GARDEN NOTES.

Shannon News, 9 July 1929, Page 4

GARDEN NOTES.

In the Flower Garden.

Owing to heavy recent gales, ap in; speetion will neotf to be utade of all , ucwly-plantetl 1 shrubs, and the soil r,imined tightly a round the base- of the stems. Shrubs or plants will.not llouriah if allowed 'to wobble to and iru with every wind that blows. Heavy frosts, too, will have the effeet of loosening plants at their base. Autumn, sown sweet-peas are making good growth and should be kept off the ground by means of some support. Keep a watch on the chrysanthemum plants.. Many of the choicest of them often fail to produce young shoots, but it examined, slugs will be found to be al> the root of the trouble. If ground ■ is needed for other things for spring planting, remove as many yopng shoots as are required from the base of each plant and rlib into boxes. The old plants may then be dcsearded and a new plot got under way for the reception of the box plants at a later date. Kef rain from mulching rose beds and pu’rennial borders until later on, or much good food will be wasted. Plant shrubs of all kinds; firm planting is essential. * Weed the surface Of lawns, and roll them as often as possible during the winter months. Trait and Vegetables.

Select seed tubers of early varieties oi! potatoes, setting those eyes upwards in boxes placed in warm, sheltered nooks. Sow a few peas on light, well drained soil. The "early dish" is always appreciated. Sow radishes in a warm border and protect, from "slugs and birds until the second leaf is showing. Use' soil fumigants for pest-ridden ■soils. , litjMMl Sow seeds of cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce in pans or boxes. Plant rhu.barb and asparagus. Plant all kinds of small fruit bushes. Shorten the stronger canes of raspberries to about five feet. Clean all rubbish from strawberry beds and lightly fork between' the rows. . Prepare and strike cuttings of all small fruits. Prune fruit trees, and prepare fruittree washes for use on fine, calm days. Prune outdoor vines and afterwards paint with a sulphur mixture to prevent mildew. Top-dress the vine roots with a mixture of good loam and crushed bones. Proceed with planting operations of all kinds of fruit trees. Hydrangea's in Pots.

The various species of hydrangeas make effective and handsome pot-plants There have been such great improvements in these of late years that .it is difficult to' associate the blooms of the modern varieties with those of bygone clays. Pink varieties are the most numerous, and it is in these that the greatest variation is to be found.. Almost every tone is to be noticed until almost a red is seen in several instances. Then there are the pure whites and creams. Intense blue is the colour that many aim at, but it is still rather elusive, although there are signs of its becoming more, fixed, Many a 'gardener has been disappointed with this colour, often obtaining cuttings from *a plant with blue flowers, only to find them changed to pink in his or her own garden. There is no doubt that soil largely influences the results, and where there is a lot of iron in it, there blue is present. The easiest way is plentifully to mix iron filings or alum \yith the potting soil, also to water from early spring until the blooms are opening, with water containing odd pieces of rusty tin, or nails; or dissolve an ounce of alum in a gallon of water, giving a dose of the solution to the plants twice a week until the flowers open. The most popular form of plant is that in the five-inch pot, carrying one fine head of bloom. Plants of this kind are not at all difficult to obtain, and to secure a succession, cuttings may be struck at intervals during the late autumn, winter, and spring montrns. When the old plants have done flowering, stand them in the open and after a fortnight the young wood will have hardened and will root much better. The shoots selected for cuttings should be about three inches long. Cut just’ below a joint, retaining all the leaves but the very .lowest. Insert them singly in small pots filled with sandy soil and water them well. Place in a greenhouse, or sunny spot but shelter from rough weather. The foliage will quickly indicate when roots have formed. Plenty of air and sunlight must then be given, to prepare them for shifting into five or six inch pots.

Hydrangeas arc of luxuriant growth and delight in a light, rich, compost of three parts loam, one part rotted manure, some coarse sand and a little bone meal. The pots must be wol! drained. G-ive very little water during. winter and early spring. A warm position will help a few to flower earlier, while others may bo loft in partial shade for succession. Directly the flowers fade, cut back the stem to the first pair of strong leaves and grow them on throughout the summer. From three to five shoots will form, each of which will carry a flower-head next spring. Repot the plants in autumn, just slightly reducing the ball and give a slightly larger pot. * , Finc specimens may bo grown in tubs tor the summer garden, to stand in odd corners or on terraces. The plants will live for many years if they are surfaced with fresh soil in spring and fed with liquid manure during growth.

