cabbage and cauliflow'cr will also be given a little extra attention. . Choose the best early varieties and if not already provided with shoots, place them in a box in a sunny corner, sheltered from frosts. When strong shoots are made plant them in raised-drills, a dusting of soot thrown along the ridges of the drills will prove beneficial. Tho sets should be placed carefully w'itli the shoots uppermost at one foot apart, and if available -cover them with several inches of old potting compost, or leaf mould. This will cause quick growth and the tubers to turn out clean and of good shape. Fill in the remaining soil, and protect the shoots when they appear through the ground, choose the warmest site in the garden. .Where thi3 plot has not been previously manured it will be necessary to add manure at the time of planting, together with a liberal sprinkling of ■wood ashes.

Prune ail fruit trees and spray. RorOnia Megastigma. In these days, -when, perhaps more than ever, perfume in flowers is so much appreciated, the Boronia megastigma now in flower in unheated greenhouses should be -remembered as one of the sweetest smelling flowers in the floral world. One plant will make a full size conservatory delicious, and perhaps sweeter in the atmosphere and on the breeze than when smelt close at hand. The Boronia is one of those Australian plants which like a sandy, peaty soil;' and, like most of the Australian plants, likes plenty of moisture during the growing season, but less in winter when it is dormant. Still the Bor-, onia's Acacias, and the varieties of the bottle-brush family which are all of Australian origin are easily grown If one bears in mind the conditions mentioned above. To plant any of those where the ground lies wet and cold would be fatal. The yellow flowered Boronia is also deliciously scented but on account of its colour is not quite so popular as the brown. The unseented rose-lmed variety makes a handsome bushy shrub, and the flowers hang on for several months. Boronias arc easily raised from seed, or half ripened shoots will • root in sandy soil during the autumn months If placed under glass, and 1 kept there during the winter months. Planting Paeonies. Paeonies when in bloom are glorious. What a bewilderlng array there Is in colours and varieties, and with what freedom they bloom. Could the old florists, with their limited sorts, of which the well-known red was always in evidence, have imagined that from what they grew there would be built up varieties so beautiful in colour and form. One of the things about the planting of Paeonies is' worth recalling. . It is in choosing a place for each clump. It should bo one not likely to be injured by other plants, and neither should it be forgotten that the less they arc disturbed, once planting is done, the better, therefore prepare the site will, and left well alone, with an annual top-dressing they will flower more abundantly year by year. Where Paeonies arc given a bed to themselves the plot may be made more attractive over a longer period by planting some here and there between the .Paeonies, The double and single Tiger lilies are very good for this purpose as also the orange cottage lily which blooms very early, and many other tall growing varieties. The Grey Border. No garden, large or small, should

be without its grey border. It has

charm and fascination all its own. However much we may be attracted by our bright way borders, the grey border yet makes its silent appeal with its quiet restfulness. Often a portion of the rock garden is devoted to grey foliaged plants a place where they invariably thrive well. Most grey foliaged plants revel in a somewhat gritty soil with good drainage, this fact should be borne in mind when providing a home for these plants. During tho long winter months this typo of border still retains many of its charms, and this in itself should commend it to every plant lover. In making the border, stone clippings and, if possible, sand should be well mixed with the soil, a spado depth at the least, and should the land be very heavy and retentive broken bricks should bo placed at the bottom of tho trench. A few boulders or rockstone placed here and there add t greatly to its charms. What plants to grow depends largely on the size of the border, where large, the introduction of a few of tho grey foliaged shrubs is to be recommended such as the various lavender’s mid seneeio groyii. Another lovely little shrub the name of which I am not familiar with has beautiful silver leaves about the size of the Daphne leaves, and during the late autumn is smothered with tiny pea-shaped pale pink flowers, similar. to the annual Linaria in size and shape. There are a large number of perennial subjects to choose from, such as pinks, allwoodii carnations, edelweiss, yellow alyssum, gypsophila ropens, Dusty Millar, Seduni’o, and .many other new rock plants would be suitable. A home may also be found in such a border for some of our useful herbs such as Marjoram, the grey thyme, old man horehoupd, and the old-fashioned sage with its attractive bracts of bluish flowers. A few of the Iris family have decided grey foilage, and the Sea Buckthorn is another attractive subject. Where space permits each subject should bo allowed to grow into a large drift togot its full effectiveness. A few. of the Salvia family have grey foliag-'-and could be used with advantage, in fact the collecting of these particular plants develops into an interesting hobby.

Deciduous Rhododendrons. Deciduous shrubs as most people know are those which lose their leaves during the winter months, and the opening of the planting season for these seems a fitting time to discuss the value and beauty of many of the deciduous Rhododendrons in our gardens.-, In point of rich and brilliant colouring they easily occupy first place among hardy shrubs. Coupled with tliis gorgeous' colouring in spring and early summer is the delightful fragrance of many sorts. This is particularly noticeable among hybrids of R, flavum and R. viscosum the mollis and sinensis varieties arc by no means so powerfully fragrant as the Ghent varieties as these hybrids are usually called. With many azaleas as these Rhododendrons are often termed there is a further period of striking beauty in autumn, the rich red, orange, bronze, and crimson colouring of the foliage being a conspicuous feature of the landscape where large groups are planted.

Transplanting. Like the largo leaved evergreen Rhododendron, the deciduous groups also have close masses of fibrous roots forming large balls of soil. With ordinary care there is practically no risk in transplanting any of this l'am ily, and the earlier in the season this is done the better, to enable them to get nicely settled before the approach of the flowering season. They thrive in loamy soil, and are very fond of leaf mould, but lime should never be added. With such finely rooted plants it is important to tread the soil firmly. While the question of shelter must receive attention when arranging the planting of the moil's hybrids because they flower rather ! early, the Ghent hybrids arc excellent for lawn beds in the open. There is, however, much to be said in favour of shelter for all species of (he Rhododendron family, because they favour a cool and rather moist rooting medium. To provide this shelter choose some trees that root deeply to plant near them. Mulching is a very important cultural detail, ■ half decayed leaves and manure serves the purpose admirably. It is also very desirable to remove the seed pods as soon as the flowers have fallen. If this is overlooked, much of the nutriment which should go to promote healthy, vigorous young growths is | taken up in the development of seeds. It is interesting work, raising a few from the best hybrids, for although they do not come true, many are beautiful, and occasionally one is fortunate enough to one very much superior to those of the. parents.