GARDEN NOTES.

Shannon News, 30 July 1929, Page 4

GARDEN NOTES.

General Routine Work. Trench all land intended for the making of new flower borders, whether for ai-nuals, biennials or perennials. When soil is lit, lightly fork over the surface of existing perennial borders, working in some manure if this was not done during late autumn. Make any needful alteration m the fli-wer borders. Plant shrubs of all kinds. Firm ■planting is essential for success. In exposed gardens, furnish each shrub with a stake, and tie tightly to prevent rocking from winds. 801 l lawns at least a week, unless too saturated. After heavy frosts, go over all new-ly-planted things and refinn. - ' Loosen the surface soil amongst bulbs to give them a chance of rapid growth. Dust choice plants with soot or lime occasionally. Plant roses and take cuttings of these and of shrubs.

Vegetable Garden. Little can be done unless soil conditions are favourable. ' All draining and trenching should be completed as quickly as possible. Get in garden seeds in readiness for taking advantage of any spell of good weather. Look over seed potatoes and place thoge required for the first planting iu a favourable place to sprout. Attend to rhubarb beds and sow seeds of tomato, cabbage, and cauliflower under a frame, with slight bottom heat. Oriental Poppies. The large flowered herbaceous plants known under the general name of Oriental Poppies, form one of the brightest and most interesting features of our borders during the months of November and December. The old scarlet flower, with its boss of black ■ anthers, has'for many years been a familiar plant to us all, and there are few gardens which "are not adorned with it. There are now a number of other varieties, differing in the colour of their blossoms and also in the size of the blooms. Some have flowers of immense size in colourings

of deep crimson, pale pink to deepest cerise, salmon and apricot shades, while the very newest embrace such colours as'pale to deep* mauve, purple and white ground varieties. Another now class has smaller blooms, with a clear centre. Their dainty habit of growth will prove most useful for cut flower work. Oriental poppies are among the easiest of perennials to grow, providedthey are given an open, sunny position. In shady, damp places, they are liable to suffer from mildew and fungus diseases. For general landscape effect, a grouping of these handsome plants is most effective and for indoor decoration the huge blooms are delightful for large bowls and vases. They should be cut just when the buds are bursting and their stems burnt,_ or placed for a few minutes in boiling water. The blooms will then open freely, and reveal to the fullest extent the beauty of their papery petals and beau*iful centres. Treated thus, they will last fully a week. More and more are hardy perennial plants sought after. They are less trouble in the garden, the first expense is the last, and those gardeners requiring" such plants will find the above class of poppies most desirable. St. Brigid Anemones.

Growers of. these popular flowers arc often at a loss whether to lift them each season, or to lot them remain in the sodl. From experience, better results are usually obtained by leaving the conns undisturbed. Situation, soil and planting methods have all to be considered if anemones are to be grown successfully. The best soil is rich loam and land that has been cultivated for less than four or five years, or more than a pencil, a measured three inches very old or light, try first of all to add a few spadefuls of more suitable soil. When planting, select a north aspect or similar cool position, where a hot sun will not blaze all day. Avoid planting close to a wall or hedge, if possible. If planted late in the season, they -should not be allowed to suffer from dryness at the roots until after flowering. Fork over and break the soil up well, then work in plenty of rotted manure (cow if possible), about four inches deep. One piled-up spadeful to every six roots, if planted four inches apart, is a good dressing. After making the bed firm, thrust a stick rather thicker tbau a pencil, a measured three inches into the soil, withdraw the stick and drop a root into the hole. The root will thus be one inch above the manure and three inches from the surface. Fill the hole with soil again and firm it well down, so as not to leave any cavity in which water might lodge before the root begins to grow. Except in elay ; or very heavy loam, directly you have planted the roots, providing the soil is dry enough, make it quite ,firm by rolling or pressing heavily with the sole of the boot over the roots. These anemones cannot succeed in loose or spongy ground. At the flowering season, carefully cut away all decayed blooms before they fade and drop their petals. This greatly improves the others, and helping the buds, prolongs the flowering season. If after, flowering the roots arc left undisturbed, they should produce another good crop of flowers next season,* especially if given a top-dressing of rotted manure 0/ a little blood and bone fertiliser. At such time, when the blooms appear small and the foliage sparse, it is beat to discard the old plants, and obtain a fresh supply. A batch of seedlings raised each year is a. oreat help.

Hydrangea Paniculata. The above hydrangeas are sometimes called Japanese hydrangeas, as they hail from Japan. It is one of the best of white shrubs for the garden, blooming profusely from January until March i&r" April. As the flower-spikes age,

they are apt to take on tints of pink and apricot, which add to their beauty. The foliage is somewhat like the ordinary hydrangea, only of a daintier texturc and habit of growth. The plants will grow up to eight feot in height, and the panicles of bloom will attain anything up to 18 inches in length and nine inches in diameter. A considerable number of both sterile and fertile blossoms compose each inflorescence. A good dressing of manure in spring does good, and the plants should also be cut well back to about four inches and all weak-looking growths removed. Two or three well-grown clumps of these in the shrubbery are most decorative. Manuring Strawberry Beds. Including the second yea» after planting, and until the beds become exhausted and are broken up, strawberry plants should 'receive an annual dressing of manure to ensure fertility being | maintained. In these days when anij man manure is often difficult to ob- | I to in, there is always the possibility of this matter being neglected, but in such cases recourse can be had to the-

use of artificial manure which, if not quite so suitable, is far better than allowing the plants to starve for want of food. Strawberries not only need to be planted on soil previously enriched with manure, but if fertility is to be maintained, they must receive a stimulant in some shape or form afterwards. Well rotted farmyard manure is suitable for most soils. Those of a heavy texture derive great benefit from decayed leaves and stable manure. In any case, the best kind of manure which may be to hand should be used and the present is a suitable opportunity of getting it spread between the rows, after the ground has been freed

from weeds and any late runners cut away. Winter rains will then wash the animal properties of the mulch down to the roots and supply the stimulus needed to enable the plants to meet'the demands which will be made on - their energies next season. Division of Rhubarb Roots. Immediately the crowns show sign-.'-of activity, rhubarb roots are on the move, and this presents the most opportune time to tackle old roots whicli

have become too scattered. The position chosen for a new plantation .rihoiik.' be warm and sheltered but not overhung by towering trees or shrubs. / warm corner, where the sun can p!.r between the plants from early mornii:;

up to three or four o'clock in the-after noon, is an ideal position. Here tin stalks come along quite early, if light ly covered with straw, compared with exposed plantations, and it is the early stalks that are so much appreciated. For this reason,, early varieties should be chosen, 'also what is known as winter rhubarb sihould not be overlooked when planting. The ground needs deep working, as the roots penetrate to a good depth, two and a-half feet

being none too much, and should be well manured between the spits as work proceeds, as the plantation should, with an annual manuring each spring, continue remunerative for several years. In breaking up old plants ,use the garden fork when possible, and a sharp spade when necessary, reserving a crown and a few rootlets to each set for replanting. Plant four feet apart, allowing the apex of the crown to appear a trifle above the surrounding soil to indicate their position and lightly cover with stiaw or litter as a protection against frosts, which check their progress When the plants' are growing freely mulch each root with some rich man ure, ply the flat hoe frequently to kil; any weeds and to aerate the soil and should a flower stalk appear, cut it with a sharp knife, as these only weaken the plant. Pull very sparingly during the first season: the second year they may be drawn on pretty freely.