Paper Mulciung. . Experiments are being made in various parts in the use" of paper as an aid to producing early vegetables. Ordinary asphalt roofing paper has so far proved the best. The plants treated this way are said to make vigorous growth, and what is more important,

the growth of weeds is controlled. One gardener experimented with sweet corn and cucumbers. For the former, the necessary length was cut off the roll and spread along the garden plot; with a stout knife crosses were cut in it about one and a-half feet apart, zigzag along the whole length. The corners of the cuts were then folded back to enable the gardener to plant, four seeds in each, the corners being .then turned back again. No other treatment was given. The corn produced an abundant crop, with no weeding, hoeing or watering. The cucumber's were grown a trifle differently, the roofing paper being cut in half lengthways. The two pieces were placed along the plot with a haliinch space between, to allow of seeds being sown along the straight . line. Dry weather is said to have no ill effects on plants treated in this way, and after the roofing has been removed, an examination of the soil sowed that over the whole area there was a mass of fine feeder roofs which extended to the surface of the ground. Experiments m this direction would be well worth a trial, only in gardens badly invested with slugs it' would be best to rid the soil of these as thoroughly a-s possible before sowing or. planting, a.s "under paper’ ’is suggestive of a good hiding place for these nocturnal visitors. ' Linaria Alpina.

'Certainly one of the most charming of Alpine plants, this delightful little gem is not at all difficult to establish in sandy, gritty, and rather moist soil, or in crevices in the sunny parts of the rock garden. The Alpine linaria is short-lived, but when happily, placed, it seeds itself so very freely as soon to form cascades of silver leaves ana brilliantly coloured blossoms. The small bluish violet flowers are vividly touched with orange, and the rosea variety is a charming confection in silver, pink, and orange. These Unarms are easily increased from seed, which should bo sown in boxes in spring, or in the places in the rock garden, ( where the plants are to flower.

Another treasure is erysimum, or choiranfchus linifolium, almost ever in flower, trusses, cascades and torrents of softest mauve ami lavender colouring, an ideal plant for clothing the top of an old wall, of a very dry sunny slope or bank. The plants delight in a stony soil and will readily cover a considerable area with .iusnuicrable self-sown seedlings. Meconopsis Baileyi.

Much attention has-been given recently to the above named plant, which belongs to the perennial poppy family. The foliage grows into a compact clump of green leaves, the flower spikes rising to a good height above the foliage with an occasional leaf here and there.. The individual flowers are a lovely blue shade ,large and single, with brilliant yellow anthers. This poppy loves partial shade, and looks well growing in those parts of the rock garden. Shelter from wind is desirable, as the blooms are easily damaged. The plant is easily raised from seed, and when better known will become a groat favourite wheye blue flowers are liked. How to Arrange Violets.

These charming little flowers are difficult to arrange. Take an ordinary saucer or flat dish and fill it with fresh moss. Build the moss up in the form of a little mound in the saucer, keeping the fresh points of the moss to the front, so as' to make it look as fresh and velvet like as possible. Round the edge of the saucer small fern fronds or violet leaves should be arranged so as to hide the china. Then take the violet blooms and make them into bunches of from eight to ton in a bunch. Their stems should then be bound together with a piece of binding wire. The binding wire, besides keeping the stems together, makes them firm, and renders them capable of being bent into any position required. When as many of these little bunches are made as required, they should' -be dotted over the groundwork of mass. A few snowdrops, if procurable, placed here and there amongst the violets, produce a charming effect, and a mixture of Avhite violets also looks very Avell in an arrangement of this ‘description. The addition of a few, small fronds of maidenhair form, too, tends to heighten the general effect. The moss should bo vvell damped every morning, arid, it this bo not forgotten, the violets will keep fresh and emit their sweet perfume for inanv days. , :